Are Jacob Zuma’s days numbered?

April 18 is a make or break day for South Africa’s embattled president Jacob Zuma who will in two days’ time face a hostile parliament, many of whose members are determined to put an end to his mediocre leadership of Africa’s economic giant, never mind Nigeria’s false claim that her economy is the largest on the continent.
The speaker of South Africa’s parliament has called a special sitting to conduct a vote of no confidence on April 18 and if a majority of MPs vote in favour of the motion, Zuma will bite the dust and retire against his wishes.
By coincidence, April 18 happens to be the 37th anniversary of independence of Zimbabwe, a potentially rich country whose economy has been ruined by gross mismanagement. The coincidence is a bad omen for Zuma and spells disaster for him and president Robert Mugabe.
With dozens of criminal charges hanging over him, Zuma, 75, may not retire in peace, but spend days in and out of court and even land in jail. The stakes are, therefore, quite high for Zuma whose future is as bleak and uncertain as that of Yahya Jammeh.
Believe me or not, this is the ninth vote of no confidence tabled against president Zuma which makes him akin to the proverbial cat that has nine lives!

What are Zuma’s chances?
The move to table another motion of no confidence in Zuma was triggered by his irrational decision to sack South Africa’s competent and highly respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan on March 31. That unwise action unleashed a political tsunami with serious economic and social repercussions.
The rand fell sharply and interest rates are expected to rise; the cost of living will sky-rocket and the rating agency, Standard & Poor’s, downgraded South Africa’s economy to junk status!
A renowned economist based in Arua District told me it could take South Africa 10 years to recover. Zuma’s malicious and outrageous decision was typical of the way African tyrants treat countries they misrule, like personal estates.
Zuma’s chances of survival this time round are almost zero after COSATU and the Communist party demanded his resignation. In a parliament of 400 members, Zuma’s African National Congress (ANC) has 249 members and if 50 MPs choose to join forces with two opposition political parties - the Democratic Alliance and Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters party - Zuma is finished.
The Communist party has 45 MPs and if only five MPs break ranks with ANC, Zuma’s days are numbered! I hope they succeed and cure the open sore on South Africa’s body politic.

How could South Africa stoop so low?
Zuma’s rise to power began in 2008 when he manipulated the downfall of former president Thabo Mbeki. Even if his Zulu ethnic group felt it was their turn to eat, they should have picked a man of integrity, not a high school dropout with a despicable record. Zuma’s two predecessors, Mandela and Mbeki, were from the smaller Xhosa ethnic group.
One person who did not hide his strong objections to Zuma as president was retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu who has been vindicated. I am sure with his trademark laughter Tutu must be dancing and saying, “I told them so”. He did warn South Africans in 2008 about Zuma, but nobody listened.
The tragedy of Zuma was captured by The EastAfrican’s columnist, Jenerali Ulimwengu of Tanzania whom I met at the UN in New York during the 1970s. A jolly good fellow, I remember sharing a few Budweisers with him and some Tanzanian career diplomats – Daraja, Lugoe and Opanga - at the humorously nicknamed, “7th Committee” of the UN General Assembly.
In a tribute to a fallen ANC veteran, Ulimwengu wrote in his column of April 1-7: “It is because of that selflessness invested in the struggle that Kathrada (RIP) could not stand the descent of the ANC and the government it heads into unfettered greed, avarice and sleaze as personified by the number one of the regime, Zuma himself” which reminds me of some African dictators.
He continues: “After masterminding the machinations that led to the ousting of Thabo Mbeki at Polokwane in 2008, Zuma and his acolytes proceeded to use state power to enrich themselves, their families and concubines with very little regard for the deteriorating economic conditions of the majority of the people. Zuma became so mired in scandal and wrongdoing that Kathrada openly called for his resignation.” Zuma is not alone. Many African leaders routinely abuse power with impunity!
The evidence against him is damaging and overwhelming. Zuma is a disgrace to the ANC and South Africa. He is morally bankrupt and unsuitable to be leader of the most advanced African country.
South Africa deserves better! As thousands of South Africans demanded at several anti-Zuma demonstrations across the country on April 7 and 12, Zuma Must Go! His departure is in fact long overdue! Happy Easter! God bless Africa!

Mr Acemah is a political scientist, consultant and a retired career diplomat. [email protected]