Imagine if this man were the president of Zimbabwe, wielding all the powers that come with Zimbabwe’s dictatorship. Imagine if he led ZANUPF and governed a country without strong institutions capable of protecting citizens from the abuse of power. Imagine if he had the same power that Emmerson Mnangagwa has to send police officers to arrest journalists simply for reporting the truth. How many journalists in America would be in prison today because they reported facts he did not like and he dismissed them as fake news? When I watched this video, I was reminded of the beauty of a democratic system built on strong institutions. These American journalists would likely be in prison if they were operating in Zimbabwe. Instead, they are protected by strong institutions, a separation of powers, and constitutional safeguards that place limits on what a president can do. A president can be angry. A president can be unreasonable. A president can even be ridiculous. But in a functioning democracy, there are limits to how far that behaviour can go because institutions are stronger than any individual. When Trevor Noah said that Donald Trump is a quintessential African dictator without the powers that African dictators have, he was not far off the mark. He was highlighting an important point. You can see the anger when he feels exposed, but you can also see the frustration of knowing there is very little he can do because the institutions are strong enough to resist political pressure and abuse. This is why Africa must build strong institutions. It is also why dictators fear strong institutions. Independent courts, professional civil services, free media, and accountable law enforcement are the very things that limit presidential power and prevent its abuse. This is why Africa must build strong institutions. It is also why dictators fear strong institutions. Independent courts, professional civil services, free media, and accountable law enforcement are the very things that limit presidential power and prevent its abuse. READ THE REST OF THE POST VIA THE LINK IN MY BIO