When South Africa became hell

On 10 May 2008, I spent better part of the day and all night at the O R Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, as a transit passenger while traveling from Windhoek headed for home, Dar-es-Salaam. Despite 20-plus hours of waiting many of us chose to stay inside the airport building, because getting out would require a visa which would cost USD 50. Besides one would need to take taxi and a hotel room, which shall all cost quite a bit. So the night passed and soon we woke up in a new day, a bit crampy after stretching out on thinly-padded airport seats.

Our plane, SAA 737-800 jet, was called and by 11 a.m. we were on our way. It's only when I watched the news that evening and subsequent days that I knew we'd been right there in the danger zone when black South Africans rose up in arms against their brothers who had come for jobs in what to them were greener pastures. The picture below seems to say it all.

Such ingratitude after what the rest of Africa did for freedom fighters until they attained their independence, logic lacks.

God bless us all.


Sunday, Bloody Sunday

Why Clinton can't be--shouldn't be--on Obama ticket

My back-to-back sequel post on US Elections Dems Campaigns. Odds are very much out of favour for Mama Clinton who trudges on, more to cause damage to her competitor than any hope of securing nomination.

But lust for White House she has. She lied her way down the campaign path, and last week she accidentally showed her hand (praise the Lord!) In there is hope against hope that something might happen to Barack Obama. Not merely a scandal but even a bolt of lightning. Otherwise what kind of slip of tongue referring to Robert Kennedy Assassination during democratic campaigning back in 1968?

What beats me is: for all prevailing logic, White House is the last place Mama Clinton would look forward to spending more years in. Is it happy memories? What!

I'd understand if it was Obama cliffhanging, whereby we'd dismiss it by the African blood in him, we see it with African leaders, don't we.

She is a respectable senator, and has a glittering past, but now she stands to tarnish the good track record she ever wrote with her deeds both as a practising lawyer, a First Lady and a high-profile Senator.

If Dems were to even persuade Obama to pick her as a running mate, the image of the beaten would hang around her all along--akin to going to bed with conqueror.

White House '09: Democrats struggle for nomination

Just like the rest of the world, and with media shrieking about it all over the place, I just can't help taking note and making my own, personal observations.

Firstly, I, being an African born and living in East Africa, cannot hide my joy--my heart is singing with joy that Barak Obama, our very own, is commanding such respect in America. And not fluking, too. It is not racism, but admiration and fratenity.

Secondly; I can't quite place this lady who has been campaigning for Dems nomination. Yeah, she did have some chance in the beginning, but by now (May 14 2008), she seems to just hang on with her teeth in a situation she hopes something will happen to Obama (such as a scandal or even a bolt of lightning--too bad, I don't see any of that happening). So determined she is even "lending her money into campaign"--how is the campaign going to pay her back? For the lady who claims ducking live bullets in Cossovo until caught in a lie with press video.

Thirdly, again Mrs Clinton beats me: She'd been in the White House for eight years. What experience she got there wasn't all that pleasant; what with her husband being impeached for an embarrasing reason! What now, if she were to get into the WH, with a retired hubby? Abolish interns altogether in the WH?

America needs Obama, Africa needs Obama, God bless Obamas and Clintons.