Elusive renaissance dream worries Africa's leadership

By Alex Ndegwa and Phillip Mwakio

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki is soft-spoken with a disarming demeanor.

Mbeki let go of high office in 2008 prematurely, a decision his peers did not contemplate even when it was clear that defiance would cost them their lives.

His second term as President was cut short a year earlier in September that year after he fell out with the ruling party, the African National Congress, who felt he was too elitist.

Former South African president Thabo Mbeki (centre) and other participants at the start of the African leadership convention in Mombasa on Tuesday. [PHOTO: MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD]

He was graceful enough to walk away even when his leadership credentials were still impressive – a rarity in a continent ravaged by tyranny.

A man who would choose honor and dignity over self-preservation might appear as one not so keen to ruffle feathers, more so on stage where he is starring.

So Mbeki might have startled delegates at a continental conference in Mombasa with his brutal assessment of Africa’s prospects.

Second decade

In a frank assessment of the march to the so-called Africa Renaissance, Mbeki warned the continent was losing the second decade of the 21st century just like it had squandered the first.

"With things that happen around the continent, we may very well be losing the second decade," Mbeki told participants at the second Africa Governance, Leadership and Management Convention at the Sarova Whitesands, Mombasa.

Hardly surprising, the curse of corruption and inept leadership would feature prominently as ills that have aborted the African dream.

Dr Tegegnework Gettu, head of United Nations Development Programme, African Bureau, sounded an alarm most countries were not on track to meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

Maternal mortality especially was worse, he said, adding: "Giving birth in Sub-Saharan Africa is such a risky affair because mothers do not have access to skilled health care."

Mbeki, who ruled South Africa, Africa’s economic powerhouse, between June 1999 and September 2008, is among leaders who mooted the Africa Renaissance in 2000. He is among architects of the New Partnership for African Development, so his warning is no idle talk.

Citing the famine ravaging the region reported to be the worst in 60 years, Vice- President Kalonzo said: "One gets the feeling that if we are not careful, the second decade of the 21st century would present major challenges."

The conference, whose theme was Harnessing Business Growth and Human Development in the 21st Century in Africa: Claiming the Second Decade, closed yesterday.

Among the resolutions was a call to African nations to increase internal trading instead of relying on insignificant trade share with the west. Trade Minister Chirau Mwakwere said it was unfortunate Africa accounted for only 3.3 per cent of the global trade. Regional integration and elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade were advocated for. The forum, involving key public and private sector personalities, resolved nations promote competitive and legitimate business enterprises to create employment.

Participants recommended that governments increase their budgetary allocation to research, science and technology to at least five per cent of their national budget, to spur innovation.

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo described this decade as an era of great technological strides with vast economic opportunities. "But this new phase will only benefit the disciplined, inventive, creative, enterprising and productive," he said.

Another resolution was accelerating achievement of MDGs and ensuring gender balance, considering women comprise more than half of the population.

The resolutions sound good on paper, but the challenge is to translate them into policies and practical programmes to guarantee economic-takeoff for the continent.

The annual conference is on its second anniversary. Obasanjo, the patron of the convention, had warned against the forum turning into a "talking shop".

President Kibaki said for the Africa renaissance to succeed, critical services in public and private sectors must be free of mediocrity. He rooted for innovation saying "time to get completely impatient with old tricks is now". Kibaki spoke against policies that enrich a privileged few while condemning the vast majority to poverty.

"Whatever you do in the name of improving your countries, do it for the people, not a small coterie of the privileged whose fortunes would not be affected by a planning or development blueprint," he said.

Yet even though Africa is known for extending the begging bowl, it was agreed there were enough resources if only prudent management was to prevail. The conference heard about $50 billion each year is illegally funneled from the continent to secret accounts abroad.

Economic kingdom

Obasanjo, who ruled Nigeria between 1999 and 2007, traced Africa’s woes to contentment after attaining the political kingdom at independence. The continent, he noted, forgot to seek the economic kingdom and had indulged in procrastination for five decades.

Standard Group Vice- Chairman and Chief Strategist Paul Melly blamed unpopular leaders, who hang onto power for too long as among causes of conflict in Africa.

"The challenge facing the continent is that some leaders overstay in power to the extent that they have to be pushed out. Some have amended constitutions to facilitate stranglehold on power," Melly said. Such action had sparked popular anger and caused political upheaval in North Africa and the Middle East.

Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o said states must invest in infrastructure to link the continent and social protection programmes that uplift the poor. Dr Gettu cited lack of resources, conflict, inability to track progress and food insecurity as hampering the realisation of MDGs.

Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission Director PLO Lumumba said the prospects of Africa’s development were doomed because of corruption.

Lumumba criticised involvement of ruling parties in businesses noting it was a recipe for corruption.

"We are in a bad state because every country you examine is undermined by corruption," he said. Nation Media Group CEO Linus Gitahi said public officials must begin to bear the consequences of bad governance.

But Africa still holds promise if business growth and human development are harnessed as a catalyst for economic progression. Facilitating access to credit by small and medium enterprises would oil growth too.

Said Kibaki: "Once you get the leadership philosophy right, I assure you the outline of perfect templates for governance and management becomes clearer and manageable."