The Arab Spring and Africa’s false ‘end of history’
26/10/2011 00:00:00
by Takura Zhangazha
AFRICA, in the aftermath of the UN-sanctioned Libyan aggression, has possibly reached the “end of history”. The majority of Africans may not be familiar with this particular phrase and therefore it may be necessary to explain it. The phrase was re-invented, as it were, by an eminent American academic, Francis Fukuyama, in the aftermath of the cold war.
Fukuyama’s primary argument, in a rather sweeping global perspective, was that with the fall of global socialism in the late 1980s, the “world” and its “history” from a common perspective had come to an ideological end. That is to say there is little left beyond a collective global ideological embrace of liberal democracy and free market economics for all of us as citizens of the world to follow.
That argument can also be contrasted by what other Western academics termed the “Clash of Civilisations” with a particular focus on the global “threat” to western hegemony that was deemed to be harboured by Islamic radicalism and the rise of what Edward Said derided as “Orientalism”.
In the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, in New York City, it was this latter view that was to gain dominance and lead to two US-led “wars on terror”, first in Afghanistan and subsequently in Iraq. These wars, with the benefit of hindsight and after the fervent “you are either with us or against us” emotions dissipated, are increasingly viewed as not only based on reasons that have turned out be dishonest, but also as coming to indicate the manipulation of the United Nations Security Council as well as its founding Charter.
Fast forward to the contemporary Arab Spring and the “clash of civilisations” is no longer as apparent because as it turns out, the people of Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain are actually intent on acquiring democratic government made in the image and with the now interventionist financial support of liberal Western states. This is regardless of the fact that the Western states, prior to the current “revolutions”, were in collusion with the ousted dictators of the countries in question.
In the same vein, it is now apparent that Fukuyama’s initial argument on the “end of history” is back in vogue, not necessarily in Western states themselves as they grapple with the negative effects of their own domestic free market economic policies and the rise of right-wing/ultra radical conservative parties and policies.
It is an argument that is now back within the context of the foreign policies of the NATO member states and their attendant allies, particularly so in Africa, wherein it is now unofficially deemed necessary, upon request by one opposition party or the other, to intervene in the context of unproven (in the case of Libya, see the Amnesty International Reports on the issue) but well-received media reports of a potential genocide.
I mention Africa particularly because it is the only place where military intervention has been utilised to support the ousting of an unpopular government. This is yet to happen in Syria, Bahrain and Yemen. It did not happen in Egypt or Tunisia.
Libya’s case is a poignant example of this new approach because it could not happen with demonstrations and non-violence only on the part of the Libyan people, but with direct military intervention by NATO, and on the ground assistance to the Libyan rebels by British and French military personnel.
The same is also true for the Cote de’ Ivoire where the French military played a direct and pivotal role in the storming of Abidjan and capture of Laurent Gbagbo.
It is from these two examples (Libya and Cote d’Ivoire) that one can begin to place and understand the notion of Africa’s false “end of history” wherein there is an assumption that for all that the Africans would like to see of their societies, their inevitable path is to embrace political and economic hegemonic values that originate from the West, and accept solutions as determined by the same. No matter the context, no matter the political relevance.
The fall of Laurent Gbagbo and Muammar Gaddafi were and have been phenomenal events not least because of the wars that were fought to bring this about but because of the manner in which the political language of powerful nation states and media was embedded with one side more than the other. They were also particularly unique because for the first time since its inception, the African Union did not have a direct role to play in seeking to resolve either conflict. The lead in all of this was that of the United Nations, and its Security Council, particularly the United States and France.
From this, it is easy to read the reality that the West has taken upon itself the responsibility of governing Africa and Africans by proxy and will not hesitate to intervene militarily in any other African state, particularly where there are reports of potential genocide and knowledge of mineral resources in the given African country. This may or may not include acquiring the consent of African states that are in the Security Council on a rotational basis.
Furthermore, seismic political events such as the toppling of governments in Africa can now seemingly only be done with the direct assistance and approval of one Western state or the other, particularly if it is one of those in the UN Security Council. And this is a historical dilemma as well as a now real precedent that Africans and their leaders need to consider with a serious understanding of this new reality.
