Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Africa’s Leadership Deficit: Exploring Pathways to Good Governance and Transformative Politics

  • Chapter
Rethinking Development Challenges for Public Policy

Part of the book series: International Political Economy Series ((IPES))

Abstract

Observers of Africa lament the failure of the continent to translate the optimism that attended the immediate post-independence period into concrete socio-economic development (Bates, 1981: 6). Various reasons have been adduced to explain this lack of progress, principal among which is the crisis of leadership (Aseka, 2005). Rotberg offers a very damning excoriation of African leadership, contending that the continent ‘has long been saddled with poor, even malevolent, leadership; predatory kleptocrats, military-installed autocrats, economic illiterates, and puffed-up posturers’ (Rotberg, 2004) Obiakor notes that ‘post-colonial Africa has witnessed many leaders who have had more devastating effects on [its] cultural, socioeconomic and political futures’ (Obiakor, 2004: 402). It is clear, therefore, that Nelson Mandela’s attribution of Zimbabwe’s woes to a crisis of leadership (Independent, 2008) can be justifiably extended to the rest of the continent. His assertion is corroborated by the inability of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to find, in the last two years, a retired African political leader who is deserving of its prestigious African Leadership Prize. This development is a serious indictment of the quality of leadership that those at the helm of African countries have provided and, hence, reflected by the poor socioeconomic and political environment that characterizes the human condition on the continent. In the words of Adamoleku (1988: 95):

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Bibliography

  • Abebe, A.M. (2009). ‘Of Shaming and Bargaining: African States and the Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council’. Human Rights Law Review, 9 (1): 1–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdulkadir, M.S., Jayum, A.A., Zaid, A.B. and Asnarulkhadi, A. S. (2010): ‘Africa’s Slow Growth and Development: An Overview of Selected Countries’. European Journal of Social Sciences, 16 (4): 628–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Adamoleku, L. (1988). ‘Political Leadership in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Giants to Dwarfs’. International Political Science Review, 9 (2): 95–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Afrimap. (2010). Conference on ‘The APRM: Taking Peer Learning to the Next Level’ Communique Kampala, Uganda, 20–1 July 2010. [online] Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/research_pdf/ APRM_Communique_Kampalajul2010.pdf.

  • Annan, K. (2010). ‘Keynote Speech’. Global Conference on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change, The Hague, Nov. 4 [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://kofiannanfoundation.org/newsroom/press/2010/11/global-conference-agriculture-food-security-and-climate-change.

