Opinion: Guinea Coup, African Rights

By Rt Rev. Prof.Kole Jale William

Juba, South Sudan,

Sep 12, 2021 — In Africa, the land has become no rights land. People call themselves citizens and their freedom and rights are under the seat of the one sitting as the leader. The leaders in Africa are those who fought for the rights and freedoms of the people. They liberate the people with clear agenda that are generally acceptable by everyone. But hidden agendas are implemented when they have established themselves and sat on the necks of people. Here people begin to see that they betrayed themselves or liberated themselves. They judge the situation as liberated or plunged in hell. Leaders are good when they are God fearing and people minded and always planning 80% good things to benefit the people. This leadership is hard to find.

Leaders in Africa have an agenda in lips and words that are smoothed with oil but when the people voted them in, they become dangers to the lives of those who voted them in. You cannot talk, you cannot express your ideas or share views with them. The moment you talk, you endanger yourself and the future of your family. Ask yourself, where is the freedom and rights that you hope for? When you realize that something has gone wrong, you cannot say ” why did we do this to ourselves yesterday we stood on this”? 

In Africa constitutions are to be in the interest of the leader and it must favour him. If any provision is not favouring him, it must be changed in his favour. There is no legal document that cannot be changed or violated by an African leader. They look like graduates from the same college. But Africans became vulnerable and helpless with desire for better leadership.

The coup in Guinea is condemned by many leaders around the world and Africa. Their condemnation is right because coup is not the right way of toppling leaders but the one of Guinea is a right and legitimate coup because the leader Alpha Conde disrespected the Constitution of the land and people of Guinea. Mamandy did the right in exercising the right power to bring him to understand that what he did during the election was wrong to the citizens of the country.

Those African leaders who condemned Mamandy are sleeping leaders or leaders of the same character with Alpha Conde. Where are the African leaders who stand for the rights of African citizens? When leaders are changing constitutions to favour them and rigging elections, where were you? Your leadership is to watch citizens suffer in the hands of one man and you gloat? You condemn for the sake of condemnation. Jesus said “you cannot remove a speck in your brother’s eyes and you have a log in your own eyes. The leaders of international groupings and nation’s are to save Africa from the hands of wrong leadership and make African leaders to respect the constitutions and the citizens and not to Deny them their rights and freedoms.

The regional groupings in Africa and African union have no plans for the citizens in Africa. They form regional groupings with bad constitutions that have nothing to do with the citizens but only allow leaders to change constitutions and do what they want on the citizens. If a savior appeared like Mamandy to manhandle bad leadership, then, they rise to condemn, when someone is changing the constitution and rigging elections, they are quiet. Mamandy, you are right to save citizens. Those in good leadership, do not make a coup. Give citizens rights to elect their leader they prefer. Lead them and hand them over to civilians.

I condemn a coup that is made against a leader who was elected by the people. The legitimate coup is when the leader overthrows a dictator or oppressor or betrayer.