Some African rulers like President Robert Mugabe believe that their destiny is to rule their countries until they drop dead.
This was the view of the Daily News 10 years ago when it commented on Madagascan leader Didier Ratsiraka’s refusal to step down. Mugabe had also just won a disputed election that gave him another six years in office.
“Didier Ratsiraka of Madagascar is a typical caricature of an African leader: he refuses to accept change and seems to believe that without him at the helm Madagascar would sink without trace into the Indian Ocean.
“He and other leaders cling to the outrageous notion that African democracy is not necessarily compatible with the Western variety. They seem to suggest African democracy must include a strong dash of totalitarianism to function effectively….
“The rulers, most of them old men of the ilk of Madagascar’s Didier Ratsiraka and our own Mugabe, believe their destiny is to rule their countries until they drop dead.”
Full cable:
Viewing cable 02HARARE1091, INDEPENDENT DAILY NEWS CRITICIZES DESPOTS
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS HARARE 001091
SIPDIS
AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND
SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR DIPALMA, INT/R/MR, NSC FOR
JENDAYI FRAZER
E.O. 12958: N/A
SUBJECT: INDEPENDENT DAILY NEWS CRITICIZES DESPOTS
¶1. Under headline “Rastiraka: Another old man
resisting change” the independent daily “The Daily
News” dedicated its May 2 editorial to criticizing
despotic African leaders, especially Didier Rastiraka
of Madagascar and Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe. Excerpts:
¶2. “Didier Rastiraka if Madagascar is a typical
caricature of an African leader: he refuses to accept
change and seem to believe that without him at the helm
Madagascar would sink without trace into the Indian
Ocean. . . He and other leaders cling to the
outrageous notion that African democracy is not
necessarily compatible with the Western variety. They
seem to suggest African democracy must include a strong
dash of totalitarianism to function effectively. . .
Africa is the poorest continent primarily because the
freedom in which spectacular economic development and
unfettered political activity can thrive does not exist
in many African countries. The rulers, most of them
old men of the ilk of Madagascar’s Didier Rastiraka and
our own Mugabe, believe their destiny is to rule their
countries until they drop dead.”
SULLIVAN
(19 VIEWS)
