Improvement of governance should be the number one priority consideration for any leader. Leaders at all levels must be accountable and act in a manner which makes them truly servants of the people who have elected them to positions of power. It has been observed that generally where there is a demonstrable transparent, accountable and incorruptible leadership abiding by principles of good governance, countries have made progress in socio-economic development. Good governance, democracy defined in Afrocentric terms, accountability and transparency should be nurtured and sustained and most importantly should be made integral components of societies. Africa having suffered indignity and massive violations of the peoples’ rights as alluded to earlier on, should be at the forefront for the protection and respect of human and people rights. For this to be achieved it is imperative to build democratic institutions based on traditional models tailored to meet modern global imperatives, improve indigenous knowledge systems and strengthen civil societies with the aim of stimulating majority participation in governance issues.
Good governance whilst an imperative, is not an end in itself, because the ultimate objective must be for it to usher in the developmental state where economic and social transformation is a pre-requisite and in this context a number of pertinent factors need to be taken into account. Whereas in recent years some African countries have recorded strong economic growth largely attributed to the comparative advantage on natural resources and the demands of the same fueled by exponential growth in the largest emerging economies in Latin America and Asia, it is a paradox though that this growth has not however translated into further reduction of poverty nor income and wealth inequalities. Rather the inequalities in
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society have widened, elites have become richer, the people further impoverished, millions rendered jobless and corruption rent seeking and arbitrage have grown to unacceptable levels with the potential for creating an implosion of society. The situation is now anarchic and must be rescued through new leadership insights, relentless fight against the scourge of corruption and institution of the rule of law. Africa must move away from the George Orwells Animal Farm where some Africans are more equal than others.
7.3.5.1 Fight against Corruption
Corruption is the exploitation of public position, resources and power for private gain. In their own conceptualization (Antony, 2008). According to Fjeldstad and Isaksen (2008) corruption is the betrayal of public trust for individual or personal gain. It is considered as effort to secure wealth or power through illegal means for private gain at public expense; or a misuse of power for private benefit. Corruption covers a broad spectrum of activities ranging from fraud, that is, theft through misrepresentation, embezzlement, that is, misappropriation of corporate or public funds to bribery, that is, payments made in order to gain an advantage or to avoid a disadvantage (Cerry 2004).
Corruption as a phenomenon is a global problem, and exists in varying degrees in different countries. While it is more prevalent in the developing countries like Angola, Zimbabwe and other Southern African countries, the developed countries experience corruption at a minimal level. The important reason for the minimal level in the developed nations is that the control mechanisms are more developed and effective than in the developing countries (Koo and Hagen, 2001). The efficacy of control mechanisms in the advanced democracies of the world further accounts for the relative political and democratic stability that these countries enjoy. Corruption has got far reaching effects to leadership and governance in Southern Africa. Landsberg (2003) posits that “corruption poses a serious development challenge. In the political realm, it undermines democracy and good governance by flouting or even subverting formal processes. Corruption in elections and in legislative bodies reduces accountability and distorts representation in policy making; corruption in the judiciary compromises the rule of law; and corruption in public administration results in the unfair and inefficient provision of services.
More generally, corruption erodes the institutional capacity of government as procedures are disregarded, resources are siphoned off, and public offices are bought and sold. Thus, corruption undermines the legitimacy of government and democratic values of trust and tolerance. According to Gilbert (2004) evidences abound to suggest that corruption creates
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major impediments to doing business in countries where it is prevalent. The negative effects of corruption on national development can be monumental, and in any corrupt regime, a nation could lose billions of dollars into the pockets of the nation’s leaders. Corruption has additionally affected Southern Africa’s economic development. Wealthy people who are known to be corrupt are regularly courted and honoured by communities, religious bodies, social clubs and other private organizations. Corruption has adversely affected Southern African countries’ economy. Financial resources which would have been used to facilitate the country’s economic development have been diverted into private bank accounts abroad. More worrisome is the fact that these stolen funds meant for economic development are not invested in the country to create employment for the unemployed citizens of the country (Baloro, 2001). This is indeed the reason for high level of poverty, insecurity and widespread diseases in Southern Africa. The poverty level in Mozambique, Zambia Zimbabwe and other Southern African countries is worsening as unemployment is soaring on daily basis (Hagen, 2001). The quality of education, health and other social services is dwindling all over the country. The agricultural, general merchandising and other social services which, hitherto, provided employment for the ordinary citizens have become very unattractive.
Corruption undermines Southern Africa’s economic development by generating considerable distortions and inefficiency. In the private sector, corruption increases the cost of business through the price of illicit payments. It raises the management cost of negotiating with officials and increases the risk of agreements being breached. The Human Rights Watch (2007) comments that, despite record-setting government revenues in recent years, corruption and mismanagement remain a major cause of Southern Africa’s failure to make meaningful progress in improving the lot of ordinary citizens. In addition to the negative impacts of corruption on the economic development of Southern Africa, it can also be noted that corruption has fuelled democratic instability and political corruption in this region. At the heart of democratic instability in Southern Africa is corruption and bad leadership. Corruption has not only made a mockery of the basis of the authority of the state, but it poses a great challenge to the legitimacy of democracy as the best form of government (Fjeldstad and Isakson, 2008). This has consequently led to democratic instability. Corruption has reached a level in Southern Africa such that an average Southern African citizen believes that there is an inextricable link between corruption and democracy.
Political corruption which is a form of corruption perpetrated by the political elite in Southern Africa has affected the cognitive perception of Southern Africans since the beginning of the
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democratic experiment. First there is doubt about the ability of any Southern African state to organize a free, fair and credible election; second there is this perception that political appointments are one sure way to wealth and elevation of social status; and third, there is also the perception that the political office holders cannot be responsible and accountable to the citizens (Charlick, 2000). The impact of this on democratic stability is clear. Electoral contest has become a do or die affair with the prevalence of contract killings, political assassinations and electoral violence resulting in the general destruction of lives and properties. Consequently, as the philosophical basis and fundamental ethos of democracy are being swept under the carpet. The legitimacy of democracy as the best form of government has been seriously eroded. Democracy is rule-driven and no election can be better than the extent to which people obey electoral rule (Ake, 2006).
7.3.5.2 Rule of Law
According to the oxford English dictionary the rule of law is defined as “The authority and influence of law in society, especially when viewed as a constraint on individual and institutional behaviour, the principle whereby all members of a society are considered equal subject to publicly dislodged legal codes and processes”. Among some of the important components of the rule of law are such elements as equality before the law, checks and balances in the use of power. Presumption of innocence until proven guilty, independence of the judiciary, entrenchment of rights and freedoms, equal access to justice as well as a right to know the law. The rule of law rather than being a purely legal matter is crucial to good governance and breeds confidence in the population about the institutions that govern them. Further in any developmental dispensation the rule of law is a precursor to development investment both domestic and foreign because its absence will mean anarchy and unpredictability.