This document provides a critical analysis of leadership in Africa over the past 50 years since countries gained independence. It makes the following key points: - Early independence leaders like Nkrumah, Naser, and Nyerere had vision and ideals but were replaced by corrupt dictators who prioritized personal wealth over national development. - Later leaders claimed to support development and democracy but secretly upheld dictatorships that undermined governance institutions. Examples given are Museveni, Kagame, and Mugabe. - Overall, African countries have stagnated despite natural resources in some. Ordinary citizens face diseases, famine and lack of jobs. Leadership has generally lacked vision and faith in themselves and the people.

1. AFRICA’S EPOCH OF SHAME
Celebrating Africa Day on 25th
May this year amounted to
nothing. Africa’s history starts and ends with our freedom
fighters. The Nkurumahs, the Nassers and Nyereres of our
freedom struggle. After that Africa has been doing so badly
perhaps it is time to wind it all up. There is nothing worth
writing home about it.
African leadership history was assaulted and bastardized by the
crop of dictators who took over soon after the independence
heroes left the scene. Personal greed, corruption, tribalism,
megalomania put an end to African hope and heroism. Africans
strove to excel in looting public resources, to be number one in
thievery, tribal wars and annihilation of so-called public
enemies.
Their former European powers, alive to human appetite for
selfish greed and power, exploited this to the full leading them
on. So right from the beginning we had African leaders straying
from the path of growth heading straight to the direction of self-
aggrandizement.
Leaders like Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya had exemplary freedom
fighting credentials. They made history by making life a
nightmare for white colonists and actually forcing them to
relinquish power. But for Jomo the Vision ended right where it
had started. After getting what they were agitating for, they
saw no need to struggle any more. However with leaders like
Kenyatta, Kamuzu Banda of Malawi, perhaps it was the best
thing to do, sit back and eat the fruits of one’s sweat. One thing
they were so old, in their eighties and nineties some of these
people did not know their exact ages. At that age you do not
expect any dynamic new project from such a person. Therefore
the Kenyattas, Bandas, Houphouets cannot be denied their
legacies even if they contributed little to post-independence
awareness and institutional growth.
It was only natural that the more youthfull leaders, the
Nyereres, Obotes, Kaundas concern themselves more resolutely
with the future direction of the continent. But those who
succeeded this first crop of African leaders cannot be excused,
whether they were young or old. They are the lot that have
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2. made post independence African history nondescript, with
heroes only in looting resources, straging coups and committing
murder.
It is not that they lacked ambition or education. They were also
good Christians or Muslims. But destructive selfishness got the
better of them, as in the case of Uganda’s Idi Amin Dada. The
ordinary citizen was there only to clap for them and cheer on as
they engaged in theatrics, looting and chest-thumping. They
had no agenda at all for the future growth or economic stability
of Africa.
The Nyereres, Nkurumahs, Sekou Toures did not make it in the
sense that their policies did not bear fruit. But at least they
showed concern, disquiet that their people were not receiving all
that they deserved and little prospect of doing so if they
maintained the status quo. Unfortunately, powerful ideological
forces were working against them and there was no way their
dreams could come true. It is tragic they sacrificed opportunity
to feel comfortable, amass personal wealth and lord it over their
subjects merely because of a disturbed conscience. They were
the philosopher kings of Africa.
It is remarkable that while they struggled to deny themselves
the opulence and vast opportunities beyond borders, their
counterparts in neighboring countries regaled in these
opportunities treating their friends and families to limitless
luxuries. It is under these circumstances that Kenya’s President
Uhuru Kenyatta grew up, not knowing the bite of hunger or
monetary want.
On the other hand there was a third group of African leaders
who pretended to be progressive and pining for true
development of Africa, while in fact they were just tough-talking
counterfeits full of themselves to the brim. These were the likes
of Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. Paul Kagame of Rwanda and
Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. To be an “eating chief” was too
tasteless a term for their generation and out of date. To be in
sync with the demands of the new generation, to reap the
popularity and goodwill that went with it, they declared
themselves progressives, democrats, socialists. But inside their
heart of hearts, they knew exactly what they stood for. They
have contributed much to the breakdown of African governance
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3. institutions and democracy. The result has been sustained
dictatorship in Africa.
Daniel Arap Moi of Kenya can be excused because, although
age-wise he belonged to the new generation, he was too
academically challenged to pretend to belong to the world of
ideas espoused by the likes of Nyerere and Nkurumah. Although
he made many mistakes, largely out of lack of personal
conviction of the policies involved, he did a commendable job of
it. Drawing lessons from himself, he saw the need for good
education and ended up expanding Kenya’s educational system
better than anyone else. When push came to shove he gave
way to democracy, while his expanded university education
proved good breeding ground for the advent of parallel or
payable degree courses which have saved the country foreign
exchange being required for studies abroad.
All in all from the facts above African history is all lacking in
forthright vision, clarity and heroism. It is difficult to teach
greed and set exams on it, except as part of drama. For the last
50 years Africa has been like dead. All countries in it have
stagnated, even those with ample mineral resources. Indeed
these countries with mineral and oil resources could now be
examples of young developing countries as in South East Asia.
But in Africa oil and minerals are a curse.
Ordinary people are dying of diseases and famine as lack of jobs
in rampant. Even South Africa has to degenerate into
xenophobia. Egypt, once a model state, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya,
will take a miracle to return to the path of true development.
Fifty years are gone and a century is approaching with us still
gaping like weaver bird fledglings seeking food from their
mothers. Apparently we lack anyone to get us out of this ditch.
First, we have no faith in ourselves, and nothing can move
without faith. The likes of Kwame Nkumah and Mahatma
Grandhi had faith in themselves and the people had faith in
them. Not with the present leaders, even where potential is
apparent. The Nkurumahs and Nyereres were not angels. They
were only sincere, and believed in themselves. Then the people
followed suit. Even presently, I can see Nyereres and Nkrumahs
all over, if they can choose to be sincere. I know that Nigeria’s
Muhamedu Buhari should be saddened by the picture I am
portraying, as should be Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.
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4. Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, an island of hope in East Africa,
should keep the candle of transition and democracy burning.
Mother Africa is beckoning, even to the likes of Kenya’s Raila
Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka. Africa still has a chance to live its
dreams. Dr.Riek Machar should not declare that I fought for
this, it must be mine and my progeny for ever. Not all countries
of Africa can democratize at one go. There must be the trail-
blazers, as Ghana was to the rest of Africa, and a heritage
President John Mahama should take seriously. Alassene
Quattara of Ivory Coast, Hailemariam Dessalegn of Ethiopia, all
must view themselves as the new Nkrumahs and Nassers for
the momentum to gather in Africa.
By:
Frederick Owino Oyaro.
E-mail: frederockoyaro@gmail.com
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