If you do not know who Michael Sata is, don't be to hard on yourself, he was the long reining "president" of Zambia. A guy who started off sweeping streets in London and went on to become the president of his native Zambia. A story competed with only by Nicolas Maduros rise from local bus driver to President (to his credit he did serve as Minister of foreign affairs and, vice president iirc). Anyways, regardless of his spectrum of employment, he has died. Which wouldn't be an item of great interest given the that he was 77 and the human death rate being 100% but..the vice president Guy Scott is now standing in as president (some reports say he has been named intern president, other say that he has not been officially sworn in). What is significant about this? Well, it is Africas first white leader in many years since the last white guy in South Africa.
Now, I know how this might seem. African national dies and this cracker blogger is concerned about the fact that a white guy is now president. The fact is, my family has ties to colonial Africa, there are still many members of my family (which I have never met) who live in South Africa (which should concern me I suppose), and, growing up, I heard lots of talk about African politics, so it has some relevance to me.
The other day a statement came out from Obamas office stating that he was "saddened by the death" and that he hoped Zambia could "make a peaceful transition" into the new presidency. A statement I find somewhat funny as Zambia is one of the few nations where tribal opposition does not exist, Sata having genocided his competition near the beginning of his rise to country leader. Almost all power struggles in Africa exist as tribal disputes and Sata, having eliminated his, has made Zambia a somewhat peaceful nation...as far as Africa goes anyways.
If you would like to read an actual article search for it on google.
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