By Agar Mayor Gai-Makoon
On Tuesday this week, President Museveni as he usually does, had the opportunity to lecture to Africans a number of problems that we face and their possible solution.
He has vast experience in the political dealings of the continent having lived through most of Africa’s social and political dark days. He is a man who always has a lot to tell to the Africans.
His position as president of the Republic of Uganda, and his achievements such as political stability and peace, agricultural growth and tribal integration in Uganda make him an elder and president whose observations and recommendations must always be heard and duly implemented.
His recent speech in Kenya during the launching of Raila Odinga’s campaign for the Africa Union Commission Chairperson is a wake-up call for the Africans to be a solution to their problems and reshape their future in the way they desire.
The speech is a mix of many challenges that produce a single major predicament—poverty or lack of productivity. Among the challenges, one that captures my attention is the ideological bankruptcy of leaders that we bring to power.
This is a very crucial observation because when we have leaders that champion genuine and acceptable political ideology, nations prosper. But it is near impossible to achieve stability and growth when leaders have no clear vision for their people.
Africa has witnessed various problems since independence. Civil wars, economic hardships and social divides among tribes have almost become normal experiences among the African populace.
Other continents have noted improved health, education and relative peace but the African continent is drowned in a big ocean of challenges. Sometimes, it is good to do well when friends are doing well. Africa must evaluate and iron out reasons for the calamities that befall it.
There are universal challenges such as climate change that are contributing to the stagnant growth of Africa, but domestic challenges are the major reasons for lack of prosperity. Africa has a long way to go, but President Museveni has a point—Africa should strive for a better and ideological leadership in order to move out of poverty and wars. Ideological leadership means leaders that we bring to power have strategic plans for the people and a leadership agenda that aims at eliminating and preventing challenges for the people.
It also means that leaders are critical of obstacles that may arise and block the implementation of their ideologies for the people. There are many existing ideologies that have either improved the lives of people somewhere or those that have brought poverty and created wars among people.
But it is important for leaders to always bring the most acceptable and progressive ideology for the people. And perhaps, if Africa is to attain peace, economic growth and empower youth, ideological leadership is eminent. Africa needs leaders that are dependable, well vast with the problems at hand and are able to provide appropriate solutions to them. And here, it is incumbent upon every citizen in all African countries to seek for and bring to power those leaders that can provide ideological leadership.
It is after that, that we can justify our fight against colonialism and European dominance in Africa. Until now, the Europeans were right to dominate the affairs of Africans—because among themselves, African brother is still the problem. Civil society organizations, research institutes and academia must take up the responsibility to educate African societies about their role in bringing ideological leaders.
In the words of former US undersecretary for education, Gary Bauer, “Americans have not only a right but a responsibility to consider the values of those who seek to lead them—whether they arise from life experience, political ideology or religious belief,” the Africans must always know the kind of leadership they need and have the power to bring leaders that will guide them through.
It is unfortunate that for almost seven decades of independence, the continent has not rightly evolved in the ways leaders are elected or nominated. Instead, there are reports of coups and vote rigging and intimidation in almost every African election. So, people’s choices do not make their way to leadership often times. And this means the African population is not yet free and independent.
They do not have the power to bring leaders that they need. President Museveni is reminding all the Africans that leadership determines all, and so, leaders must always meet the characters of a philosopher king as rightly put by Greek socio-political philosopher, Plato.
The writer has a background in Socio-political philosophy. He studies Medicine in Egypt.