African Democracy Shames Italians

Slightly more heartening news this week comes from Ghana. A continent that's usually written off as an aggregation of helpless peasants led by unhelpful kleptocrats, a lot of people's eyes glaze over whenever African politics are mentioned. Understandably, too. What's the point of taking the time and mental effort to remember an unreasonably complicated name when the politician in question will probably be thrown to the dogs by the end of the month?

Today, though, Ghana is seeing its fifth consecutive general election, with the outgoing president, John Kufuor, willingly relinquishing power because he has reached his maximum service of two presidential terms. He has groomed a potential successor, Nana Akufo-Addo, who will be standing against seven other candidates. A domestic organisation of election observers, CODEO, have noted some irregularities with the voter register, but are otherwise satisfied.

It's not the kind of news that really excites and delights, especially where it concerns Africa. But for the continent to be seeing this kind of stable power transition is incredibly impo-

rtant. Ghana is very much part of the African experience and progression. North African countries like Algeria and Egypt are ruled by different political cultures and norms. They are affected by Arabism and their proximity to oil and the Mediterranean Sea. Likewise, South Africa had its experience with Apartheid, and its flirtation with wealth. 

Ghana's experience was mirrored by half a dozen other sub-Saharan African countries. Initially socialist after independence, Ghana suffered greatly when it mistakenly tried to starve its blooming cocoa industry in pursuit of "true industrialisation". Since then it has had a tough time with its structural adjustment plan, and has been enjoying the relatively steady, if uneven, growth that marks all liberalised developing countries.

That Ghana has managed to maintain such a healthy democracy for so long is cause for great hope, and a harsh rejoinder to all the dickheads who say that Africa is a "lost continent", beyond hope.