 The demise of Muammar Gaddafi (69), the Brother Leader of Libya and the King of Kings of Africa, can easily be coined in one word: “indignity.” The most eccentric tyrant was killed on October 20, 2011.
The flamboyant Gaddafi went through hell minutes before his terrible death. For a man of his age to be kicked and pushed around after being injured by the NATO drones and fighter jets, was more than a tough thug could tolerate. The beautiful Amazonian female bodyguards never showed up to protect the mercurial strongman.
Although human rights watchdogs and Western governments are questioning the manner in which his death happened, the chilling video clips on television and the amateur video circulated by the Libyan Freedom Group show clearly that Gaddafi was lynched.
The statement by the National Transitional Council (NTC) that he was killed in crossfire is a diplomatic gimmick since they probably can’t get the real truth and wish to appear non-vengeful. Certainly, the NTC had absolutely no control over the rebels who had been fighting for eight months.
Gaddafi was struggling between crying and talking in total disbelief as Libyans, including teenagers, hit him with shoes and punched him. Gaddafi was really messed up and surviving would have been a miracle in that dangerous scenario.
But Gaddafi didn’t drop his habit of bribing people. According to rebel Hammad Mufti Ali (28), Gaddafi offered money and gold for his life but none of his captors had time to consider the offer. In fact, rebels were overpowered by the angry mob of young Libyans who wanted to punish the despot on the spot. Later, Libya’s chief pathologist, Dr. Othman el-Zentani, confirmed that the tyrant died from a shot to the head.
According to Los Angeles Times, Gaddafi’s hidden treasure is about $200 billion while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that Gaddafi had 140 tonnes of gold. If confirmed, then Gaddafi died as the wealthiest man on earth, at least three-times the current richest man in the world, Mexican Carlos Slim, whose total net worth is $74 billion.
With all this wealth of money stolen from the Libyan people, Gaddafi still wanted his children and relatives to occupy every top office and business in Libya and even prepared his son to take over once he died. His formula was simple: Give the poor Libyans everything they need and then divide them, crush whoever revolts and rule forever.
The egomaniac Gaddafi was smart at times as he managed to deceive Africans that he was defending the unity of Africa. Seriously, because of his generous handouts and well-timed rhetoric, even intellectuals were swept away by his craziness and misadventure. Gaddafi was never a Pan-Africanist and that’s why he proposed slicing Nigeria into two to solve intractable religious conflicts.
From 1977 to 1986 Gaddafi gave his country the official name: “Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,” and in 1986 he added the word “Great” dismissing anything “African” but still some Africans saw him as a god-father of Africa. The same Gaddafi had the guts to assist the clown Amin in fighting Tanzania in 1979 but both of them were severely punished by our gallant troops.
Frankly, Gaddafi turned to Africa after being rejected by his fellow Arabs who dismissed his idea of a greater Arab republic in the early 1970s. Gaddafi may have managed to deceive Africans with his anti-imperialistic rhetoric but caused the death of many from Chad to as far as Sierra Leone. Gaddafi wanted nothing but to be worshiped by the murderous, selfish, aged and aid-seeking leaders of Sub-Saharan Africa.
In the end, Gaddafi and his son Muatassim were humiliated in a four-day public display of their decomposing corpses in a cold storage locker at a Misrata warehouse before being buried in secrecy and anonymity in an unmarked grave before dawn in the Libyan Desert.
Two other sons, Seif al-Arab and Khamis, were killed earlier in the uprising while his wife, Safiya, fled to Algeria with their daughter Aisha and sons Hannibal and Muhammed. Another son, Al-Saadi, escaped to Niger in September while Seif-al Islam is planning to surrender. The family is finished.
Gaddafi chief bodyguard, Mansour Dao, told the Associated Press on Monday from his cell that his boss fled Tripoli in August and ended up living a fugitive life in Sirte, totally unaware that Libyans were done with him. “He was stressed, he was really angry, he was mad sometimes and sad,” Dao said.
Undoubtedly, dictator Gaddafi prepared his lynching for 42 years. Now the challenge is for Libyans to build a new Libya. All the best! |
Here are some things to think about which no country has ever provided to its citizens:
ReplyDeleteThere is no electricity bill in Libya; electricity is free for all its citizens.
There is no interest on loans, banks in Libya are state-owned and loans given to all its citizens at zero percent interest by law.
Having a home considered a human right in Libya.
All newlyweds in Libya receive $60,000 dinar (U.S.$50,000) by the government to buy their first apartment so to help start up the family.
Education and medical treatments are free in Libya. Before Gaddafi only 25 percent of Libyans were literate. Today, the figure is 83 percent.
Should Libyans want to take up farming career, they would receive farming land, a farming house, equipments, seeds and livestock to kickstart their farms are all for free.
If Libyans cannot find the education or medical facilities they need, the government funds them to go abroad, for it is not only paid for, but they get a U.S.$2,300/month for accommodation and car allowance.
If a Libyan buys a car, the government subsidizes 50 percent of the price.
The price of petrol in Libya is $0.14 per liter.
Libya has no external debt and its reserves amounting to $150 billion are now frozen globally.
If a Libyan is unable to get employment after graduation the state would pay the average salary of the profession, as if he or she is employed, until employment is found.
A portion of every Libyan oil sale is credited directly to the bank accounts of all Libyan citizens.
A mother who gives birth to a child receive U.S.$5,000.
40 loaves of bread in Libya costs $0.15.
25 percent of Libyans have a university degree.
Gaddafi carried out the world’s largest irrigation project, known as the Great Manmade River project, to make water readily available throughout the desert country.
Hakuna kitu kipya ambacho Ndugu Matinyi amekiongezea katika taarifa hii. It is just re-wording and re-packaging what has already been reported by vyombo vya habari duniani ambavyo kwa miaka hii kila mtu anapata hapa Tanzania.
ReplyDeleteWell said whoever wrote the article, the Libyan situation have shown us economic progress is not the only solution what people what but also the will of making choices and decisions for their own destiny.
ReplyDeleteHaimpi hulali Gadhaffi kutawala milele bila matwakwa ya wananchi hata kama aligawa ndege na ghorofa moja moja kwa kila raia wa Libya. Miaka 42 alitawa wananchi bila kuchaguliwa pamoja na hayo wananchi walimuacha amalizie utawala wake
lakini alipotaka kumrithisha mwanae Saif Gadhaffi wananchi hawakupenda maana alienda kinyume na kiini cha mapinduzi yake aliyoyafanya mwaka 1969 kwa kuondoa ufalme wa Mfalme Idriss akidai kwamba ufalme unamlazimu mtoto wa mfalme kutawala hata kama hana uwezo wa kuongoza ili mradi ni mtoto wa mfalme hiyo sio haki hata kidogo. Sasa Gadhaffi kutaka kumrithisha mwanae kunatofauti gani na ufalme?