Preparing the terrain for an out-going generation of leaders

What future is there for African politicians after retirement from public Office?

Some time back I wrote an article titled “Preparing the terrain for a new generation of leaders”. I thought it is only sensible and right to also look into preparing the terrain for our out-going end of term limit leaders.

The first President of independent Zimbabwe Canaan Sodindo Banana was one of the very first government officials to retire after serving a seven year term as a largely ‘ceremonial head of state’ to make way for a new ‘Executive Presidency’ led by then Prime Minister Robert Gabriel Mugabe. After helping broker the signing of the 1987 Unity Accord between ZANU PF and ZAPU, President Banana seemed to spear-head what seemed a panacea for the problem of sit-tight leaders in Africa, although his retirement was presented as a noble way of bridging the strong differences that existed between the two main liberation parties at the time, it also meant that he had to end his political career in active politics at an early aged 51.

President Banana’s retirement package was meant to be designed to give him some comfort and peace of mind after his service to the nation. He doubtless expected to spend the rest of his life comfortably doing what people expect of retired statesmen. Many people look forward to retirement and plan to do all the things they couldn't do while attending to the demands of their careers. Other people look forward to retirement, but do not view it as a time of leisure. They instead look at this life transition as a time to explore a new career. This article will address the issues faced by political retirees or those approaching retirement and the end of their terms in positions of authority.

Although his accomplishments as a Zimbabwean national leader have largely been erased from Zimbabwean history books, Banana had had an honourable career as an opponent of the Smith regime, and as a radical theologian. He is the only leader from Zimbabwe to have progressed to an International Peace broker role serving on the United Nations commission of eminent churchmen (World Council of Churches) investigating business in South Africa in 1989. Furthermore at the end of 1991 he was one of a group of Commonwealth "Eminent Persons" which observed CODESA (Convention for a Democratic South Africa). He also played an active part, on behalf of the Organisation of African Unity, in seeking to broker peace in Liberia.

Besides the Presidential role, notable other retirements were Hon Victoria Chitepo who served in the Ministry of Tourism, Hon Fay Chung Deputy Secretary Ministry of Education and Chikowore as as Minister of Transport and Energy with a few others. Most were either dropped from government or demoted to lower ranks

I appreciate that most African countries are still going through their initial stages of democratic dispensations and as such the mistakes that have resulted in the current dilemma faced by African’s in terms of governance, transparency and accountability should be viewed as lessons and referenced as examples of bad and good leadership for future aspiring leaders. Former President Obasanjo suggested that perhaps heads of governments in Africa should be forgiven for their mistakes and allowed to retire home in peace without being made to face trials for their actions. He believes this would encourage them to exit power; however wouldn’t it also encourage successive leaders to also adopt the same bad behaviours knowing they will be held responsible for their actions?

The former Nigerian president said the fear of being tried for the crimes they committed while in office is largely responsible for refusal of many leaders in the continent to yield power until forced to do so. However I would challenge his statement by asking why did they commit the offences in the first place? Let them be tried perhaps not at the Hague but by an African approved court, composed of experienced African judges and a jury made up of different member’s from the African society, externalising criminal justice to courts outside Africa is an insult to African democracy and self-emancipation.

“When one looks at the political horizon, sit-tight leaders are becoming extinct species,” Obasanjo stated. “Very few of them are left. They should look and see that those who have taken their exit are not worse for it. I am here. I know that ex-President Mbeki is also there. There is life after the State House. And if they know that and also appreciate that there is something they can do to be useful to their country, Africa and humanity, maybe they would be encouraged to vacate.”

“Whatever the challenge of a new age, in the end what really counts is not the years in our lives but the life in our years. It is not about longevity, but the depth of life. Long ago I learned that age does not wither the mind if people remain positive. No one is too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. It is a mind game. As Churchill suggested, "The empires of the future are the empires of the mind."~ Singapore Retiree JENNIE CHAU

So what plans do we have for retiring leaders? Should it be our responsibility as a nation to reward our leaders with retirement packages that would enable them to continue playing an effective but advisory role to successive governments without them worrying about their welfare needs and well-being? I think much as we worry about who we elect for leadership we should equally look at what opportunities will be there for them after retirement, without planning for future leadership we will continue to have what President Obasanjo calls ‘sit-tight leaders’.