No go Zone: Could Retirement Armnesty Law inspire Presidential Retirement in Africa?

In the wake of the popular walk to work protests that affected Kampala until a few months ago, one thing stood out: the opposition politicians and their faithfuls wanted to send a message to the regime of President Museveni and its strongholds that the time is coming. The protests lasted over half a year, having begun immediately following the February 2011 Presidential Elections.

One media group had this to say, “The protests occur amid a severe economic crisis and social deterioration in Uganda. The cost of living has skyrocketed, with prices of food and gasoline at all-time highs, putting a punishing strain on Ugandans, most of whom live on very low wages.”

The opposition hoped to touch the revolutionary nerves of the Ugandans who have had demands for peace and stability satisfied but remain economically marginalised. This followed a Presidential election, the results of which had been rejected by opposition on grounds of alleged rigging, intimidation and violence against opposition supporters, in which Uganda People’s Congress Party’s Dr. Olara Otunu declined even turning up to vote for himself.

Their approach now was that “if we cannot take power through an election, we will try bringing the masses to the streets.” This followed a declaration by Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda’s most popular opposition leader, who addressed the media stating;  “We will go to the people now, we will make this country ungovernable until they hand over power”.

In most of Africa, what are supposed to be democratically regular, free and fair elections have now turned into “disregarded, fear and flee” elections. For many Ugandans, an election no longer means voting, it’s simply “performing a ritual”.

Most of the Post Independence African regimes use “Rule by Law, instead of Rule of Law”- simply forcing the law on the people, instead of enforcing the law. Rule of law only flourishes when citizens, being aware of the laws, are willing to abide by the same law, not by force.

Abraham Lincoln once put it, “No any man is good enough to rule other men without their consent.” Many of the African Leaders continue imposing their unpopular rule upon the people. They build patronages and entrench corrupt systems, leading to increased political and economic injustice which in turn leads to popular anti-government rebellion.

In Uganda, the current regime could be facing the music. After two decades of rule, the National Resistance Movement does not see a replacement for President Museveni (since January 1986). Given the rising political temperatures ahead of the 2016 Presidential elections, one wonders what is likely to happen if President Museveni bounces back as Presidential candidate come 2016. There are suspicions that he may volunteer himself again, since he does not see any other ideologically ready replacement in his camp.

Some opposition politicians have already blown the whistle, saying they are ready to “come together” to ensure a second liberation for the country from what they call “the dictatorship of Museveni regime”, sighting harassment of political opponents and activists.

But in order to encourage this process the question of retirement conditions for an African President needs to be addressed. Where are African Presidents retiring to? Is life after retirement motivating for them? To them it could be like the question of “life after death” given the immunity and luxury they have to forget about.

The question of retirement for Presidents in Africa could be answered better by addressing the legal and political conditions to ensure a motivating transition process. This requires revising the current retirement laws to try and improve the security and social protection situation of retired Presidents in Africa.

In the United States for example, a former head of state and deputy head of state are entitled to almost the same privileges and services as those of the President-elect as soon as they hand over power, including secret service security and protection.

But what is in it for the retiring African Presidents? What would motivate them to step down peacefully, instead of going down through war, destroying all they have built?

Sustainable democracy and economic development of states depends largely on peace and political stability, including peaceful transitions of power. This is what Africa has lacked since independence.

Could a Presidential Retirement Safe Guard Law inspire retirement and peaceful hand over by African Presidents?