AFRICAN SOCIAL VALUES CRIPPLE DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT

AFRICAN SOCIAL VALUES CRIPPLE DEMOCRACY

 AND DEVELOPMENT

        By Eric Sindabi

Democracy as the saying goes is like heaven. We always desire it but no man ever achieves it on earth. It was the late Pope John Paul who once said that; “a society that is not socially just to its people and does not intend to be, puts its own future at stake”

Indeed the African continent is viewed by the west as an underdog in development. Majority of its people languish in poverty that is caused by poor social orders. According to the west, skewed democratic standards and violations of human rights frustrate socio-economic developments in Africa.

African rulers however have been accused of choking democratic rights of their citizens as they cling on to power. Many of these leaders indeed view democracy as a western culture and ideology that has no place in African.

Some have accused the west for dictatorship and neo-colonialism. They refuse to up hold the universal principles of social systems including the rule of law and the equal distribution of power and resources. Instead, majority of African leaders ape the ancient rulers who were ignorant of social justice and competitive politics.

A typical African ruler recognized his subjects by tribe, clan and region. It was the reign of tribal chiefdoms among the many African ethnic groups that competed for natural economic resources. Displacements and loss of lives were thus prevalent.

It is evident to this extend indeed most African leaders adhere to tribalism in their guest to power. They are guided by forces that incorporate traditions, beliefs and aspirations of their ancestral backgrounds. Many in fact arise to power through such forces that however tend to sideline other tribal groups.

In Ancient African chiefdoms and kingdoms tribal supremacy was an obligation of a ruler. The legacy, needs and aspirations of the ruler’s tribe was a guiding light that determined his success. A ruler never succeeded unless he ensured that his tribesmen interests rose above their neighours’.

Interestingly this culture is common among modern African leaders who always tend to put the aspirations of their kinsmen at hand to the expense of the rest in a nation. However what always results is conflicts and instabilities that so far have cost socio-economic endeavours in the continent. Negative ethnicities and tribal clashes as is evident, are purely born out of political machinations that are selfishly driven.

Although African traditions that were centred and linked on a socialism system that embraced social and economic equality among members of a social group, their rulers were the supreme beneficiaries of social and economic values.

The Kings collected valuables from their subjects to enrich themselves. They owned massive pieces of land and domesticated animals that were the symbols of economic power. They owned as many as was possible; wives, children and servants that was a symbol of social power. The Kings were like sacred cows. They had the powers and rights to own anything unquestioningly. In fact an African ruler was never voted for to rule, but it was by means of conquest and inheritance. Only death could do him a part with his thrown.

 Social analysts believe that when some groups of people in society question or tend to be dissatisfied by a section of another group, conflicts are bound to arise. The same sociologists put forward that instability is bound to recur, that no tangible unity and development can find room to grow.

In Kenya for example, the struggle for democracy soon after independence and the so called “second liberation” syndromes in the country were born out of an outcry to change the status quo.Many believe that the countless hardships and poor living standards by majority of Kenyans have been caused entirely by the status quo that is embroiled around tribal politics where tribalism has been a defining factor in the sharing of national resources.

According to historians many cultural beliefs and practices in African societies caused negative ethnicity, prejudice and oppression against other tribes. Injustices and poor distribution of resources was the order of the day. In fact tribal skirmishes and cleansings were the order of the day like in the fight for land and against domination by particular tribal groups.

There was no rule of law but the laws of the jungle ruled, like the case of survival for the fittest. Indeed many African leaders, who add to dictators and tyrants in the making, do not recognize or adhere to the rule of law, but tend to live above the law. Many have manipulated parliaments to make laws that suit their interests and those of their cronies.

However it is sad that many modern African leaders do not realize that times have changed. Democracy is fast developing as a global and universal principle in man’s society. The rule of the law and social justice where equality and humanity are supreme values.

Many of these leaders who try to cling on to power by dividing their citizens on tribal lines strangle democracy and cause instability that hurts development. Many African countries  like we in Kenya,Rwanda,Somali,Ivory Coast,Mali,Zimbabwe,Sudan,Congo,Uganda among others indeed have and are still experiencing this old school political leaders who don’t want to give democracy a chance but want power by all means.

Democracy is viewed as a global means to social and economic stability. It allows for the rule of law, transparency and good governance to carry the day for the benefit of all. African leaders who cling on to power by all means thus cripple democracy and create a socio-economic impasse. Poverty and violation of human rights thus has been the trait of the African society according to the United Nations scaling and reports all along.

While the African masses continue turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to the rotten and backward ideologies of their rulers, they continue lagging behind socially and economically, even as globalization stares in their face. Unless Africans rise up and fight for emancipation from the crippled leadership standards, the darkness that is the dark Africa will forever dog its people and land.