Why African leaders never want to leave power

Editor, I wish to add my voice to Diana Mpyisi’s article “the Phenomenal Effect of Power on African Presidents”, published in The New Times issue dated February, 14.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Editor,I wish to add my voice to Diana Mpyisi’s article "the Phenomenal Effect of Power on African Presidents”, published in The New Times issue dated February, 14.I tend to think there is a magnet with power written all over it ideally targeting African Presidents. At the beginning of their mandate, their leadership qualities are incontestable and they usually do great things but deteriorate with time. Good examples are the late DR Congo despot Mobutu Sese Seko, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe et al.... The more they want to stay in power, the more their popularity diminishes. At the same time, they haul the whole country back from the gains already made. It’s the perfect exemplar of "one step forward, two backward”.EugeneKigali