It is, as argued by the renowned Professor Mahmood Mamdani, the new age of interventionism in Africa, regardless of the AU, or any other regional African bodies. If African leaders do not conform to what the West determines to be “good governance and democracy” with the precedents set by Libya and Cote d’Ivoire, their and independent nation states’ days are numbered.
A key question that arises is “how did Africa come to this state of affairs?” It is a question that is without a definitive answer but one can begin by analysing the subservience of the continent to Western hegemony. And by this I mean the lapping up by most of our post independence leaders of ideas and governance styles based on proximity to the West (and in some instances the East) while at the same time acquiring resources from the same for purposes that ended up either prolonging their stay in power or treating their citizens as subjects.
Their interactions in this instance were not grounded in people-centred interests nor firm political principles stemming from our liberation struggles. The ease with which there was a disjuncture between the popular aspirations of people who had struggled for independence and the betrayal of the same by post independence and contemporary leaders has left Africa as an “open sesame” continent to those that have the power or the money.
Our leaders have been inorganic and too committed to the demonstration of equality with the Western other without demonstrating commitment to their own peoples, countries and continent. This has left the West with wide latitude to re-engineer African societies via both resource/aid distribution and the expansion of unmitigated hegemonic projects such as the global media and Western biased knowledge production systems. To this extent, sometimes one is not sure whether the current or next African leader represents more the vested interest of either the Chinese or the Americans than she/he does their own people.
As a result African leaders have neither negotiated our values and principles where it has come to their foreign policies and they have all along been wrapped around the fingers of global powers, some with what can be called “pragmatic” intentions, such as those that initiated New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), but most with the selfish motive of power retention at all costs.
Where our leaders have been arguing against imperialism, they have also been alienating their own populations with their repressive leadership regimes, styles and their uncouth pursuit of self aggrandisement by way of political office. In so doing they have mortgaged the making of African history to outsiders and they have alienated future generations of our continent, who seem to see no choice but to look to the Western “other” for liberation.
The challenges of our now complex circumstances require that we actively and urgently return to making our own history on our terms. But in so doing, we must not mortgage our countries or our future to those that have a history of aggression toward our founding ideals of independence, democracy and human rights.
We must therefore endeavour to be more conscientious in our politics, carefully and collectively define our pending or completed revolutions more clearly and with popular participation and understand the vagaries of our international relations of the past, the present and the future.
Where we seek assistance in completing or fulfilling our revolutions, we must negotiate on the premise of these revolutions’ founding principles, be it with neighbouring states or with those that bestride the global political economy. It is then that we will be able to avoid a Western-defined and false “end of history” for our continent.
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, LIBYA, MUAMMAR AL-GADDAFI, NATO, NEPAD
Read more...
Africa should take stock of its achievements - Mayaki
By Florence Bupe
Sat 28 May 2011, 03:59 CAT
AFRICA should take stock of its achievements and refocus its energies on addressing the political and economic challenges facing the continent, says NEPAD chief executive officer Dr Ibrahim Mayaki.
In his message to commemorate Africa Freedom Day, Dr Mayaki said African governments needed to critically assess their achievements and failures for an improved future.
“In thinking about Africa (Freedom) Day and the theme for this year, it is clear that we should all use this day to take stock of our achievements and to genuinely refocus our energies on addressing the challenges that we are faced with as Africans,” said Dr Mayaki on Wednesday.
This year’s Africa Freedom Day was commemorated under the theme ‘Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development’.
Dr Mayaki said the recent uprisings in some parts of the continent were a reminder for African governments to assess their governance systems and find ways of averting possible conflicts in future by creating a spirit of contentment among the people.
He urged African governments to embrace the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) planning and coordinating agency as a vehicle for domestic and external resource mobilisation for the development of the continent.
“The myriad of crises, particularly the escalating oil prices, the high food prices and subsidy distortions in the global market, may make it look as if things are beyond our control.
However, as we celebrate Africa Freedom Day, I would like to call upon all Africans to remember that through NEPAD we have frameworks which possess practical solutions and corrective policies that can be used to address some of these challenges and bring about genuine socio-economic transformation,” said Dr Mayaki.
Labels: NEPAD
Read more...
NEPAD urges MPs to focus on regional integration
By Florence Bupe
Tue 17 May 2011, 04:00 CAT
THE New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development has urged parliamentarians to focus on strategies that will promote regional integration.
