This question has been posed many times before, by political commentators, politicians, leaders in all spheres of life and many,many people and citizens on our Continent.

With civilians now being bombarded and killed in Libya by the very security forces that are supposed to protect them, as well as the revolts in Tunisia and Egypt, this question has become ever more relevant. Elsewhere on this forum someone asked about the moral outrage of the AU about the situation in Libya. Are we expecting too much? After all, the AU remains composed of countries led by strongmen and dictators. It is either incapable or unwilling an unprepared to fulfill the mandate it has on paper, and to fulfill its obligations to the people of Africa.

There remain some lone, democratic voices and progressive countries, but altogether the "old boy's club" remains intact, and the old boys don't meddle in each others' violent affairs? With one hand Africa asks the world for all kind of support, with the other hand it slaps democracy, the rule of law and human rights and its citizens in the face. And it's "leaders", its representatives in the AU look the other way. Their bellies full, they are removed and detached from the suffering of ordinary Africans. Has it ever been any different, I wonder? How can this organisation be taken serious? Does it actually want to be taken serious? Are we simply naive about expecting the AU to lead from the front when it is pushed from the back by intolerant people?

The same question was also asked by Ghana's Chronicle. Here's this newspaper's take on the situation, and it is to the point:

There is turbulence from the North to the South, and East to West of Africa, but the AU is either not willing or incapable of taking any action. When the people took to the streets in Tunisia, and later Egypt, demanding the departure of their dinosaur leaderships, the AU met in Addis Ababa, and pretended that the problem did not exist.

When Laurent Gbagbo swore himself in after losing the Ivorian presidential elections, the AU adopted the stance of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which had vowed to remove the disgraced ex-head of state. Three months after Gbagbo unilaterally crowned himself, neither the AU nor ECOWAS has raised a finger, emboldening Gbagbo to hang on to power.

In a tale of two heads, Gbagbo is behaving like a punch-drunk boxer aiming wild blows at the imaginary enemy. The decision to nationalise private banks in La Cote d'Ivoire is one sure way of undermining the economic base of West Africa's most stable economy.

The nationalisation is sure to throw the Ivorian economy, already reeling under an export ban of cocoa, out of gear. We are disturbed by the development of cold feet by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States on the issue of forcing Gbagbo out of Government House at Yammoussoukro, as was originally resolved.

La Cote d'Ivoire is not the only problem spot in Africa. The people's power revolt in Egypt and Tunisia is threatening to be exported to Libya, where Brother Muammar Ghaddafi has remained in power since he overthrew King Idris in 1969. By the last count, nearly 100 Libyan's had been slaughtered by the dreadful security of the Libyan despot. Yet, the African Union is pretending to be unaware of the human tragedy.

With all these conflicts unresolved, it has emerged that Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for a quarter of a century already, has won almost 80 percent of the popular vote in Uganda.

The Chronicle is not amused by the Ugandan example, which runs parallel to events in Zimbabwe, where 86 year-old Robert Mugabe is preparing to contest the presidential slot once more in Zimbabwe, after being in power since the bush war of 1980.

Africa is a lost cause when it comes to constitutional leadership. Invariably, those who take power at any point in time, have no inclination of relinquishing it, long past their sell by date.

We have every reason to believe that African dictators are encouraged by the lukewarm attitude of the African Union, populated by mainly despots to cling to power in perpetuity.

Cote d'Ivoire is crying for an African solution. We have every reason to believe that when the political will is cultivated, the solution would not be too much of a problem.

When Cote d'Ivoire is saved, it would resonate in the minds of other dictators on the continent to prepare their exit plans. Let the AU be of relevance in contemporary African politics.