Kenyan lawyer and activist, Prof. Patrice Lumumba, highlighted during a speech at The Covenant Nations Platform that many African countries continue to face challenges because they frequently elect the worst kind of leaders who are least qualified or capable.
The renowned pan-African activist said religious prayers cannot deliver the continent from poor leadership.
He noted that Africa’s political system of kakistocracy must be dealt with to help the continent fully realize its potential. This he said could be achieved when Africans start electing their best and most competent leaders to serve in various capacities.
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“Just this morning my wife sent me a proverb from Turkey that when you elect a clown and you think he would be a king, what he does is to convert the kingdom into a circus. And I am suggesting to us that that is part of the African problem because it starts with political hygiene.
“Most of Africa is suffering because we do not have democracies. We have kakistocracies and kakistocracy is government by our very worst. This is what we must deal with and this is what we must say. Who do we elect into our public offices? As I have said before, when you allow hyenas to take care of the goat, why should you be surprised when the goats are eaten?
“This is the same. And Africa is only going to realize its potential when in all areas, by dint of choice, we enable our best men and women to serve in different areas,” Lumumba said.
The speech of the Kenyan pan-Africanist and human rights activist comes on the heels of growing controversial elections across Africa, with some seeing very old people who have ruled for years clinging to power.
Lumumba attributed the situation to the poor decision-making of electorates. Citing Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and other countries as examples of conscious decision-making, he said both African leaders and their followers must step up their decision-making.
“Africans for some reasons are attracted to thieves. Africa for some reason is attracted to men and women who can’t serve and when they are not served they complain. When Africans are told choose you now whom we shall release, Jesus of Nazareth or Barabbas, they say release Barabbas and when he behaves like Barabbas, they say why are you not behaving like Christ,” he said.
Lumumba, who is a Founding Trustee of the African Institute for Leaders and Leadership, said to save Africa, issues of conflict and the change of governance must be dealt with. He urged the continent leaders to focus on governance as prayers cannot substitute for their roles.
“Africa has become a continent where after every election, there is conflict because the pursuit of power is the cutthroat competition where our throats are actually cut.
“We have a problem in that direction and the sooner we resolve that, the safer we will be. Africa can rise and Africa will rise, but it is not going to rise by prayer and fasting,” he said.
The former director of the defunct Kenya Anti-corruption Commission (KACC) emphasized that Africa cannot expect freedom to be handed to it effortlessly. Instead, the continent must be proactive and take ownership of its responsibilities and actions.
“We must pray and fast but it will not happen, because the last time I checked even those of you who are believers – when Abraham was taken from the Ur of the Chaldeans and given Canaan, it was not on a silver platter. He had to fight the Canaanites; he had to fight the Philistines.
“That is the nature of divine instruction, ‘Go ye and subdue the world by the sweat of thy brow’. The kitchen where they made manna was closed. Manna will no longer come, because you must now make your manna and it is our duty as Africans to begin to rethink,” he said.