One less tyrant: Africa keen to close the book on Kadhafi

DAKAR (AFP) - The death of Libya's ex-leader Moamer Kadhafi was met with relief across most of Africa where, as benefactor and warmonger, his influence and oil wealth moulded nations and politics for four decades.

Newspapers across the continent hailed the fall of the man who styled himself as the "King of Kings" of Africa, serving his death up as a harsh lesson to other strongmen around the continent.

However, many were angry over the way the ousted despot met his end, and the publication of images of him being "killed like a dog", after being dragged from a sewage pipe on the outskirts of his hometown Sirte.

In Morocco, main opposition leader Lahcen Daoudi said Kadhafi had chosen his death. "It gives us one less tyrant," he said, echoing newspaper headlines above photos of a bloodied Kadhafi declaring: "The end of tyranny".

In Nigeria The Guardian's front-page story headlined: "Quit notice - to bad leaders!"

In continental powerhouse South Africa, The Times newspaper warned in an editorial that Kadhafi's death should be a lesson to African dictators.

"In Africa, he played a critical role in helping struggling governments to liberate themselves from colonialism but the 'brotherly' help soon changed into dictatorship," the newspaper said.

In his 42 years in power, Kadhafi became known and widely respected for being "the man who could say no to the West."

He backed revolutionary movements across the continent such as South Africa's African National Congress, keeping close ties with Nelson Mandela who became the country's first black president.

At the same time, the flamboyant leader -- who would prop up the finances of the African Union and struggling member countries with his vast oil wealth -- supported rebellions which led to the continent's bloodiest conflicts.

He set up a revolutionary training centre whose graduates went on to become feared warlords such as Liberia's Charles Taylor, who led a campaign of terror in his own country and supported another in neighbouring Sierra Leone with fellow Libyan-trained rebel leader Foday Sankoh.

After Liberia's war, Kadhafi provided support to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's government to rebuild the shattered nation.

He also propped up fellow anti-Western dictator and ally Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.

"He had serious influence on the continent because he used to help African countries without any pre-condition unlike the Western countries that have always attached conditions to the help they give to African states," said Liberian political analyst Alvin Wleh.

Burkina Faso's long serving leaders Blaise Compaore (24 years) and Chad's Idriss Deby (21 years) are fellow graduates of Kadhafi's revolutionary school and remain in power.

Both countries' foreign ministers called on African countries to help Libya's new rulers achieve stability.

The African Union, criticised for being divided and slow to react to the brutal crackdown by their respected and moneyed peer, was sidelined by Western forces intervening on the continent as it failed to mediate the crisis.

The continental body did not react directly to Kadhafi's death, but called for the new Libyan authorities to fulfill "the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people for democracy, respect for human rights and good governance."

Most countries looked to the future, calling for peace in Libya, and hoping the country and continent had "turned the page" after his death.

South African President Jacob Zuma, a fierce critic of the NATO campaign in Libya, said Kadhafi should have been handed to the international war crimes court after his capture.

"Those who caught him should have known that there was an international warrant out against him and that he should have been handed over to the International Criminal Court."

Zuma recently said Kadhafi had spent a lot of time pushing his dream of a United States of Africa -- whose government he wanted based in Libya -- which was "impossible to implement."

"The AU will work better now without his delaying it and with some members no longer feeling as intimidated by him as they did," Zuma added.

Uganda's acting foreign minister Henry Okello Oryem said: "It is unfortunate it came to this. Kadhafi made mistakes but he also did good things for Africa."

Tanzania condemned Kadhafi's killing, saying he should have been brought before a court of law.

"However, he was repeatedly shot to death. This was unnecessary and unfair," Tanzania's Foreign Minister Bernard Membe said.

Malian Tuareg Amar Ag Mohamed, who returned from fighting in the Libyan army along with hundreds of others, was also angry.

"He was killed like a dog. It isn't normal. He had his faults, but he was generous. He helped us, the Tuareg. Libya will never be the same again, the whole sub-region will be destabilised."

© 2011 AFP