Last Friday, on a cold and cloudy morning, about half million Kenyans celebrated the promulgation of a brand new constitution in an impressive show of unity at Uhuru (freedom) park in central Nairobi. The constitution now in force is a very modern and comprehensive document. It introduces many substantial changes which will impact on the nature of politics in Kenya.
In 1992, Ghana returned to multiparty democracy having followed a turbulent political trajectory since its independence in 1957. One of the first countries in Sub-Sahara Africa to achieve independence, Ghana became a ´beacon of hope´ for other African countries under colonial rule. Today, the successful consolidation of multiparty democracy in Ghana is proving that democracy can work in Africa. Now that Ghana is on the road to becoming a middle-income country, it also demonstrates that democracy and economic development can go hand in hand.
'It is our experience that people, wherever in the world, want their voices to be heard and be counted. Hence, the imperative to provide assistance to democracy building.'
During a visit to Lusaka, Zambia last week, I had the opportunity to discuss the preparations for a new constitution. I had meetings with the leadership of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC), leaders of all the Zambian political parties, civil society leaders, representatives of the international donor community and Zambia's new President Rupiah Banda. Discussions were also held with the Board of the Zambian Center for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID), NIMD's partner in Zambia.
On my way back to The Netherlands from visits to Zimbabwe and Zambia, I learned about the tragic car accident of the new Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, which killed his wife and injured him. The accident happened 88 km south of Harare and was caused by a collision with a truck. Ironically, it was an USAID hired truck with humanitarian assistance for the suffering Zimbabwean population. Morgan Tsvangirai and his wife were on their way to a meeting in the birthplace of Morgan in Buhera, a district in Manicaland province south-east of Harare.
I am surrounded by snoring Indonesian men at my 05.00 hours flight from Jakarta to Surabayo writing this blog. Outside the sun is rising over this vast archipelago. I am on my way to a workshop of the Komunitas Indonesia untuk Demokrasi (KID) and a visit to the NIMD sponsored Democracy School (Sekolah Demokrasi) in Malang at East Java.
The pictures of the massive crowd - an estimated 1,5 million people - converging in Washington DC for the inauguration of the 44th president of the USA, have been broadcast around the world. I was one in the sea of people bracing a bitter cold (minus 5 C) winter day.
Key words in the political language of the new US president are dialogue, engagement and inclusivity. They constitute part of what he refers to as new politics. In his final campaign rallies before the Nov 4 election, he regularly ended with the slogans: we'll change America, we'll change the world. There is no doubt that he has become president to pursue the national interests of the United States but in his speech and writings Obama almost intrinsically links in to issues of concern to the rest of the world. The international context is never far away, it is part of him.
One week to go to the US elections, it is a moment to pause and reflect about what is happening since the Democratic Convention in Denver at the end of August that sealed the nomination of the first black American candidate for the US presidency. And as things stand today, Barack Obama will be elected as the first black US president a week from now. His lead in the electoral college appears unassailable.
From the Convention of the Democratic party in Denver to another convention; this time of three political parties (ZANU-PF, MDC Tsvangirai and MDC Mutambara) at the packed International Conference Center in Harare, Zimbabwe, where on Monday 15 september, they signed an agreement for an all-inclusive government to end the Zimbabwean political crisis.
Roel von Meijenfeldt
Executive Director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD)