Speaking at the fourth ordinary session of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) in Midrand, New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) chief executive officer Dr Ibrahim Mayaki said African parliamentarians needed to develop synergies that would foster regional integration.
“As law makers, parliamentarians are key to facilitating major national, regional and continental reforms. Our parliamentarians are key to championing those policies that foster regional integration,” Dr Mayaki said.
Dr Mayaki called for the establishment of a joint PAP-NEPAD technical committee for the purpose of identifying activities and initiatives relevant to the continent’s social and economic growth.
He said NEPAD was making steady progress, particularly on issues of food security and infrastructure, and working closely with regional economic communities to roll out programmes centred on food security.
“So far, 26 countries have signed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) compacts and one regional compact by the Economic Community of West African States, thereby highlighting the rollout of Africa’s blue print for agriculture-led development,” said Dr Mayaki.
And chairperson of the NEPAD committee on health Nguini Effa called for the enhanced harmonisation of drug regulation in order to reduce barriers to research, registration, production and access to safe essential medicines in Africa.
Labels: NEPAD
Read more...
Malawi’s agricultural reforms are starting to pay dividends
By Nyasa Times
Published: November 22, 2009
Malawi’s agricultural growth since the signing of the Maputo Declaration in 2003 has been impressive, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) Business Foundation chairperson Dr Reuel Khoza has said. The Maputo Declaration advocated self-
reliance, particularly in food security.
“Malawi has, since 2005, registered a food surplus production boosted by the agricultural input subsidy programme.
“The government is allocating about 12% of the annual budget towards agricultural development, instead of the 10% prescribed by the Maputo Declaration. The President of Malawi, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, has transformed the country
from [one characterised by a] perpetual
deficit of food to one of food sufficiency,” Khoza told the Nepad Business Foundation last week.
He added that this was an example for South Africa and the rest of the African continent to emulate.
“The revamped agricultural sector has led to a reduction in the number of people living under the poverty line from 60%, in 2004, to 40%, in 2008.“
It is industriousness that will lead to self-reliance and restore to Africa self-respect in our humble submission.”
Malawi Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Steven Kamwendo (pictured), pointed out that the country’s development agenda was focused
on nine priorities that had the potential to trans-
form the country from poverty to prosperity.
The priorities included agriculture, a greenbelt initiative, climate change, education,
science and technology, energy, mining, industrial development and transport infrastructure.
The greenbelt initiative is an irrigation project that seeks to develop a million hectares of land to boost food production.
“If these priorities are implemented, they will open up investment opportunities for the private sector,” said Kamwendo.
Malawi has, in the past five years, achieved a gross domestic product growth of 7,5% on average. Last year, the economy had a robust growth of 9,7%, in comparison with 8,6% in 2007.
Kamwendo stated that the growth rate surpassed the 6% target set by the Southern African Development Community.
He added that the country had maintained a single-digit inflation rate.
“Our President has a vision of transforming Malawi from a begging country to a self-reliant one, by transforming our mindsets [so that we] think in terms of producing and
exporting, as opposed to importing.”
Malawi has been forecast to be one of
the fastest-growing economies in the world, second to Qatar.
“Our investment policies focus on the freedom to invest in any sector with no restriction on ownership, size of the investment, or destination of the final product.
“We believe that the private sector is the hub of the growth of the economy and every investor has to be treated equally, whether local or foreign,” said Kamwendo.
He noted that the country has since placed emphasis on developing sound infrastructure in terms of transport, energy and telecommunications in order to attract investments.
In this regard, Malawi was continuing to build efficient infrastructure and the government had embraced the private sector through public–private partnerships to attract services
in the water and energy sectors.
Kamwendo invited investors to invest in all the sectors single-handedly or through joint ventures with Malawians.—
Labels: AGRICULTURE, MAPUTO DECLARATION, NEPAD
Read more...
NEPAD calls for increased commitment to agriculture
By Florence Bupe
Thu 19 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT
THE New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has called for increased commitment by political players to the agriculture sector in developing economies.
NEPAD agricultural advisor Professor Richard Mkandawire observed that African countries needed to substantially increase their agricultural output for enhanced economic growth.
He indicated that NEPAD and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) had partnered to help African countries increase agricultural productivity.
