US President-elect Donald Trump won the elections with a minority vote. That was a feat that only Americans can pull off and convince the world that it is democratic. Alexander Hamilton went a step further in the late 19th century. He published in what was to be known as the “Federalist Papers”, an essay where he argued that America should not fall victim to a “Tyranny of the majority”. So it would be safe to say that in the USA, democratic credentials are determined by the minority. Some satirical publications even came up with how the mainstream media would have reported the news if the US was in the Middle East. It was not flattering. It is the same media that not so long ago were noisy critics of how Rwandans decided – in an overwhelming majority show of hands – to open the possibility of President Kagame seeking re-election. But when it comes to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s move to secure a fourth term, they are conspicuously silent. In fact, some are openly saying that she is Germany’s only hope to safely guide it through the current uncertain European waters. But when it comes to African countries choosing their own path, they are a threat to democratic principles. So, in essence, democracy can only be seen either through majority or minority prisms, as long as it is not African. At least in Rwanda’s case, we should be thankful that a resounding majority of French conservatives gave presidential hopeful, Alain Juppe, the cold shoulder. With his genocidal luggage full to the brim, one shudders to think what other mischief he would have come up with.
