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Africa: Governance failings stir week of rage
By John Eche
Governance failings have been fingered as the prime reason for the rage that has been witnessed across Africa in the outgoing week.
In Nigeria, poor management of the #EndSARS protests snowballed into incidents of vandalisation, arson and looting. As at the time of going to process the carnage had spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country with cities like Lagos, Kaduna, Yola and Calabar being seriously affected. Curfews have been declared in many of the states with calls being made for the Federal Government to do more to assuage the cries of young people in the country who have been at the receiving end of many years of dashed hopes and expectations.
In Cameroon, suspected separatists were alleged to have struck at a school and killed six children in the process.
In Angola, demonstrators took to the streets, protesting the high cost of food items, rising unemployment and also demanding the conduct of stalled local council elections. The police dispersed the crowds with teargas cannisters.
In Guinea, violence has greeted the third term election bid and consequent declared victory of incumbent President Alpha Conde. His main challenger, Cellou Diallou, who had been placed on house arrest ahead of the declaration of the results has already rejected the declared outcome, saying he would challenge the results in court. Not less than eight persons had been reported killed even before the results were formally announced.
Another trouble spot on the horizon is Cote D’Ivoire where President Alasane Ouattara’s third term bid has also split the nation. Ahead of the poll, the regional grouping, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS has been engaged in shuttle diplomacy to broker peace. Since August, about 20 people have been killed in protests against Ouattara’s decision to run again. This week alone, six victims were recorded.
President Joao Lourenco of Angola
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