“NEPAD and AGRA are poised to scale up successes in countries across sub-Saharan Africa as they join forces to boost agricultural productivity. The two African led initiatives both recognise that to achieve food security and spur economic development, African countries need to substantially raise the productivity, incomes and sustainability of millions of small holder farmers,” he said.
Prof Mkandawire disclosed that NEPAD had mobilised political support among African governments to prioritise and invest in agriculture.
He expressed contentment that African countries that had signed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) had made significant progress in improving their agriculture sectors.
He, however, noted that there was still much more that needed to be done to develop the sector.
“Critically, CAADP pledges African governments to devote at least 10 per cent of their national budgets to agriculture, in pursuit of six per cent annual agricultural growth. Progress has been meaningful, with 12 countries signing the CAADP compacts, but much more remains to be done as mounting pressures of population growth, climate change and global food price volatility continue to work against African food security,” he said.
Prof Mkandawire stressed that the greatest challenge facing most African countries was the transformation of the continent’s agriculture sector and its ultimate self reliance.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, FOOD, NEPAD, RICHARD MKANDAWIRE
Read more...
Africa should be market for its commodities, observes NEPAD
Written by Florence Bupe
Saturday, November 15, 2008 4:43:42 AM
AFRICA should view itself as a big market for its own commodities, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) agriculture head Professor Richard Mkandawire has advised.
Prof Mkandawire observed that the projected increase in demand for staples over the next 10 years should make African countries seize the opportunity to export their produce within their regions, and the continent.
“There will be a huge demand for staples over the next 10 years, especially by the urban population, due to the continued trend of urbanisation,” he said.
Prof Mkandawire advised African countries to address barriers to the free flow of products as they were an impediment to development.
“If we close borders and impose barriers, we are hindering the free flow of commodities, thereby continuing the circle of poverty and hunger in Africa,” he said.
Prof Mkandawire said African countries should institute policies that would encourage the flow of commodities from surplus to deficit regions.
He observed that current export bans on selected commodities and market protectionism were negatively impacting on the fight against poverty.
Prof Mkandawire further called for the involvement of farmers in policy formulation, observing that peasant farmers were usually sidelined in decision-making processes.
“Policy makers need to realise that farmers are knowledgeable about the environment, and therefore, there is need to get them involved in research, they should not just be subjects of research and policies. This will help reduce poverty at grass root level,” said Prof Mkandawire.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, FOOD, NEPAD, RICHARD MKANDAWIRE
Read more...
5m die of hunger in Africa annually, reveals NEPAD
Written by Florence Bupe
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 8:50:03 AM
ABOUT five million people die of hunger in Africa annually, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has revealed. NEPAD food and nutrition security advisor Boyitshepo Giyose said the world was still not on track to reducing poverty levels, as food insecurity was still high, especially in developing countries. Giyose observed that malnutrition was a major impediment to development.
“Part of the reason Africa is stunted economically is malnutrition. Malnutrition causes 60 per cent of child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa,” she said.
Giyose said many countries were not committed to stabilising their countries’ food security status, thereby failing to improve risk management capacities to prevent hunger-related deaths.
She further revealed that approximately 200 million Africans were chronically malnourished, with 126 million children being underweight.
Giyose called on African countries to enhance their commitment to combating food insecurity by implementing policies that would support increased production.
She also emphasised the importance of nutrition in reversing the effects of HIV and AIDS.
“Malnutrition, food insecurity and hunger are among the major risk factors for HIV infection. Malnutrition hastens the onset of AIDS among HIV-positive people, and compromises the safety and efficacy of ART (anti- retroviral treatment),” said Giyose.
Labels: NEPAD
Read more...
Zambia’s declining agro spending worries NEPAD
Written by Florence Bupe in Midrand
Sunday, November 09, 2008 6:32:30 AM
NEW Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) head of Agriculture Professor Richard Mkandawire has bemoaned Zambia’s declining budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector.
Making a presentation at the ongoing NEPAD-CAADP media sensitisation workshop in South Africa, Prof Mkandawire said it was saddening to note that while the African Union through NEPAD was encouraging member countries to increase resources to the agriculture sector, Zambia’s allocation to the agriculture sector had declined.
