Comment: PM MELES HONOR YOUR WORD – Choose the path of Mandela not Chavez

The level of arrogance of those leaders who are only 6 degrees away from dictatorship always amazes me - to think that the country will fizzle without their watch. Musharf who fearing the judges declared emergency and changed the Constitution, Chavez wanted to be coroneted for life, Putin living the presidency only to retain his power in the form of premiership. What happens if god forbids these leaders die– you grow up and deal with it and move on.

Democratic countries think interims of institutions, dictatorships think interims personalities. Constitutions are not designed for the whims of the office holder but to serve the country the foreseeable future. Fighting enemies, fighting poverty etc are not sufficient reasons to tie a person to an office. If we can't fight the enemies with out Meles – then Meles has not done his job of building a strong institution that will stand enemies long after he is gone. His wisdom is not when he chooses stay one more five year to fight poverty but when he builds an institution that will bring the next great leader if possible or a chance to change that leader when not desirable.

In a given term of office there may be great leaders or week leaders. Those who sow America in the hand of George Bush would have liked to see Clinton to serve a third term. But Americans have the wisdom to know Presidency is just one more office.

What makes great leaders great is to know their limit. Mandela was great leader but South Africa is for its third leader Zuma. As much as the ruling Party is dead set on democratization there is a failing to see that the Party is also an institution that needs to be molded and strengthened.

I hope the PM’s comment of leavening office is not a teaser. If he is serous about leaving, his unfinished business will be to shape his party into an institution. Bring the ally parties to EPRDF’s fold and turn FRONT to a Party with transparent party constitution that is accommodative of divergent ideas, inter party democracy that bring about transparent power transfer. And the time to do that is now not a month before leaving office. In the long run more than all the best things he has done, the single best thing would to usher the era of peaceful transfer of power that has eluded this old proud country of 3000 years. [Alula Nega 12/22/07]
------------------------------------------------------------