Africa unmanageable

A movie I saw some years ago, I cannot remember the name, was about a military intervention in some fictitious country in Africa where people from a missionary hospital had to be evacuated to safety. At one point one of the actors looked at this lot and said "May God help us". In reaction to this the main character said to himself "God has left Africa long ago".

When one reads, listens and sees what goes on in Africa, any reasonable person would feel desperation for this continent. Although I do not agree with the man in the film about God having left Africa, I must admit that somewhere inside myself something is searching for answers to a lot of questions about Africa and one question is certainly: What about a visible divine intervention into this beautiful land that just does not seem to be able to produce the right kind of people in positions of authority that would make things happen so that its inhabitants can believe there is a bright future waiting?

Kofi Annan is at present in Kenya where he is trying to broker some deal between the waring factions and Reuters carried an article on his latest observations. Well, Mr Annan, what you are quoted as having said hits the nail on the head. These statements, with a few alterations here and there, apply to the whole of Africa. And the challenge is there: We in Africa cannot afford to fail! Are there leaders in Africa who really understand this statement?

President Bush of America is also on a visit to Africa. He expressed the opinion Zimbabwe does not deserve a Mugabe. And so it goes on and on. People are talking, just talking. International leaders talk, African leaders talk (they love it). But nothing concrete seems to HAPPEN.

South Africa was the powerhouse of Africa, with plenty of development taking place, proper roads, railways, infrastructure, etc. Unfortunately all this happened against a political background that was and is not defensible. But does that mean we now have to accept a situations where South Africa must also lose these physical advantages, all in exchange for giving everybody the right to vote (which I agree with) but in the process allow incompetent people (some with criminal records) to manage this country and steer it towards disaster (which I expect to happen)?

Maybe we should pray for Divine intervention because, Mr Annan, if things just proceed along the lines as is happening now, I am afraid somebody in a position like yourself will probably one day also be sent to South Africa to come and try to negotiate a peace deal in this country, and maybe international leaders will also say SA does not deserve its leaders. I sincerely hope my predictions will not come true.