“I am aware that Zambia’s budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector has declined. This is a sad development because the country’s poverty levels are increasing, especially in the rural areas,” he said.
Prof Mkandawire said it was imperative for the media to be alert to such developments and hold policy makers accountable to ensure that key sectors such as agriculture continued receiving the deserved attention.
He advised that Zambia should not just concentrate on the mining sector growth, but also ensure that the agriculture sector was enhanced to promote national food security, and ultimately contribute to regional food security.
“The mining sector is generating good revenue for Zambia, but is this revenue being invested in the rural communities?” he asked.
Prof Mkandawire urged the Zambian media to play an advocacy role for the development of the agriculture sector, and help get civil society organizations more involved in this area.
And Prof Mkandawire has advised the media in developing countries, including Zambia, to report positively to counter the negative reporting perpetuated by the western world.
“The international media tend to sensationalize reports on Africa. They are more interested in bringing out negative issues such as wars and high poverty levels, without highlighting the positive measures that are being put in place to mitigate these vices,” Prof Mkandawire said.
“They’ll use every opportunity at their disposal to report on the developing world in a negative manner. Not all in Africa is gloom and doom; there are many successes in Africa that are news worthy.”
Prof Mkandawire said this was an opportune time for Africa ’s renaissance.
He further urged African communities to move away from the dependency syndrome and find ways of creating wealth.
“Social protection and relief are important, but these should not be at the expense of wealth creation. Africa should explore market opportunities for its own products. There will be a huge demand for staples over the next 10 years, especially in view of the urbanization trends,” said Prof Mkandawire.
The sensitisation workshop is aimed at getting the media more actively involved in boosting agriculture through reporting.
Labels: NEPAD
Read more...
NEPAD urges commitment to agricultural development
Written by Florence Bupe in Midrand, South Africa
Friday, November 07, 2008 3:49:42 AM
IT is critical that we begin to define our own agenda as a continent for development
to be achieved, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) agriculture head Professor Richard Mkandawire has said.
Officiating at the NEPAD-CAADP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme) media sensitisation workshop in Midrand yesterday, Prof Mkandawire said it was vital for African leaders to honour their commitment to the development of agriculture in their respective countries in order to attain food security.
“Over the last five years, we have seen complete turnaround in agriculture support from the international community, because they are willing to support an African initiative. CAADP is an African agenda, drafted by Africans, and driven by Africans,” Prof Mkandawire said. “However, the continent has continued to face the challenge of poverty.”
He revealed that despite the resources available to enhance food security, about 200 million Africans have continued to chronically face hunger every year.
Prof Mkandawire urged African leaders to place agriculture at the core of their development agenda.
And International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) head of Media Relations Michael Rubistein observed that the media has an important role to play in holding governments accountable to their pledges.
He said the media had the capacity to compel governments to respond to the needs of the people in all circles, including agriculture.
“What is needed for effective agriculture development is policy response. We should get governments to act and get involved in agriculture development,” said Rubestein. “The media are the gatekeepers, governments respond to what the media highlight. You (media) therefore have the task of ensuring that your respective governments implement the agriculture policies they have promised.”
The media workshop has drawn participants from across Africa.
Labels: NEPAD, RICHARD MKANDAWIRE
Read more...
NEPAD notes progress in good governance
By Joan Chirwa
Wednesday January 02, 2008 [03:00]
THE New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has said several African countries, Zambia inclusive, made notable progress towards good governance during 2007. And the institution has stated that the quality of governance in African countries this year would be dependent on the extent to which foreign investors require good political governance as a precondition for conducting business.
NEPAD, an African Union (AU) initiative aimed at eradicating challenges faced by African countries, has expressed optimism that the trend in good governance would continue.
In its weekly electronic publication, NEPAD further noted that the initiation of legal proceedings against Zambia’s former president Frederick Chiluba on corruption charges was a good sign of good democratic governance for the country.
“The overriding trend over the year was towards democratic and peaceful changes of political leadership,” NEPAD stated. “Nevertheless, as governance crises persist in Zimbabwe and the Horn of Africa, and as Chinese investors make fewer demands on African countries to respect democratic principles, optimism on the future of good governance in Africa should be tempered with caution.”
NEPAD further stated that Chinese investors, in particular, had been willing to grant developmental and financial assistance with little regard to governance and human rights records, removing the incentive for African countries to comply with standards of good governance.
