Zimpapers Logo

Perspective, Stephen Mpofu
NOT previously are two major political dramas known — at least by this pen — to have taken place almost simultaneously in two continents as what happened in the United States of America far, far away across many waters in the tiny West African Islamic state of The Gambia.

Today, political historians must be engaged in flurries of activity immortalising with the modern pen, the computer, the dramatic election of the new president of the US, Mr Donald Trump last November and the trouncing of Mr Yahya Jammeh who conceded defeat by his rival, businessman, Mr Adama Barrow but made a dramatic somersault soon after, saying that he did, in fact, win the polls — leaving everyone almost everywhere around the world shaking their heads with amazement or disbelief at what they heard.

As if this was not enough for the world community to contend with, Jammeh stormed out of his 22-year rule and away into exile in Equatorial Guinea, trailed by accusations that he plundered state coffers to the tune of $11 million along with luxury vehicles that were flown away, apparently to the country of his exile.

Earlier, as he dug in his heels, claiming that victory had deliberately been stolen from him through fictitious votes added to Mr Barrow’s final vote tally, the new Gambia head of state was being sworn in at his country’s embassy in Senegal as soldiers from that country, a member of the Economic Community of West African States massed up around the border ready to march into The Gambia and take care of Jammeh and help Barrow get back home to assume his new post as head of state. At the same time Gambians were fleeing their country in their thousands into neighbouring states afraid of what they believed would be a lot of bloodshed in the event that the foreign troops moved into their country to protect Barrow who finally returned home on Thursday, two days ago.

Away in America Trump, whose own victory over Democratic Hillary Clinton was being blamed by both the intelligence community there and by newspapers on vote hacking by Russia, moved into the White House after being sworn in on January 19 amid anti-Trump demonstrations by thousands of Americans also stormed into power with behind him a divided nation whose wounds he must heal, as well as many in the outside world, particularly in Europe and the Middle East who remain sceptical of his future performance on account of the new billionaire president’s inadequate, if not a complete lack of, previous political experience that deprives him of a grasp of international political dynamics at play in the world today.

Jammeh’s apparent bon voyage into exile came courtesy of Ecowas, the African Union and the United Nations agreeing that property genuinely belonging to him and his family should not be tampered with by the new government — which paves the way for the former Gambian leader to return home as and when he desires.

Asked in an interview by a Voice of America correspondent if he would prosecute Jammeh, Barrow said a comprehensive assessment by his government of all issues pertaining to the former president’s rule will be made to determine if he should be prosecuted.

The new Gambian president said he would institute a truth and reconciliation commission, such as the one formed in South Africa by the African National Congress on assuming power at the end of apartheid in 1994. The commission would guide him on the way forward for a country that had lost its “smiling coast” fame and now also needed the return of investors to help build a better new economic future for Gambians.

However, there are those who believe strongly that Jammeh should not get away scot free but that he must face consequences for his unpopular rule.

Gambians, including journalists, who had fled into exile fearing for their lives started flocking back to their native country once news spread that the man they dreaded was finally out of power and out of the country.

In America, the rhetorical onslaughts that Trump made on his rival as well as against policies of the Obama administration during his campaign trail appear to have followed him, like a shadow to the White House where, at his inauguration last Friday he pledged to unite Americans, saying that the change in government was not meant only at the white House but was intended “to make America great again”.

But the furore he caused by accusing the broadcast media, CNN, of publishing “fake news” with regards to the alleged hacking scandal and his digs at the intelligence community over the same reported Russian electoral involvement in his favour still do not appear to endear him well to both those groups who apparently remain sceptical of any atonement he might appear to have made by toning down his stance on journalists, or even by travelling to the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters where he palavered with operatives there.

Europe understandably remains furious over Trump’s attack of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), as being obsolete.

On the contrary, many Americans view Nato as an important alliance.

President Trump appears again to have left many in his country baffled by his latest claim that as many as five million illegal immigrants voted for Mrs Clinton. One election law analyst said yesterday that no indisputable evidence was available to confirm the president’s claim, adding that it was impossible that such a large number of people could have voted for the Democratic candidate. Mrs Clinton won the national vote but was shoved in the shade by electoral college votes that Trump won and which count more than ordinary votes.

President Trump is again embroiled in controversy over the construction of an impregnable wall along the border between his country and Mexico to stop illegal immigrants taking over American jobs.

Initially, he said Mexico should build the wall but when that country said it would have none of it Mr Trump signed an executive order for his country to build the wall at a cost estimated at between $10 and $20 billion. He said Mexico would repay the money but that country’s president said no, and cancelled a meeting that he was due to have held with Mr Trump a few days ago.

The new president also reversed the Obama administration’s rejection, on environmental grounds, of the construction of an oil pipeline from Canada through his country to Mexico.

Environmental scientists have pointed out that the pipeline, passing through graveyards, posed environmental risks as bursts would result in contamination of underground water, posing serious danger to lives.

However, the new president insists that the project should go ahead as it stood to provide jobs for as many as 24 000 people.

President Trump is also reported as saying he would stop immigrants from Muslim majority states. But commentators say that the move would stop America becoming a safe place for people fleeing oppression and other inhumane acts in their native countries.

This week, however, Mr Trump appeared to have received a bonanza in his declared trade war against China courtesy of a visit by Britain’s Prime Minister, Theresa May who was due to hold talks with Mr Trump at the White House two days ago.

Like Mr Trump, the British Prime Minister is seeking new markets as her country prepares finally to exit the European common market.

When finally out of the European Union the British government will enter into trade agreements with individual EU countries as well as other states, such as India and China and others elsewhere which are not members of the EU.

Similarly, China, which Trump wants to ditch as a major trading partner is busy looking elsewhere for markets and this week a Chinese train arrived in London, carrying a wide range of goods, after travelling for 18 days and through European countries.

Britain is also gearing up for new markets in the Commonwealth, a grouping of former British colonies, with heads of state from that organisation due to meet in London soon without Zimbabwe which is no longer a member of that club.

The Chinese train to the UK apparently stands as a statement about globalisation in trade with that Asian giant already a hit with African countries where China has huge investments.

With far-right governments getting into power and distancing themselves away from far-left governments, the global village, a concept resulting from advances in communication technologies putting people vast distances in touch with the touch of a button appears, at least to this pen, to face disintegration.