Conceding defeat is hard but necessary

As I write this, the world is still recovering from another shocker. Donald Trump is the president elect of the United States of America, he has trounced Hillary Clinton to win the most coveted office on land. Besides all that has surrounded this election, the media hype, the altercations from either side, the twists and turns, I have one major takeaway from this election. Conceding in the face of defeat. That is an important lesson for us all to pick from this election.
Minutes after Trump had been announced winner, he was called on to address a jubilant crowd of his supporters and the world, as president elect of the Free world. "I just received a phone call from Hillary congratulating me for having won this race", was his opening statement. To me it spoke volumes, especially when I reflect on the election Uganda has just had as a country which to this day has never been accepted by those that lost. First of all it spoke of a country that even in its political division, is united as a country, a people that when they don't speak the same political language recognize that they are one as Americans. It once again showed that Americans are bound together by ties invisible to the eye. That to me is a very important lesson especially for our African leaders and to us the African people.
It wasn't long before Clinton took to the stage herself. She was full of laughter albeit beneath you could discern the sadness that she was fighting hard to suppress, something that is normal for any human being. Anyone in her position would be crying themselves out or perhaps drinking themselves silly, all to forget but she chose to come and address the world. The crowd she addressed was an emotional one as well. Fighting hard to hide emotions yet doing little to succeed. Her opening statement was not different from Donald's, "Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country". She went on to say that she still believes in America and always will and if the others do then they should accept the result and move on. This was extraordinary especially after losing an election that she was clearly portrayed as leading. Many times in African countries, when a candidate is portrayed as leading and then goes on to lose the election then the story is very much different for them. Fingers are pointed and in most cases results are rejected, presidential petitions are filed and it is from here that hatred is bred. I think the story all begins with having faith and trusting the systems in place. Many of the people who run for political positions supposedly do not trust the system and yet continue to run within the establishment. That is a contradiction in itself. The elections are marred with hatred, brutality, intrigue, bribery and all the election evils that come with it. The results are then rejected and that is how Kenya got to the post election violence of 2008, that is how Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was made to share power with his nemesis Morgan Tshangaria, and that is how disunity has managed to flourish amongst us. But again we have had our very own defy the odds and act "unAfrican". Jonathan Goodluck of Nigeria conceded and congratulated the president elect who had just defeated him. It only shows a people who are mature politicians, those that have outgrown the little nothings that divide us. Hillary in her concession speech said that "Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power. We don't just respect it, we cherish it". That is a huge statement for us to pick from especially after a rollercoaster campaign that has been full of barbs and tantrums flying from one camp to another. Democracy may be alien in Africa but we had better pick a few things from it if we are to build great nations. Otherwise I wish President elect Donald Trump, 45th President of USA, a successful presidency and an enriching term in office.