Sudan, in particular, continued to be the greatest recipient of Chinese foreign direct investment despite a continuing governance crisis in its western Darfur region.
“While standards of governance vary from country to country, there seems to be reason to be optimistic,” NEPAD stated. “More African governments appear to be willing to open themselves to scrutiny and to create more transparent political systems.”
Labels: CHINA, NEPAD
Read more...
APRM and good governance
By Editor
Tuesday July 10, 2007 [04:00]
IT is good that the government has launched a national self-assessment process through the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) under the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) framework. For democracy to work effectively, it is necessary that once in a while those who govern are assessed by the governed. We are saying this because the legitimacy of any government is to a larger extent determined on its acceptability or approval of the governed.
The strength of a government should not be determined by the capacity of a particular government to manipulate the people or to take the governed for granted. Rather, governments should consider processes that allow their criticism as key factors to enhancing ideals of democracy and good governance.
And considering that Zambia acceded to the African Peer Review Mechanism on 22 January 2006, more than a year now, we think that the process of the government opening itself to constructive and objective criticism is longer overdue. Although we are alive to the fact that the APRM process is not perfect, we feel that it is one which, if well implemented, can add up to our democratic credentials as a country.
Our understanding is that the APRM is essentially an African self-monitoring system which entails a country voluntarily submitting to make its own citizens undertake an internal audit or national self assessment of its political, economic, corporate and socio-economic governance systems after which an external audit or verification of the self-assessment report is made by an independent panel from the African Union.
Further, the mandate of the African Peer Review Mechanism is to ensure that the policies and practices of participating states conform to the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards contained in the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance.
In short, the APRM mechanism is the mutually agreed instrument for self-monitoring by the participating member governments. Among others, the principal purpose of the APRM is to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub-regional and continental economic integration through sharing of experiences and reinforcement of successful and best practice, including identifying deficiencies and assessing the needs for capacity building.
We can clearly see from this that although the APRM will still have problems here and there in terms of successful implementation, it still offers many advantages, including in terms of fostering national dialogue, promoting transparency and enabling countries to identify capacity gaps, weaknesses, strengths and deficiencies for improvement to raise their standard of living.
In fact, we can look at the APRM process as a new way of promoting democratic responsibility not only in Zambia but on the African continent as a whole. Weighed against such arguments as the one on the fact that the APRM is a voluntary, non-binding process and could result in it being seen as toothless process, we think that with more work put in, this process could offer more positive and beneficial results in terms of governance within our countries on the continent.
Let us not forget that democracy and good governance are ideals which are still not yet well-rooted in Africa and all efforts aimed at strengthening them should be encouraged. By this, we are not saying that other regions of the world have better records of democracy or good governance. No. Even in some of the so-called advanced democracies, we still witness a lot of poor governance in many areas.
However, what is important is for us as African countries to come to a realisation that if we opt to embrace democracy and the concept of good governance, we should do so wholeheartedly or with both hands. Democracy and good governance should not just be useful terms or concepts when it comes to political sloganeering. On the contrary, these are terms or concepts that should be translated into action and those committed to such ideals should show that by allowing criticism upon themselves.
And when we talk about good governance, we are talking about the manner in which those who are charged with responsibility discharge their duties. Good governance is about discharging one's responsibilities in an effective, transparent and accountable manner. Good governance entails the existence of efficient and accountable institutions - political, judicial, administrative, economic, corporate - and entrenched rules that promote development, protect human rights, respect the rule of law, and ensure that people are free to participate in, and be heard on, decisions that affect their lives.
It is such importance which should be attached to good governance which makes us feel that the APRM process is a necessary one if as a country we have to start moving forward. And we hope those in government will not take this process as an academic exercise to posture for a good name in the eyes of the international community. The government should commit itself to criticism from the people not just because that is what will please its donors, but because that is the right way to do things.
We do not want to start seeing contradictions in terms of the promises and assurances from the government and what is actually happening on the ground. We expect that through the APRM process which our government has committed itself to, the people of this country will be offered an opportunity to give their views or assessments in terms of the governance style of those presently in government.
Labels: APRM, EDITORIAL, NEPAD, TIZ
Read more...