  • Aseka, E.M. (2005). Transformational Leadership in East Africa: politics, ideology and community. Kampala: Founta in Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asiedu, E. (2006). ‘Foreign Direct Investment in Africa: The Role of Natural Resources, Market Size, Government Policy, Institutions and Political Instability’. World Economy, 29 (1): 63–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ayittey, G. (1992). Africa Betrayed. New York: St Mart in Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bass, B.M. (1985). Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectation. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bass, B.M. and Stiedlmeier, P. (1999). ‘Ethics, Character, and Authentic Transformational Leadership Behavior’. The Leadership Quarterly, 10 (2): 181–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bates, R. (1981). Markets and States in Tropical Africa: the political basis of agricultural policies. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) (2010). ‘Botswana President Calls For Ivory Coast’s Leader To Accept Defeat’. December 6. [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/2010/12/101206_botswana_pres_icoast. shtml.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bing-Pappoe, A. (2010). ‘Reviewing Africa’s Peer Review Mechanism A Seven Country Survey’. Ottawa: Partnership Africa Canada [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.pacweb.org/Documents/APRM/APRM_ Seven_countries_March2010-E.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Binswanger-Mkhize, H.P. (2008). Challenges and Opportunities for African Agriculture and Food Security. A report for the food and agricultural organization of the united nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns, J.M. (2003). Transforming Leadership: a new pursuit of happiness. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns, J.M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bynander, F. and Hart P. (2006). ‘When Power Changes Hands: The Political Psychology of Leadership Succession in Democracies’. Political Psychology, 27(5) (October): 707–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, J.C. (1977). ‘Some Constraints upon African Political Leadership. ’ Canadian Journal of African Studies/Revue Canadienne des Études Africaines, 11 (3): 435–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Choup, A.M. (2006). ‘Calculated Risks: Why Civic Leaders (Re)Turn to Politics’. International Political Science Review, 27 (3): 285–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, A. (1994). ‘Studying Political Leadership: the Case of Franqois Mitterrand’. Political Studies, 42: 453–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Commission for Africa. (2005). Our Common Interest: report of the Commission for Africa. London: Commission for Africa [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.uneca.org/commreport.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conner, R. and Jordan, P. (2009). ‘Never Being Able to Say You’re Sorry: Barriers to Apology by Leaders in Group Conflicts’. Law and Contemporary Problems, 72 (Spring): 233–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • East African Magazine (2010). ‘The African Presidents Index: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’. 27 December 2010 –- 2 January 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edinger, J.L. (1990). ‘Approaches to the Comparative Analysis of Leadership’. The Review of Politics, 52 (4): 509–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Europafrica (2010). ‘APRM Gets New Leadership, Mauritius Finally Reviewed, But Reporting Slackens.’ [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 fromhttp://europafrica. net/2010/08/04/professor-mohammed-seghir-babes-is-the-newchairperson-of-the-apr-panel-of-eminent-persons.

  • Freedom House (2010). Freedom of the Press 2010: Broad Setbacks to Global Media Freedom. [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/pfs/371.pdf.

  • G77. (Group of 77) (2009). Statement Delivered by Nadia M. Osman, Minister Plenipotentiary–Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sudan to the UN, On Behalf of Group 77 and China, at the Interngovernmental Preparatory Meeting for CSD 17: Africa (New York, 26 February, 2009) Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.g77.org/statement/getstatement.php?id=090226b.

  • Gaffney, J.G. (2001). ‘Imagined Relationships: Political Leadership in Contemporary Democracies’, Parliamentary Affairs: 120–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giddens, A. (1984). The Constitution of Society–Outline of the Theory of Structuration. Cambridge: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gramby-Sobukwe, S. (2005). ‘Africa and US Foreign Policy: Contributions of the Diaspora to Democratic African Leadership’, Journal of Black Studies, 35 (6): 779–801.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grint, K. (2000). The Arts of Leadership. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruzd, S. (2007). ‘Peace, Security and the African Peer Review Mechanism: Are the Tools Up to the Task?’ African Security Review, 16 (3): 53–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haus, M. and Sweeting, D. (2006). ‘Local Democracy and Political Leadership: Drawing a Map.’ Political Studies, 54 (2): 267–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawker, G. (2000). ‘Political Leadership in the ANC: The South African Provinces 1994–1999’, Journal of Modern African Studies, 38 (4): 631–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hope, K.R. (2005). ‘Toward Good Governance and Sustainable Development: The African Peer Review Mechanism’, Governance: An International Journal of Policy, Administration, and Institutions, 18 (2): 283–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Independent (2008). ‘Mandela Ends Silence on Zimbabwe’. [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/ mandela-ends-silence-on-zimbabwe-crisis-854314. html.

