By Dr. David Matsanga in Africa

On Thursday June 27, 2024 I watched the full debate of the American Presidential contenders. I tell you it was messy. Many years ago, I missed out on a job because I lost my temper.

It was one of those awful I’m-hour interviews with workshops, team tasks and worst of all, a three-course dinner bang in the middle. I didn’t scream or get abusive, but I did let my frustration get the better of me about something or other.

Given my strong scores in earlier rounds, all I needed to do was a smile, exude an air of calm and the gig was mine. I couldn’t do it. That is what Biden and Trump did when they appeared on TV for the debate.

I was thinking about this experience as I woke up to the news that Joe Biden effectively set his podium alight at the first US presidential election debate. Biden, 81, also had only one job.

This is to demonstrate to the American people, particularly those living in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia and Arizona, that he is not too old to be president. The stakes were somewhat higher but the outcome was the same: he couldn’t do it.

I failed that interview I referred to in the opening paragraph not because I didn’t understand the assignment, but because of who I was. I was young and yet to hone a neutral tone and listening eyes. I used temper to reason with those on the panel. They failed me.

History will be written that Biden is old man, and while he managed to mask it in previous debates and various State of the Union addresses, he couldn’t on this occasion. Sometimes we fail, even if we only have one job. That is what happened to Joe Biden – he let down his supporters because of temper. Hate for trump brought him down.

The truth must sink. I am a conflict resolution expert and a political risk strategist.  I always tell people not fall in the net of temper. In African politics if you fall in the network of temper and hate you invite a bad situation.

You must calm down a bad situation and do what is called “a fatigue evaluation” that will deliver you out of the hole you have dug. Biden fell to the trap of a known criminal called Trump

Another truth is that for what it’s worth, Donald Trump is a convicted felon who incited an insurrection in the US Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. From tariffs to alliances, his policies would further undermine the global rules-based order.

The pure bold talk from me is that anybody who talks of  democracy of the USA annoys Socrates in the grave  – As an African scholar I don’t believe that there is democracy in USA on African NGOs that went to school compounds not classrooms can believe that .

The type of democracy of 250 years in America  that takes one inside the holes instead of removing us out our holes as Africans is dangerous democracy. African young generations must not look at USA democracy as a benchmark for a better world. We must look at the new type of democracy that fits Africa.

On the side of Trump -He is frequently unintelligible. His Supreme Court nominees have overturned the constitutional right to abortion. He has overseen vast conflicts of interests with regards to the presidency and his businesses. He has been found liable for sexual abuse. In other words, there are worse things in the world than appearing old on television.

I say this from the bottom of my heart, I still believe the Americans will vote him even when he is in jail. But, given the widely understood threat of a second Trump presidency, shouldn’t that incentivise the Democratic Party to nominate the best possible candidate? They instead named Joe Biden a failure of foreign policy.

I tell you and I can go on record that I don’t like Hillary Clinton on politics of Africa as a Pan African. She killed and helped bomb Libya but she told Americans what would happen if they chose a wrong Democratic candidate.

The warning signs were there when Hillary Clinton ran but at least in 2016, few thought Trump could actually win. The same complacency is around this time.

I always balance my articles to allow my young students across the world to understand the international relations. To be clear, Biden has been a successful legislator, from passing the historic Inflation Reduction Act to the bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, while overseeing a booming economy. But very weak on domestic levels.

One must remove that while corralling the West in the defence of Ukraine he brought defeat home. Yet all this would be seriously, perhaps fatally undermined if his legacy were ultimately a Trump re-run.

There is a notion that Biden might not be the candidate in November seems otherworldly. The steps required to reach such a destination are many and fraught with danger. First, Biden himself would have to voluntarily relinquish the nomination.

Then, Vice President Kamala Harris, even less popular than Biden, would have to be persuaded not to run. So those who love Democratic Party restrain your tears 

The debate in USA and the events in Africa have also provided a fascinating insight into the mindset of humans, which in this particular bun fight I would have to self-identify as one.

There had been so much pushback from reporting most notably from the Wall Street Journal, that Biden was “showing signs of slipping”. Suddenly, in the space of a 90-minute debate of the USA like in my failure to get the job because there is a direction that says -practically everyone in the world seem to agree that there  is a problem with USA democracy.


