Page 10 - Apmor 2018

editors clue

African leaders are a grim

circle to square By Chege Moses Kasaija

Even with a $5 million prize and a further annual $200,000 ten year
payment, the Mo Ibrahim Prize has the potential to change perceptions
of African leadership by showcasing exceptional role models from the
continent, but no, African leaders are so useless that they can only be
used as a bad example, most, like some in Southern Africa in particular
have to be kicked out of power with their tails between their legs like
they didn’t know it was time to say adios.
Entangled with massive accusations of corruption and nepotism,
African presidents assemble around them the least talented, most
clownlike advisors, what counts to them is patronage, not capacity, as
nepotism is a classic symptom in African states that can’t hold onto
their best and brightest, providing ample evidence that executive rot is
borderless amongst the tribe of leeches they all come from.
Maybe we can be hopeful before we must feel sad again, but If we
are going to win the battle against the thieves in high office, be it
government or business, we are not only going to have to do more
to recognise and support the good, but also find a better way of
talking about why, because every time we go to the ballot to answer
a leadership question we instead come back with a governance crisis.
As you enjoy reading this edition, you will notice that renewable
hristened as the prince of paradox, G. K. Chesterton, one of a
few English level-headed philosophers and journalists, once hit energy deployment levels under current NDCs would bring online
Cthe nail on the head when he said, ‘The man whom the people 80GW of renewable energy capacity globally each year. However,
ought to choose to represent them are too busy to take the jobs. But the current pace of deployment has seen countries install 125GW of
new renewable energy capacity on average annually between 2010
the politician is waiting for it. He’s the pestilence of modern times.
What we should try to do is make politics as local as possible. Keep the and 2016, suggesting that NDCs can better reflect the global energy
transition, if it isn’t for venality, although, a more integrated approach
Politician’s near enough to kick them. The villagers who met under the
village tree could also hang their politicians to the tree. It’s terrible to would send a clearer message to the global investment community
willing to invest in this sector.
contemplate how few politicians are hanged today’. And right he was.
New developments in Tanzania, Mali, Ghana, Botswana and Namibia
Politically articulated Africa is the best place to be right now, southern suggest that the mining sector in Africa is on the right trajectory, despite
Africa has forgotten about economic and social progress that it is
well known for, to award winning political comedy, in one country some political unpredictability in South Africa, DRC and Mauritania.
whose president, am told cannot read and is globally legendary for At the end of it all, if indeed there is any, is the realisation that what
his colloquial signature pirouetting, cachinnations and adjusting matters to any one of these leaders is the maintenance of a system
his bifocals with the middle finger to say the least, gave many of that serves their master’s interests no matter how they assume or
the powers that the voters had given him to an immigrant family in maintain power.
exchange for gifts and favours, validating that political power in Africa Enjoy!
is often seen as an easy path to become wealthy.

“ If we are going to win the battle against the thieves in high office, be it government or busi-

”
ness, we are not only going to have to do more to recognise and support the good, but also
find a better way of talking about why.

10 | AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol 21, Issue 20, 2017