We have seen throughout Africa’s post-independence history how the cult of personality has taken precedence over the state. Our people have been conditioned to fawn over political principals rather than correctly celebrate them when this is due or hold them to account when necessary. For Africa to thrive psychologically, she needs economic successes but also heroes that she can look up to. There are heroes of a bygone era like Cabral and Tongogara from the wars of liberation who will never be forgotten but Africa also needs post-independence heroes who will build modern Africa.
By Albert Gumbo
Our heroes will include peers and ordinary civilians who question their leaders on governance whether the topic is inadequacies in revenue collection or deficiencies in the rule of law by the government in power.
For this to happen, the new leaders will have to banish fear. The new leadership will actively work to encourage a new culture of openness and accountability. Speaking truth to power will no longer be an act of courage but a normal occurrence as when necessary. It will not attract gasps in response, punishment or exile. Every new leader must aspire to create this climate of open and honest communication where ideas and opinions can flow without hindrance.
In the Zimbabwe we seek leaders who will build their names through the legacies they leave behind not simply because they happen to be in political office. We want to see a culture that challenges the leadership from village to city and from ward committee to national conference so that the best ideas and solutions come to the fore. The same culture will readily acknowledge the accomplishments of the leader who succeeds.
In the leadership that we seek, internal debate, even when in disagreement with the leader or leadership of the political party, will be encouraged. Group think for any organisation is dangerous and when peers cannot engage a leader on decisions made, you have the beginnings of the slippery slope to a dictatorship but also the possibility of decisions that are not in the best interests of the country being made with negative consequences. Secondly, the culture of ascribing political power or inordinate respect to a spouse who is not politically engaged will be discouraged and a spouse of a politician who themselves are not in politics, will be just that, a spouse.
These core values are non-negotiable. Our greatest weakness has been our inability to assert out humanity, to defend the best of what we had, to improve on the standards we inherited at independence and to speak out when those standards were threatened by flawed thinking, impaired judgement and implementation of vengeful policy. We must be true to our core values in the face of danger to our society and we must never give way to fear because that in the end begets despair.
