Kipkorir Kemboi

“Bienvenue Au Gondwana” (Welcome to Gondwana) Although it can be considered as an old movie (2016), I find it interesting and apt for the current situation as a continent. As a continent, we just witnessed some coup d'états on the supposedly democratically elected governments. Like the movie, these happenings raise questions on democracy. The movie begins with a newscast from National Television. The news anchor welcomes the audience to the Very ‘very’ Democratic Republic of Gondwana. He announces that the incumbent and the founding president of Gondwana would be vying for the next general elections. The movie then goes on to highlight the following pertinent issues that relate to democracy. 1. Periodically held elections as the sign of democracy. The movie brings into light, the question of whether periodical elections are the mirror image of democracy. 2. Independence of media houses. It is common to see government crackdown on media houses 3. The role of the international community in the electioneering process. Whenever an election comes we often hear of the international community sending its representative as observers. The movie poke questions on: a. Who is the international community? b. How do the international community choose their observers? c. How informed about the country are the international observers? d. How independent and objective are the international observers? e. What are the objectives of the international observers? f. Do they venture out to see reality or they are blinded by the government? 4. Prejudice and discrimination: Among the international observers there is a black man, who has to endure the fact that the people cannot see beyond the color of his skin. He is always denied entry. Thus, he had to depend on the testimony of others that he is part of the group. In addition, the international observers were given lodging depending on their home country. 5. The authenticity of the opposition party. In the movie, the leading and the most influential opposition leader is always in prison. He has made people believe that government is responsible for his predicaments, but in an actual sense, he is in bed with the government. 6. Lack of clear agendas. In the movie opposition, parties lack unity. They cannot respectively listen to each other. Thus, at the end of it, no one knows what they want and what they stand for. 7. Independence of the electoral commission/board. In the movie, the headquarters of the electoral commission is in the statehouse. 8. The role of police during the election. The movie paints a clear picture of how police forces are often used to crack down on opposition parties and instill fear in people. 9. The disparity between the haves and have-nots. Those allied to the power are living large, while the poor wallow in poverty. 10. Youth as beacons of hope. In the near end, the movie offers a glimpse of hope. A hope rooted in the youth, who are full of energy and life. The movie ends by once again welcoming the audience to Gondwana: A country where everyone has the right to sleep, but not everyone has the right to dream. It is only the founding president who has the right to sleep and dream. I find the movie to be a well-acted movie. The choice of songs, actors, and scenes is just perfect. With a comical satire, it underscored the problem of democracy and governance in Africa. I will recommend the movie to anyone interested in politics and governance in Africa. Arap Kemboi