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BY EDITOR
13th November 2011
Editorial Cartoon
South Africa's ruling party, African National Congress (ANC), on Thursday took stern measures against a defiant but influential Youth President Julius Malema, proving that Africa's oldest political party can go beyond personalities in defending values and principles.
Julius Malema was suspended for five years from the ANC meaning he must step down as president of the youth league, the party's disciplinary committee ruled.
The maverick had called for the overthrow of the ‘puppet regime' in neighbouring Botswana, unfavourably compared South Africa's President Jacob Zuma to his predecessor Thabo Mbeki, and stormed uninvited into a meeting of senior ANC officials all this despite being anointed by Zuma as potential future president.
He was found guilty of sowing divisions and bringing the 99-year-old party into disrepute.
Malema, 30, is the first leader to suffer such punishment since the youth league was co-founded by Nelson Mandela in 1944. However, he said he would appeal against the decision until the process is exhausted to ensure he retains his position.
The measures taken by ANC's disciplinary committee should be a lesson to our own ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), which for five years now has been battling internal divisions caused by greed, corruption and lust for top leadership.
We at The Guardian on Sunday strongly believe what ANC has done is what CCM should have also done - putting forward party interests, rather than those of irate, greedy and corrupt leaders.
We fully understand that the circumstances surrounding South Africa's ruling party might to some extent be different from ours, but, the most important point is the willingness and boldness to discipline those persons threatening the interests of the majority.
CCM, one of Africa's oldest ruling parties that has miraculously survived multiparty politics, is currently torn apart by internal divisions dating back to the day in (2008) former Premier Edward Lowassa and two ministers resigned after they were implicated in Richmond scam.
Since then we have witnessed a strong rift within the ruling party, growing day after day, as some top leaders struggle to control the soul of the party ahead of 2015 President Jakaya Kikwete succession battle.
The biggest obstacle has been individuals accused of corruption. It seems they are very powerful and untouchable to the extent of putting the ruling party on the brink of total collapse.
Using their pimps the persons accused of corruption within the ruling party, appear to have managed to send signals that without them, there's no CCM. It also seems those tasked with taking crucial decisions have bought this childish and baseless idea and they are now appealing for a united CCM.
There can't be unity or partnership with the greedy and thieves whose motive is to capture leadership at any cost.
What this kind of persons will do is to enter deals for selfish interests once they capture leadership at State House. There can't be unity between evil and good, and therefore the time has come for the ruling party to follow the path of ANC, by suspending troublemakers and corrupt leaders.
While signing a peace deal between his party, Orange Democratic Movement and Mwai Kibaki's Party of National Unity, in 2008, Raila Odinga said: "It comes a time when Kenya is the more important than I or Kibaki".
Time has come for CCM to read the ‘riot order' by letting greedy and corrupt leaders know that ‘the party can do without them, but they will not survive outside the party.' CCM top brass should have the audacity to bell the cat. It should stand against the petty and chest thumping politics by suspending all leaders tainted with corruption allegations.
The fact that those accused of corruption have never been found guilty by any court of law lacks merit, because ‘Caesar's wife must be above suspicion.'
The quote was a reference to a scandal which happened to Ceasar's second wife, Pompeia, whereby she was accused of doing something which brought great shame to Ceasar: a scandal that occurred during the rites of Bona Dea.
Although, as it turned out, she was innocent, nevertheless, the whole episode was used as ammunition to deliver a divorce verdict. It is from that court case that in the English-speaking world we say "Ceasar's wife must be above suspicion".
Caesar divorced Pompeia and an inquiry was held. Although several members of Caesar's family gave evidence, Caesar himself did not and the court asked him why he had demanded a divorce when so much uncertainty surrounded the incident.
"Caesar's wife," he replied, "must be above suspicion."
Like Caesar's wife, those who want to lead this country must be ‘above suspicion'. Top CCM leaders must also be ‘above suspicion'. This is why those defending CCM's tainted leaders - by saying theirs are just allegations - lack merit.
And that's why today we ask this question: Can CCM learn a lesson from South Africa's ANC? Can the party take stern measures by expelling corrupt members or will it let those greedy and corrupt leaders tear it apart?
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
