The Ugandan-born moderate journalist in Kenya writes: "For starters, the global non-governmental and feel-good market
is not producing enough stars. Mandela was one of its stars, but now the
grand statesman is in his 90s and very frail, and cannot play. There
was Mother Theresa, she died. From East Africa, we had Nobel laureate
Wangari Maathai. She too passed on. There is, of course, Bishop Desmond
Tutu. But the outspoken man of God has been slowed down by age and
illness. The only person of African descent left in that arena is
former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, but he is still developing his
voice and positioning. Today, two men have been left to dominate
the global non-state do-good industry – former US President Bill
Clinton, and Microsoft founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill
Gates. There is no woman (except, perhaps, Melinda Gates), and
black or brown person in the league of Clinton and Gates. The only
person of colour I see who can enter the club is a former President
Obama."
More: "The
next American president, unless he has Solomonic wisdom, will be damaged
goods internationally by 2016 [due to economic and foreign policy issues] and will not be able to play a
Clinton-type role in the world. Obama has the energy and smarts to
be an influential international citizen and non-state actor, and to
join Clinton and Gates as the non-white face at the top of the
international NGO high priesthood. To do that, he first has to lose the
election."
Charles Onyango-Obbo Commentary: Why An Obama Loss Would Be Good For Him & The World