  • Jackson, H.R. and Rosberg G.C. (1982). Personal Rule in Black Africa: prince, autocrat, tyrant, prophet. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jooste, C. and Fourie, B. (2009). ‘The Role of Strategic Leadership in Effective Strategy Implementation: Perceptions of South African Strategic Leaders’, Southern African Business Review, 13 (3): 51–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jordan, E. (2006). ‘Inadequately Self-Critical: Rwanda’s Self-Assessment for the African Peer Review Mechanism’, African Affairs, 105 (420): 333–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, J.W. (2005): ‘Constraint Respecters, Constraint Challengers, and Crisis Decision Making in Democracies: A Case Study Analysis of Kennedy versus Reagan’, Political Psychology, 28 (6): 835–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Killander, M. (2008). ‘The African Peer Review Mechanism and Human Rights: The First Reviews and the Way Forward’, Human Rights Quarterly, 30 (1): 41–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, F.L.F (2005). ‘Collective Efficacy, Support for Democratization, and Political Parties in Hong Kong’, International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 18 (3): 297–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levitt, J. (1999). ‘Shifting Sands: African States and the Democracy Dilemma’, Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 13 (1): 13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Llanos, M. and Margheritis, A. (2006): ‘Why Do Presidents Fail? Political leadership and the Argentine Crisis (1999–2000)’, Studies in Comparative International Development, 40 (4): 77–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manby, B. (2008). ‘Was the APRM Process in Kenya a Waste of Time? Lessons that Should be Learned for the Future’. AfriMAP, Open Society Institute [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://afrimap.org/english/images/ paper/Manby_APRM-Kenya.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandel, B. and Shilpa, P. (2003). ‘Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Leadership Style: A Gender Comparison’, Journal of Business and Psychology, 17 (3): 387–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masciulli, J., Molchanov, M.A. and Knight, W.A (eds) (2009). The Ashgate Research Companion to Political Leadership. Surrey, UK: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mo Ibrahim Foundation (2010). Ibrahim Index of African Governance: Summary (Revised Edition). Mauritius: Mo Ibrahim Foundation [online]. Retrieve on 15 December 2010 from http://www.moibrahimfoundation.org/en/media/get/20101108_eng-summary-iiag2010-rev-web-2.pdf.

  • Morrell, K.M. and Hartley, J. (2006). ‘A Model of Political Leadership’, Human Relations, 59 (4): 483–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukamunana, R. and Kuye, J.O. (2005). ‘Revisiting the African Peer Review Mechanism: The Case for Leadership and Good Governance in Africa’, Journal of Public Administration, 40 (41): 590–604.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murithi, T. (2007). ‘Reflections on Leadership: From the OAU to the AU’, Conflict Trends, 2: 8–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ngowi, H.P. (2009). ‘Economic Development and Change in Tanzania since Independence: The Political Leadership Factor’, African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 3 (4): 259–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nwonwu, F.N and Kotze, D. (2008). ‘Introduction’. In F. Nwonwu and D. Kotze (eds), African Political Elites: the search for democracy and good governance. Pretoria: Africa Institute of South Africa, pp. 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Obi, C.I.C (2001). ‘Reconstructing Africa’s Development in the New Millennium Through NEPAD: Can African Leaders Deliver the Goods?’ African Journal of International Affairs, 4 (1 and 2): 142–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Obiakor, F.E. (2004). ‘Building Patriotic African Leadership through African-Centered Education’, Journal of Black Studies, 34 (3): 402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oloka-Onyango, J. (2004). ‘“New-Bred” Leadership, Conflict, and Reconstruction in the Great Lakes Region of Africa: A Sociopolitical Biography of Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni’, Africa Today, 50 (3): 29–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ONE (2010). The Data Report 2010: Monitoring the G8 Promise to Africa [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.one.org/report/2010/en/ downloads/DR2010_EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY_EN.pdf.

