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The King is Gone, Long Live the King!

27 March, 2010 07:16:00 Arezki Daoud
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image Muamar Kaddafi (left) and his sons Seif-Islam and Mutassim

For the Libyan leader Muamar Kaddafi there was a sense of déjà-vu again. His campaign to get a second term as head of the African Union collapsed, showing that like in his previous call to unify the Arabs, his latest African venture was also doomed to fail.

At the end, the Tunisian support was irrelevant in front of the voices of mighty South Africa and Nigeria, which in addition to many other African countries were not willing to allow Kaddafi the idea that he could perpetuate his reign over the continent. Kaddafi will have to spend some time reassessing what’s next for him, but as he loses the title of African King, he is now looking for ways to guarantee a smooth succession as the next Libyan leader for one of his sons. The King is Gone, Long Live the King!

Late January and early February was a bad period that the Colonel will remember. The man is not immune from bad diplomatic and political moves, so he will likely recover. Yet he did spend enormous diplomatic and financial capital on his African bid, that the loss will take a little longer to forget. Despite the billions invested in Africa with various business ventures, Kaddafi is not seen as the leader to carry forward this greatly troubled continent into a better place and a brighter future.

But as he starts his 41st year as the ruler of Libya, Muamar Kaddafi is no doubt looking to secure the perpetual reign of the Kaddafi family over the North African nation. After celebrating in September the Colonel’s 40th year as the leader of his country, the Kaddafi family managed a questionable and still-to-be-confirmed win when the Colonel’s son Seif Al-Islam Kaddafi was appointed lead coordinator of the Social People's Command. The appointment meant that the country’s second most powerful man and in line of succeeding Muamar Kaddafi was his very son, who would control the legislative body the General People's Congress, and the executive equivalent, the General People's Committee. [Subscribers continue here | Otherwise click here to subscribe]

Comments (2 posted):

Nate Mason on 08 April, 2010 09:00:28
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Hannibal and Mutassim are two different sons. They are not the same person. The author is referring to Mutassim, not Hannibal.
Arezki Daoud on 09 April, 2010 10:03:07
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Mr. Mason: You are correct and thank you for pointing out to the difference. Indeed Hannibal and Mutassim are indeed different. Thank you again.

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kaddafi, (1) libya, (1) seif (1) islam, (1) hannibal, (1) succession (1)
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