By M. Suleman

23^rd July 2012: July 18^th of every year was Nelson Mandela Day, celebrated both by South Africa and the UN family. It is a celebration not only of his birthday but his legacy too. The world exalts Mandela in many ways, but I wish to look at those aspects most relevant to the African continent.

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As an active politician, Mandela was the ultimate embodiment of principled leadership – truly unique in the African context.  With the immense popularity that he enjoyed, Mandela could easily have been a life President. But he served only one term and left. He never saw himself as the panacea for South Africa’s problems. He believed in collective leadership.

As a result he planned his exist from power on his first day in office. He chose a Vice President whom he was going to prepare to take over from him. In our tribally and religiously dominated politics in Africa, it would have been difficult to appoint Thabo Mbeki as Vice President, but Mandela did it – largely because he recognized the potential that Mbeki had.

Very few leaders in Africa can tower above our African parochialism to do what is best for their nations.

Unlike other leaders, Mandela was never animated by his miraculous achievements or extra-ordinary abilities. Mandela was never overtaken by the crocodile tears of the opportunists who argued that there can be no South Africa without him.

Neither did he leave the presidency to become a king maker.  He retired from active politics and remained out of it to date.  Unlike many African leaders, Mandela has led a humble life – a life reflecting his true heart and rural background. He never travelled around escorted by battalions of security men, he never barricaded himself behind high walls, and he moved around freely and shook hands with the poor.

Mandela never opened foreign bank accounts, neither did he buy properties within or outside South Africa. Instead he run to his home village of Qunu and built himself a modest house befitting a school teacher.

Mandela’s family also remained modest. No Mandela’s in government, neither did the country have to spend on them. His family continued to attend local hospitals, local schools, and worked hard for their survival – just like any other South African. Mandela opened a Children Foundation, but it was never a proxy for him to enrich himself.

Mandela did not only believe in social reconciliation, but in economic reconciliation too. As a leader who believed in The Freedom Charter, one would have expected Mandela to swiftly embark on a massive nationalization drive to reverse apartheid.

But he never went into populist jargons to disrupt the economy, he found a mixed economy generating enough wealth for the country – and he allowed it to continue on its path but carefully sought policies to re-distribute the wealth. Today, South Africa cannot be described as a post-conflict nation – even though it actually is.

Mandela is a symbol of selflessness. Mandela fought to liberate the disadvantaged – and his polices concentrated on making the lives of the poor better. He dedicated his latter life towards that goal – a goal which, despite the challenges, is fast becoming a national political culture.

It’s therefore most appropriate that Mandela Day is celebrated with a host of activities in which the privileged citizens extend a hand of kindness to those less privileged in their communities.  To appreciate Mandela’s generosity and humility, God has rewarded him with a long and happy life in which he is surrounded by a revering world.

This is a far cry from the legacies of many African dictators whose hands are laden with the blood of the innocent and their accounts filled with ill-gotten wealth.  END.  Login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories mid-week for our updates

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