I conclude by saying when I lost my job because of anger I learnt how to mediate and negotiate for others without TEMPER   – For America or USA as it is commonly known to come back and lead the world again in their CRUSADE OF DEMOCRACY  – They must ADOPT my THEORY OF REDEMPTION STRATEGY- if not done then there is Democracy .

Lastly the only good thing that might came  out of the anger loaded debate of USA – Biden is LIABILITY and if it gets him not to run… otherwise, it was a BAD day for Democratic Party and the African Allies of Democratic Party.

Keep this article for reference

The writer is a Pan Africanist based in London, Political scientist & International Relations expert, studied conflict Resolution, a member of Royal African Society (RAS) Founder /Chairman Pan African Forum (UK)Ltd @MatsangaDr

Stories Continues after ad

By Dr. David Matsanga in United Kingdom

I write this article with tears in my eyes as I see Africa going back to days of recolonization through neo-colonial agencies. My tears make me bold to help Africa. I write based on my own country Uganda and give comparative analysis of why we must communicate instead of violence. There is a difference between types of political science-communication is always a key to salvation.

I will first look at the obstacle that kills Africa- lack of unity. Conventional wisdom dictates that Nkrumah was right in calling for Africa’s Political Unity.

Of course, the results of our refusal to unite in 1963 as Africans are now being felt 61 years past. All our states are fragile and we must be bold and educate the young generation across Africa.

Our failure to communicate is turning into a political disaster and humiliation for almost all Africa countries. In my country Uganda the opposition communicates more with outsiders than with the voters. In Nigeria for example the government is clueless on what communication is with its people. The killing in these states in Africa worry me.

The events in the South African elections tell a story of lack of political unity despite the free and fair elections that were conducted. It brings me to the truth that our founding fathers refused to listen to Nkrumah.

Nkrumah had good reasons for calling out Africa to get political unity before economic integration -we should have fought the Brentwood institutions as united people.

Why do I agree with Nkrumah? First, I agree with Nkrumah in identifying the need for political unity before economic order because if we had United we would speak with one voice 

Our AU or AUC have been captured and we are never United. Second, Nkrumah was hamstrung by a seemingly unrelated issue of future strings of Brentwood’s agencies on Africa -He was right

Truth be told that his call for unity was mistaken and USA called him a communist CIA planned the first coup in Africa in 1965. Nkrumah died in exile without seeing that unity.

Another son of Africa who talked about political unity was the late Gadaffi who died in the hands of French President Sarkozy. What is killing Africa today is the lack of political Unity to speak with one voice.

I want to bring to my African people that even in the Bible or the Koran -taxation was a challenge to the followers. God Himself knows why he brought taxation. Most empires collapsed in Europe because of Taxation.

I mention this because tax locks – that is, pledges not to raise specific taxes or to lower specific taxes – are nothing new. So, my people of Africa don’t destroy   your countries because of taxation- it is written in the Bible &the Koran.

I will prove my point to those who doubt my words that in Mark 12:17 Jesus’ was asked about taxes response is: ‘Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God. ‘ As Christians we cannot cut ourselves off from the affairs of the world, but we should never compromise our beliefs and values.

Africa, must change its course like China changed its course 40 years ago. China was sharing with us rice from our country to feed its people. But they did not wait to store up problems for the future by constraining the choices made available to the next people.

I did not study economics but I follow what the Institute for Fiscal Studies does in London, when it comes to tax locks all African countries fail. They don’t give enough bold education on the matter. There is no place on earth where one is not taxed.

I am frank and as a volunteer tell the truth that the main problem of being complicit in a “conspiracy of silence” by some governments or officials of governments in Africa on their spending plans,

consequently, creates a “knowledge vacuum”. That is where chaos comes in -Let us learn to dialogue on issues that we don’t in our countries.

I don’t have want to “poison the political debate” by claiming to have radical ideas “which can realistically make a positive difference, No! But I want to say we must dialogue and find ways to some of the issues that might be wholly unattainable”.

Fellow Africans I might be wrong but all I can tell you is that Nkrumah was right about lack of political unity in Africa -Therefore there is no government in Africa and the world that will not increase taxes. As Ugandans we must prepare like the economist Paul Krugman said, politics isn’t a morality play. Virtue isn’t rewarded and vice punished. Don’t destroy your countries.

The writer is a Pan Africanist based in London, Political scientist & International Relations expert, studied conflict Resolution, a member of Royal African Society (RAS) Founder /Chairman Pan African Forum (UK)Ltd @MatsangaDr

Stories Continues after ad