The Daily Insider: Fresh winds of change blowing through Africa. Perhaps in SA too?

Sceptics who doubt the wave of democracy sweeping through African politics, should look at what’s going down in the former fiefdom of Jacob Zuma’s close pal, Sudanese president-for-life Omar al-Bashir.

In the Sudan, General Abdel al-Burhan was forced to declare a state of emergency after thousands of pro-democracy protestors streamed through Khartoum to reject yesterday’s military coup. The generals ejected a transitional government that has ruled since al-Bashir was ousted after 27 years of dictatorship.

Sudanese demonstrators will doubtless have been emboldened by Malawian pastor Lazarus Chakwera, long-time leader of the Opposition, who assumed office in June 2020 after the Constitutional Court overturned the (rigged) 2019 election result. And by Zambia’s new president, businessman HH Hichilema, who won 59% of the vote in August’s election.

British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan is best remembered in this part of the world for his “Winds of Change in Africa” speech to the SA Parliament in 1960. Over six decades later, fresh gales are blowing through the continent. Perhaps in SA too? We’ll see next Monday.

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