March 22, 2004 - 00:32
Women can finally rule Africa through parliament

Story by CHEGE MBITIRU

Publication Date: 03/22/2004

With hardly any fanfare in nearly all towns in Africa, another continental White Elephant came into being last week. Like most things African, there was plenty of swaying and wiggling of human anatomy. There were semblances of a breakthrough though. The occasion was inauguration in Addis Ababa of Pan Africa Parliament. President Joachim Chisanno of Mozambique presided. He’s chairman of the Africa Union, which created the parliament. The perpetually lame Organization of African Unity metamorphosed into the AU.

It wasn’t quite clear how many of the 256 members of the shell legislature were present. Suffice to say those attending were gusto in electing their president. Although union rules require that each member state sends at least a woman representative, most sent more. That kind of generosity is suspect.

The seemingly breakthrough came in successful win by Tanzania’s Mrs. Gertrude Mongella. She’s a person of consequence. Her 34 years of public life is packed with impressive credentials as an educationist, politician and diplomat. In 1995, Mrs. Mongella chaired the women’s conference in Beijing. Male chauvinists worldwide endured heartaches, headaches and stomach-aches, all at once.

Interestingly, Nigeria nominated Mrs. Mongella. Nigerians are routinely overbearing in pursuit of being first in the good and the bad of humanity. It would, therefore, be interesting to see what Nigeria demands in return.

In her acceptance speech, Mrs. Mongella was magnanimous. She noted many men voted for her. That sounded like a polite way of saying African men are accepting there exists women of consequence in public affairs. Mrs. Mongella obviously doesn’t have a conspiratorial mind.

For the next five years, Mrs. Mongella will preside over a shell. It isn’t her fault. Heads of state and governments in the AU member states, all men, created the parliament. After five years, this parliament, which won’t have enacted a law, will be assessed.

It makes no sense to assess what hasn’t been done. Yet this parliament is being hailed as an indication democracy has finally taken roots in the continent. In the foreseeable future, other shells will follow. These include central and investment banks, a monetary fund and a court of justice.

The AU goals aren’t radically different from those of the OAU. Essentially, most AU articles are refinements of the OAU ones. The only exception is recognition of gender equality, in reality semblances of for women. No wonder most AU member states shipped a lot of women to Addis Ababa. That’s hoodwinking at its best.

There never was dispute the OAU needed reforms. For 39 years the organization produced volumes and volumes of, in all fairness, sensible proposals. Had a tiny percentage of them been implemented, the African continent would be a much better place.

Of course the OAU had cheerful moments. It was a venue for protagonists President’s Idi Amin of Uganda and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, both now departed, to shake hands. The liberation committee did an exemplary job in the fight against colonialism and apartheid.

Unfortunately, the organisation had more blemishes than laurels. It shamelessly had known butchers like Gen. Amin and others who didn’t even deserve a fair trial before being shot as chairmen. When former Guinea President Ahmed Sekou Toure executed the organization’s first secretary general, the OAU had no verdict. In short, the organization watched the continent bleed and starve.

This wasn’t really the fault of men and women who worked for OAU. The secretariat was always headed and staffed by brilliant and mostly upright people. But member states were soggy. Not even the most brilliant structural engineer can build a brick wall on mud.

Africa isn’t short of organizations. The major ones are seven. Although they bear titles like economic this and that, they claim to advance peace, security and stability. They remain impotent because they are just good dreams. They have precious little real to show.

Not long ago, for example, the Economic Commission of West African States could only wring hands while human blood flowed in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Somalia ceased to function as a state a decade ago. It’s a member of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development. The functioning members only yawn.

Hardly any of the AU members measure up to the ideals of the organization. These countries though deserve credit for planning, considering few, if any, African leaders can produce more than mumbo-jumbo on how the land they rule ought to look like 21 years from now.

A good plan is as good as its implementers. In the case of the AU, it’s the member states. They are wobbly; their treasuries empty. Their male leaders know at the moment the AU can only build shells, grand titles not withstanding. It shouldn’t be ruled out that’s why these men are packing the AU with women.

Mr Mbitiru, a freelance journalist, is a former 'Sunday Nation' Managing editor

E-mail: cmbitiru@hotmail.com

Source: Daily Nation.