Recession is the best time to lose an election, especially in the Third World.
You enjoyed the boom, steal..eem, save for the rainy day, then dump the entire problem caused by your greed and incompetence, on the first sucker shouting Change! Change!
If your country is lucky, the new man will have a fair idea how to use the economic downturn to kick start a burst of productive energy into the economy.
But if your country is unlucky, and the change agent is just an empty barrel masquerading his inadequacies under the guise of integrity, you are up the creek without the proverbial paddle.
Either way, it is a win-win for you. You quickly accept the verdict, congratulate the poor sucker, you become a hero of democracy. The Western countries, whose own democracy is as crooked as the day is long, will fete you, and give you awards.
And your successor, still basking in the euphoria of his victory, swears by whatever he believes in, that he will not probe you.
On the day of inauguration, you fawn over the poor mofo, who thinks you are a real class act, not knowing you've clogged up the toilet.
For the first few days he enjoys the perks: the convoy, the free food, and the free plane rides.
Then reality sets in.
He has inherited a country that is stone broke,in debt, with no identifiable production capacity to ride through the storm.
All his campaign promises are out of the window. His reputation, dubious at best, quickly goes south.
Meanwhile, the former leader is swimming in a lap of luxury, immune to the tragedy caused by his ineptitude and light fingers. Immune from ever paying for his sins.
As the recession bites harder, all his foibles, which by then look elementary compared to the new guy's obvious cluelessness, would be forgiven. And people would long for the good old days, which is asinine, given that the days were not good, we were not old, and we remember the fun nights anyway.
If your country is lucky, the new guy would look for a national icon/event/treasure to divert your attention. If you are not, the new guy would continue to blame the bogeyman, every body else is guilty but himself. He will use religion, ethnicity, even instruments of state to paint everyone else black but himself, a naked king accusing everyone else of nakedness.
Because he is bereft of ideas on how to solve the problems he didn't create , or adjust to a reality he didn't anticipate, the new guy would ride his luck, creating spectacles that ultimately would lead nowhere.
Once the people realise his game plan, he would change tactics, now appealing to base emotions, forgetting he was elected to solve problems, not repeat worn out excuses.
After a while, he too would wise up.
While playing the reelection card vehemently, secretly he is hoping that some other sucker would come up with a slogan catchy enough to incite a frenzy, lose the election, accept the result, become a hero of democracy, and ride into the sunset to enjoy his loot...eem, retirement benefits.
And the beat goes on.....
My Ten Kobo.
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