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I
have just finished Foreign Policy, an international magazine that
prides itself in in-depth reporting of international affairs around the
world. It is a magazine I respect very much and make it a point of duty
to read whenever it is published. The latest edition, which I’ve just
read, is devoted to the state of the world and the ranking of countries.

My concern here is
not about the ranking of countries, but the extra thing that the
magazine did about the compilation of what it calls “The worst of the
worst.” In this segment, the editors listed about 23 world leaders whom
they considered the worst leaders in their various parts of the world
and countries. Out of the 23 worst leaders listed, 13 are from Africa.

I am in no dispute
with the list because all the Africans on it are, by my own assessment,
eminently qualified for the disreputable compilation. In no particular
order, I will mention all the 13 disreputable leaders and run a brief
commentary on them, hoping that this would provoke a robust discussion
of the fate of the continent and show us why we are the way we are and
why we are where we stand today.

There is Paul Biya
of Cameroun, who the editors describe as “a suave bandit.” He has ruled
his country for 28 years and does not look as if he is ready to cede
power to anyone. He is, at least, not like his predecessor, Ahmadu
Ahidjo, who left power to him, even if not too willingly.

There is also Paul
Kagame, who came, like most others did, as a “liberator”, and has today
turned himself into the tin god of Kigali. He has spent just 10 years
in power and is determined to go further. With recent events in his
country, the killing of a rival military general in South Africa and
one or two other journalists, by the time he is done, he may have
beaten the record of the butcher of Kampala. Though I agree that Kagame
may have been able to bring some stability and development to his
country, the monopoly of knowledge and how to stabilise the country
should not begin and end with him.

In this infamous
company is Yoweri Museveni, a man who, when he was leading the rebel
army against the government of the late Milton Obote, was quoted as
saying, “No African head of state should be in power for more than 10
years.” Today, the shoe is on the other leg.

He is no longer in
the bush fighting to get to power, so it is easy for him to have
forgotten what he said. Museveni has, today, become the alpha and omega
of Uganda. On a recent visit to the country, I sat a few rows away from
his seat and he looked as harmless as a next door uncle.

He looked frail,
not as fearsome as the Museveni one hears of in the media. I pointed
this out to a Ugandan journalist who was at the event with me, and he
said I should not be deceived. I am not. Museveni has spent 24 years in
power and has forced down the throat of all, his everlasting rule!

Not left out of
this odious company is Blaise Compaore. This man who murdered his close
friend has stayed in power for 23 years. He has silenced all opponents
and has even received the endorsement of his colleagues in the West
African sub region, by chairing the ECOWAS.

The greatest
buffoon of them all is perhaps the joker in The Gambia, who goes by
some long honorific name and claims to have the power to cure HIV/AIDS.
Sixteen years after seizing power as a low ranking military officer, he
has sentenced more people to death over alleged plots to overthrow him
than any other African leader in his league.

Let’s take a break here and continue with the others next week.