  • Posner, D.N. and Young, D.J. (2007). ‘The Institutionalization of Political Power in Africa’, Journal of Democracy, 18(3): 126–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rakner, L.R. and Wang, V. (2007). ‘Governance Assessments and the Paris Declaration’. A CMI Issues Paper Prepared for the UNDP Bergen Seminar September.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ravallion, M. (2009). ‘Are There Lessons for Africa from China’s Success against Poverty?’ World Development, 37 (2): 303–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotberg, R.I. (2008). ‘Governance Counts: An African Scorecard’, New York Times, November 5 [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/opinion/05iht-edrotberg.1.18438542.html?_r=1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotberg, R.I. (2007). ‘Africa’s Successes: Evaluating Accomplishment’. Cambridge: Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/files/Africas_ successes_Final.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rotberg, R.I. (2004). ‘Strengthening African Leadership’, Foreign Affairs, 83 (4): 14–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rylander, S. (2010). ‘Governance and Transformative Leadership in Africa: Progress, Prospects and Challenges’, ACBF Development Memoirs Series ACBF DMS/005/2010, Harare: The African Capacity Building Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, T.M. and Chazan, N. (1982). ‘Limits of Leadership: Africa in Contemporary World Politics’, International Journal, 37 (4): 543–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stultz, N.M. (2007). ‘African States Experiment with Peer Reviewing: The ARPM, 2002 to 2007’, Brown Journal of World Affairs, 13 (2): 247–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tettey, W.J. (2009a):‘Transnationalism, the African Diaspora and the Deterritorialized Politics of the Internet’. In O. Mudhai, W. Tettey and F. Banda (eds), African Media and the Digital Public Sphere. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tettey, W.J. 2009b ). ‘News Media and Governance Reform: Sub-Saharan Africa’. In P. Norris (ed.), Public Sentinel: news media and governance reform. Washington DC: World Bank, pp. 277–304.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tettey, W.J. (2002). The Media, Accountability and Civic Engagement in Africa. New York: UNDP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tettey, W.J. (2001). ‘Human Factor Analysis and Democratic Transitions in Africa’. In B-S.K. Senyo (ed.), Portraits of Human Behavior and Performance: the human factor in action, Lanham, New York, Oxford: University Press of America, pp. 109–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tettey, W.J. (2000). ‘Human Agency and Democratic Challenges in Africa’, Africa Quarterly, 40 (2): 13–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Transparency International (2010). Corruption Perceptions Index 2010. Transparency International [online]. Retrieved on 15 December 2010 from http://www.transparency.org/content/download/55725/890310.

  • UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) (2010a). Human Development Report 2010 20th Anniversary Edition–The Real Wealth of Nations: Pathways to Human Development. New York: UNDP [online]. Retrieved on 13 December 2010 from http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2010_EN_Complete_reprint.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) (2010b). Human Development Report: Education Drives Africa Development Gains over 40 Years. New York: UNDP [online]. Retrieved on 13 December 2010 from http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/ PR5–HDR10-RegRBA-E-rev5-sm.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNECA (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa) (2003). The New Partnership For Africa’s Development (NEPAD): The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Addis Ababa: UNECA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Wyk, J.A. (2007). ‘Political Leaders in Africa: presidents, patrons or profiteers?’, African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) Occasional Paper Series, vol 2, no. 1. Durban: ACCORD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welsh, W.A. (1970). ‘Methodological Problems in the Study of Political Leadership in Latin America’, Latin American Research Review, 5(3) (Autumn): 3–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiseman, J.A. (1993). ‘Leadership and Personal Danger in African Politics’, Journal of Modern African Studies, 31 (4): 657–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Wisdom J. Tettey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. African Capacity Building Foundation, Zimbabwe

    Kobena T. Hanson (Head of Knowledge and Learning) & George Kararach (Knowledge Expert) (Head of Knowledge and Learning) &  (Knowledge Expert)

  2. University of Massachusetts Boston, USA

    Timothy M. Shaw (Visiting Professor, Emeritus Professor) (Visiting Professor, Emeritus Professor)

  3. University of London, UK

    Timothy M. Shaw (Visiting Professor, Emeritus Professor) (Visiting Professor, Emeritus Professor)

Copyright information

© 2012 Wisdom J. Tettey

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Tettey, W.J. (2012). Africa’s Leadership Deficit: Exploring Pathways to Good Governance and Transformative Politics. In: Hanson, K.T., Kararach, G., Shaw, T.M. (eds) Rethinking Development Challenges for Public Policy. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230393271_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation