Born to Rule

18. Democratization

155 Born to Rule: Autobiography of a Life President 18 Democratization T here has been a lot of noise about the lot of hot air blowing from Tubab East. Everywhere on this continent people are clamouring for multi-party politics as if it is a panacea to the fatally infectious problems that beset us. Traitors, enemies of the people, hooligans and vandals have picked this up and are going round the country lighting the fire of hate in the name of multi-party politics. This country has known party politics in the past, and we know what it did to our people. That’s why we abolished it in the first place. Then the developed world turns round as if it just woke up from slumber to lecture us about the evils of our single national parties which have wrought so much good to our people. Where were they when the people themselves forced me to adopt the single party? Where were they when we abolished freedom of the press, encouraged hero-worship, arrested, tortured and assassinated our opponents, disbanded parliament, diverted national funds to our own use, and so on and so forth? I say where were they? Yet they know that every leader is hostage of his people. In any case, while in the past I adamantly refused to bow to this passing democratic fad, I must readily admit that we in Africa recognize that we are part of the world. In this communications age, we know that anything that takes place in one country is immediately relayed to the entire world, and that when it concerns Africa, it is drummed up, magnified and blown out of proportion. Aren’t we witnesses to the several conclaves that our developed world pay masters have been holding recently to force us to go democratic or lose their financial support? Of course, this is blackmail because how come it is only now that they see the evil in our one-party system? When the information that I must go democratic or give up my presidential throne was first relayed to me by the ambassador 156 Tah Asongwed of one of the Tubab West countries accredited to my country, I couldn’t believe my ears. My immediate reaction was that who cares if economic aid is cut off as long as military aid is strengthened? Our armed forces have sacrificed too much for this country. They have quelled every real or imagined rebellion with crude barbarism, and refused to back any of their wayward colleagues who attempted to take over the country by force of arms. Consequently, it is not because we are facing the most difficult economic problems that we should sacrifice people who have already sacrificed their lives to save this country from the tyranny of a few blighted souls. On account of my sense of proportion, and not willing at any time to take crucial decisions without consulting my advisers and retainers, I sought counsel of my inner circle when this democratization wind started blowing. My closest aides were summoned to my palace and I put the cards on the table. I explained to my ministers, kingmakers and security people that we should cut the grass under the peoples’ feet by declaring our open support for the multi-party system of politics. My reasoning was that if we allowed the few self-seeking, self-centred, powerhungry and so-called champions of multi-party politics to form political parties, we would have so many parties that we would win any elections pants down since we are better organized and control not only the press but the life of the citizenry. My inner circle unanimously vetoed me. The minister of state for security, spying and coups asserted that the army was fully behind me, and assured me of the military’s loyalty and continued support in crushing any demonstrations in favour of the multiparty system. He convinced us that, as far as he was concerned, there was no coup in the offing. For his part, the minister of finance, pre-finance, debts and liquidation insisted that we should call the developed world’s bluff because they could not afford to cut off economic aid to us. He referred specifically to the Summit Meeting of Romance-speaking countries that took place in La Taule at which President Littleround had announced to the world, between burps, that his country was now going to champion the cause of democracy in Africa. All of us...