Judging by the news down south, it would appear that Jacob Zuma is likely to be the next leader of the ANC. That would make him the top contender for president of Africa’s most prized gem.
And tongues are wagging well beyond South Africa’s borders. His numerous supporters will be celebrating. Those of us watching from a distance are wondering at the dynamics of politics in South Africa, which occupies a special place in black history. Is a new frontier about to be scaled here?
Zuma is, after all, the man who publicly declared that he had unprotected sex with a woman who is HIV-positive. He reckoned that having a shower afterwards was enough to ward off the virus that has wreaked havoc with Africa’s population.
The man’s confession drew a collective gasp of shock among those campaigning against HIV/Aids, not to mention women’s rights activists and anyone with an instinct for survival.
Nevertheless, Zuma was not the first person to treat HIV/Aids so casually. Aids became a pandemic because there were thousands of other people who got carried away and threw caution to the wind.
God knows there are enough African leaders and presidents who have equated power with a harem of women, both within and outside of marriage, in the name of culture. They take it as their right. No one has told them otherwise or penalised them for it.
But there should be a difference between Zuma and your typical villager. At the time of the incident that has come to define him, he was deputy president of the ANC. He once headed the Aids council. The judgement in the circles that I move in was instant, unanimous and far short of complimentary: “My God, if this is the face of Africa’s leadership, where shall we hide?”
The embarrassment was not South Africa’s alone. We felt it across the continent and subconsciously braced ourselves for snide remarks about Africans and their (in)famous libido. Some things know no boundaries.
A Zuma presidency would not necessarily be the worst thing to hit Africa. Our continent has had its share of psychopaths and mass killers occupying the state house. His confession is child’s play in comparison. And he probably has leadership skills that have not received as much coverage abroad as his peccadilloes.
But that does not let him off the hook. Popularity does not excuse irresponsible behaviour. No amount of flowery language can explain it away. Worse still, there would have been no room to appeal to the hearts and minds of his followers had he gone the way of millions of Africans infected with HIV.
This is the message that needs to sink into our minds. Zuma expressed remorse and his supporters saw no reason to drop their backing. This is typical of Africa. We tend to vote with our hearts, not our minds.
But this doesn’t really explain the curious decision of the ANC Women’s League to back Zuma.
During a visit to South Africa a couple of years ago, I was part of a group that enjoyed the hospitality of a branch of the Women’s League. One young woman told me confidently that women’s representation in positions of power in South Africa would soon rise to 50% — because the president had said so. I marvelled at this conviction that the leadership would do right by the women of that country.
Did Zuma do right by his accuser? The answer, from where I sit, can only be: Hell, no! He told the court that she was wearing a kanga at the time of the encounter. His conclusion: she was asking for it. This woman was the daughter of his friend, who had died. He no doubt watched her grow up. That alone should have put her out of bounds. A good uncle would simply have admonished her and told her to cover up.
Perhaps the biggest problem for Zuma and his image merchants is his country of birth. This is the land that brought forth Nelson Mandela, who is probably Africa’s most principled leader ever. He set the pace for your democratic credentials.
Can Zuma be relied upon to continue this legacy?
Lucy Oriang’ is the executive editor at East African Magazines, which publishes Drum, True Love, Adam and Twende in Nairobi