Cameroon, Senegal: Miserable old buggers won't quit

Its not ageism. It is just that I have had it with some of these miserable old farts at the helm of some African countries. Merde!. Why do we have to suffer these old fools who continue to cling to power despite decades of spectacular failures as  leaders.

Take the case of Abdoulaye Wade in Senegal, legally about 84-years-old, but rumoured to be on the wrong side of 90. Yes he came to power late in his political life, but has had 11 years to at least lay the foundation for what ever vision he had for Senegal. Instead what does he do? He engages in the old game of tinkering with the constitution to try and prolong is stay in power.

This has served as a catalyst for pent-up anger and anti-government sentiments to explode. We've had a series of riots in the past week alone. First over the proposed constitution change, then over excessive load-shedding that had left some neighbourhood without electricity for over 48 hours. It is clear Wade is not longer energetic to be able to stay on top of the burning issues of poverty, unemployment, corruption etc., that is plaguing the country, but he is insisting only he can bring salvation to the country, pissing off a whole section of the population that can't wait to get him out come presidential elections billed for February next year.

Caricature of Biya saying we are unshakable.  Author unknown

 Another is Cameroon's 78-years-old Paul Biya. This is a guy who is been in power for over 29 years Yes 29, one of Africa's longest-serving presidents. But Cameroon remains one of the world's worst governed country. Corruption is rife in every sector of the country. The economy, albeit with great potentials, has stagnated for decades due to mismanagement, lack of vision, heavy state bureaucracy, and downright theft orchestrated by the ruling class.

Biya himself as an absentee landlord who spends more of his time outside the country. It has been recorded that in a given year, Biya spends over 150 days or more out of the country, particularly in Switzerland where his young children from a second marriage attend school. Early in his regime, he was asked about his prolonged absences from the seat of power and his answer was..."Cameroon was on auto-pilot". Go figure.

In 2008, aided by the sycophants in parliament, he removed presidential term limits from the constitution and is expected run again in elections planned for October this year, meanwhile the country continues its long decay while tensions continues to simmer. It will one day get to the point where it would explode just like in Senegal now and as it started in north Africa early in the year.