A very tired person Posted January 2, 2024 Report Posted January 2, 2024 Recently, the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) conducted its election, and unsurprisingly, Felix Tshisekedi secured a second term as president. However, his victory is widely believed to have been achieved through non-democratic means. Moreover, over the past five years, his leadership has proven detrimental to the country. This is evident in instances such as hosting Paul Kagame in the capital, which subjected the nation to humiliation, and his failure to address widespread corruption in the government. This situation highlights a significant failure of democracy in Zaire. For instance, in the past, under leaders like Mobutu Sese Seko, the country had a stable albeit uncomfortable one-party authoritarian state. While not an ideal situation, it provided stability and fostered nationalism for a generation, and albeit not long, we were the richest country in central Africa. However, now we have been reduced to a mockery of the African continent. Now, In the present, rebels and militias, supported by foreign governments, run rampant in the east, while corrupt officials plague the west. Our grandparents and/or parents, who once witnessed a united state marked by strength and stability, now see traumatized former child soldiers, victimized women and girls, and abandoned orphans left to die in the broken streets. The world witnesses how democracy has failed our country, fostering divisions among the many ethnic groups. These groups, who once viewed each other as brothers and sisters, now regard one another with a sense of fear. If Congo is to survive the century let alone the decade, it must undergo a transformative change. But still, I question if this could still help the DRC, as democracy has failed the DRC so much. Yet, we, the people of Congo, still run around trying to find it. I even know people celebrated when we first thought we had a democratic election in 2019. So, my question is: what the hell can we do? Should we just try to ride out the wave and wait for years, maybe decades, while suffering from the same problems we face today? Is there hope that someone will come and finally bring actual democracy to the country, or is taking immediate action and trusting an authoritarian strongman worth it? As much as I would love to see my country return to its 1970s glory, would repeating the same mistakes and simply repeating history be worth it? ( sorry for my stupid rambling) Quote
TreeBeard Posted January 2, 2024 Report Posted January 2, 2024 6 hours ago, A very tired person said: under leaders like Mobutu Sese Seko, the country had a stable albeit uncomfortable one-party authoritarian state. While not an ideal situation, it provided stability and fostered nationalism for a generation I have to question your definition of stability. Participation in the Rwandan genocide. Millions dead from civil war. Where exactly was the stability you speak of? Quote
A very tired person Posted January 2, 2024 Author Report Posted January 2, 2024 Well my definition of stability would be the ability to survive comfortably in the State, something that was very possible under Mobutu Quote
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