Call to Africa: Speak truth to power By Thabo Makgoba

REUTERSON THE SPOT: President Pierre Nkurunziza, who is running for a third term, speaks to reporters in Bujumbura, Burundi, after the attempted coup. REUTER

Heads of state need to set the stage for good governance and development by calling into line leaders who cling to power beyond their mandates, writes Thabo Makgoba.

Cape Town - On May 25, citizens and governments across the African continent, together with the people of the global diaspora, commemorate Africa Day.

It is a pivotal time as it presents an unprecedented opportunity for the citizens and decision-makers of the continent, together with those who have a vested interest in its growth and development, to reconnect and recommit themselves to supporting all interventions to develop a better Africa and a better world.

This month’s Africa Day theme, “We Are Africa”, is a declaration and celebratory statement of pride that fosters inclusivity among all role-players and stakeholders.

Perhaps more important, it is also a call to action for individuals and groups from all backgrounds and walks of life to join the movement for positive change in Africa. This is the essence of the new struggle we need to wage in Africa.

Africa Day 2015 is perhaps a call to action that will resonate powerfully with so many at a time when the continent is making global headlines for the wrong reasons once again.

Huge amounts of global TV and radio airtime have been dedicated to the situation with Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, who is determined to hold on to power, challenging constitutional boundaries and public will in an attempt to achieve that goal.

His appeals only this week for ethnic harmony aim to address very real fears that weeks of political unrest could trigger another bout of bloodletting between Hutus and Tutsis in the heart of Africa’s Great Lakes Region.

If ever there was a time for Africa Day to serve as a catalyst for action then this is that time.

It represents a call to action that specifically looks to the African continent’s leadership as a whole to demonstrate to itself and the world that it is prepared to take collective responsibility and to lead from the front in the struggle for good governance.

It requires Africa’s leaders to push for greater accountability and to speak out against those leaders on the continent who are failing in their responsibility to lead by public mandate, and not for personal status or gain.

As the world looks at the state of leadership in Africa in the wake of the Burundian crisis, there is a greater call for African leaders to speak to each other more firmly about their tendency to cling to power, even when it is not in the best interests of the country concerned or of the continent and its socio-economic reputation.

If Africa is to demonstrate to the world that it is open for business, open to positive change, and open to making a welcome break from the past and its ways of doing things, then African leaders need to take a much firmer stand against one of their own when the reputation and economic stability of the continent are at stake and the lives of citizens are at risk.

There is no doubt that good governance remains the African continent’s Achilles heel.

Lack of good governance in Africa condemns millions to poverty and is a real barrier to realising the continent’s great potential.

The McKinsey Global Institute projects that by 2020, consumer spending in Africa will total $1.4 trillion (R16.5 trillion), up from $860 billion in 2008. By 2040, the continent will probably have the largest population of working age in the world.

If there is one thing that reports such as this tell us, it is that Africa is a region full of potential.

The real tragedy is that it will not be realised, however, without exponential improvements in governance across the continent.

Strong ethical leadership is critical in driving such improvements, not leaders who insist on hanging on to power despite the will of the people and the constitutional guidelines in place to ensure good governance is implemented in African nations.

Expanding the rule of law, fighting corruption, providing basic services and efficient administration, and ensuring orderly transitions of power – all are critical if countries are to provide the kind of secure climate that will attract investment and allow citizens to thrive and fulfil their individual potential.

The reality check comes with acknowledging that not all of these much-needed changes in the way that African conducts itself will happen at once. Many fast-growing countries in Africa and elsewhere struggle with governance challenges as they develop.

But Africa’s leadership needs to realise that if the continent’s governance continues to lag behind that in the rest of the world’s developing nations and the developed world, then its millions of its people will be left behind.

African states need to overcome the crisis of good governance to enjoy the benefits of economic growth.

The crisis of governance largely explains the slower rate of economic progress and social development on the continent in comparison with other parts of the world.

While Africa and the East Asian countries were at relatively similar levels of development in the immediate post-independence era, the strong governance systems of the latter ensured rapid economic growth and human capacity development in that region.

Also, the continuing challenge of battling corruption at all levels of society and in government remains one of the key threats to good governance and social development in Africa.

Once again, it is for Africa’s leadership to demonstrate its strong governance and stance by tackling corruption and weeding it out of every aspect of society on the continent.

Decades after Africa’s democratisation began, just how much progress has been made by the continent’s leadership in promoting democracy and democratic governance in each country?

More important, what lessons are being learnt by Africa’s leaders and what else needs to happen if the continent is to become a beacon of hope to developing nations around the world that are also struggling with their governance issues?

In the face of turbulence in the region generally, and in Burundi specifically, Africa Day provides the ideal opportunity to engage in a rigorous retrospective on the continent’s democratisation process.

It is the responsibility of all African leaders to proactively and intellectually reflect on their evolving governance architecture in each country, and their own individual efforts and commitment to promoting good governance, social justice, social progress and development on the continent.

Ultimately, at a time when so much work needs to be done to take Africa into a new era of positive political, social and economic development, Africa Day should be less about reflecting on where the continent has come from, and more about taking on board the lessons learnt and finding the necessary innovative solutions to the challenges to be addressed.

Only by doing so will Africa become the global powerhouse that it is capable of being, and a beacon for others around the world to follow.

This takes strong and progressive leadership, committed to upholding strong democratic principles and overseeing real democratic change.

It also requires that leadership uses its voice and speaks out against those fellow leaders who would hold back Africa’s development by hanging on to power for self-gain.

Only when such speaking of truth to power happens shall we be any closer to winning the new struggle.

* Makgoba is Anglican archbishop of Cape Town