(Photo of Professor Stephen Adei, Courtesy of www.ghanaweb.com)
"Having authority or power doesn't make you a leader. Power is a double edged sword that can be used for both good and bad.", Ghanaian Professor Stephen Adei (once the Chief of the African Bureau of UNDP) taught the gathering at Imperial Royale Hotel Kampala on Wednesday 15th July 2009. This was URA's 5th Successful (and very hilarious too) Open Minds Forum where anyone can "Be a part, be heard, be told"; I attended the first ever forum held at Hotel Africana many months back but this was probably my second. The program is a corporate interactive debate on topical issues of public interest. Allen Kagina, the URA Commissioner General confessed that the forum is always organised with a selfish motive "Aimed at enhancing Tax Compliance" but somehow URA gets to participate in community by promoting interactive feedback and promoting accountability. The theme that day was "Leadership and Nation Building", who would want to miss that?
The usual Chairman magnifique (Ugandan Government Spokesman appointed New Vision Publishing CEO) Robert Kabushenga wielding absolute authority introduced the members on the panel, his old girl URA CG Mrs. Allen Kagina felt she wasn't worthy. On the left end sat Honourable Eriya Kategaya, the current 1st Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda who has been involved in the liberation politics of Africa for a number of decades. He is also a respected statesman trying to rebuild the EAC (East African Community). Next to him was Professor Mahmood Mamdani, one of the lead discussants and also one of Uganda's foremost thinkers who lectures in an American university. He is the husband of Maisha Filmlab founder Mira Nair who also made a romantic movie entitled "Mississippi Marsala" starring Denzel Washington about the 1972 Asian expulsion by President Idi Amin Dada. Professor Mamdani brings original thinking to subjects that have become hostage to prejudice and stereotypes. On the right end was the visitor from Ghana. When Allen Kagina sent Kabushenga an email, his mobile browser told him that the message was truncated. It took 5 minutes to load. Professor Stephen Adei has about 9 degrees, he has worked all over the world and his printed CV fills three foolscaps.
Adei was the first speaker, "Positions give opportunity to exercise leadership ... A good administrator applies rules but good leadership changes dysfunctional rules. A good manager aims at efficiency, man aging the status quo is not leadership, it involves paradigm shifts. Leadership is a function; development of vision, strategies and empowerment of individuals. Having a picture is halfway. Vision without strategy is a dream, ally the relevant people behind your strategies. A leader influences others, takes a stand. In leadership, what you know is less important. Good leadership is an art to be learnt because it comes with principles. Combine talent with training. One of my favourite preachers named Myles Monroe once preached, 'Whenever a nation has a lack of quality legitimate and just leaders, national deterioration occurs.' GOD's answer to our moral problems is righteous leaders. Jews were used for 400 years as slaves in Egypt but when the right leader came about, they were freed in a week. Singapore is just a rock but in 30 years, the right leadership turned it from a third world country into one of those with the best quality of life. Those of us with gray hair know that Uganda has come a long way. Rwanda is one of the African countries that will make it on their own because of the leadership of Paul Kagame. There were two great leaders in the world: Churchill and Hitler. Always make sure that the dysfunctionalities are corrected. When Nkrumah was overthrown, the country was humiliated for two weeks. The soldiers had to beg people to go and work. Learn dependence of followers.
Transformational servant leaders build nations: (1) They tend to be people of character, your credibility is important. It's not an option, people want a leader they believe in and can trust or honour. (2) Highly competent irrespective of the discipline, willing to apply to the situation. (3) Care for their people: If you are a chief, what do you steal money for? I have never seen a person who can ride five bicycles at the same time. You get a free house, petrol, car, security ... Our system takes care of our leaders, it is criminal to be a leader and steal. Africans are very generous to their leaders. A good leader works harder than other people, leadership doesn't come easy to all of us. Our own selfish nature makes us want everything for ourselves. The president (M7) wants the average per hectare of farmland to be 1,000 US Dollars [about 2 Million UgX]
Cost is what makes leaders important: (1) Challenge the status quo for improvement; rebels always look back. (2) Provide a shared vision and get people dreaming again: Create a world class centre. Leaders must bring a new picture, people must be inspired towards a better future. (3) Powerful autonomy who are like a think tank and define a nation e.g. the National Bureau of Economics of Thailand (4) Build functional and effective teams, it is the responsibility of leaders to put together the right team. For this country(Uganda)'s development, not more than 10 ministries matter. Honesty, Capability and Commitment. Leaders balance continuity and change, take major decisions and change things (solve problems). They develop future leaders. They manage well the Prize (Privileges); Price (Cost); and Perils (Temptations) of leadership. Be very careful how you enjoy in leadership! If people realise that you are not with them, finished. Most effective leaders usually will not enjoy the privileges that come to them until they lift up their people.
In Cost, leadership is hard work, so many people are sick and hungry around you. They look at you like a father, you need a think tank, everybody comes to you. All my life, no body told me am handsome until I made it. When I come to the village with a Benz, immediately I assume beauty. The politics in the church is as bad as the politics in the state. If you are a politician, what is your job? What do you mean by nation building? Create a cultural identity for all people beyond their tribal identity! Every country has to come up with a political system. Americans have comfort with two term limits. In Britain, there are no term limits. In France, when you are 55, you are almost going to the grave. Democracy can be defined in terms of the parameters.
Economic Development: Improve the welfare of citizens, realise their full potential. Nations that have grown in the last 50 years had less corrupt bureaucracy; governance situation tends to be above a certain level; there is rule of law; peace; enough technology. None of these is a primary cost. 'Do what I say not what I do' comes from the Devil's Bible. What is the promise that Africa will have such leadership? On the continent as a whole, it's coming too slowly. Things that will make it happen include: (1) Supply of good leaders, the qualification to be President of Ghana (40 years, literate and not mad) is lower than the qualification to be a secretary of Adei, Politicians shift when societies shift. (2) National values. (3) Formal training of future leaders. (4) Civic Education. (5) Create incentive for good leadership. (6) Make the cost of bad leadership high and raise the cost of misrule (The Gospel reigns, most leaders have to change heart). (7) Provide alternative avenues for wealth creation. (8) Need a loyal opposition (They want something bad to happen to the country)
(Photo of Professor Mahmood Mamdani, Courtesy of www.hindu.com)
Ugandan Professor Mahmood Mamdani (who is wanted back at Makerere University Kampala. Chancellor Mondo Kagonyera reported that thinking became idle after Mahmood left) spoke next. He started in a relaxed mode that was meant to amuse. He revealed that he got a call from URA and when the lady on the other side asked if he was the one, he responded with a very worried and faint 'Yes' until the reason why he was Wanted was told; That relieved him immensely. He was basically invited to raise questions, "Professor Adei's argument is that Africa needs transformation. My presumption is that such leaders will never exist, you are talking of saints, not politicians. Any visionary leader given time will turn dysfunctional. Churchill became dysfunctional in peace time and lost the election. What do you do when the leader turns dysfunctional? The professor has no answer in his speech, maybe he has reserved the answer for a speech in Ghana. The answer is not in the domain of leadership but institutions. I begin with an example in the US. During the 2008 Election, CNN did a poll. Most who did the poll believed that the 2000 Election was stolen, the Supreme Court stopped a recount. The reason was political, what would be the cost of a reversed verdict, would the tensions between the red and blue states overtake the system? There was no foreign intervention, instead America embarked on a process to reform. The US survived eight years of usurped bad leadership, millions died in the war against terror. (1) The strength of US institutions helped to contain the damage of bad leadership. (2) There is no single African problem. I will outline two, but their solutions have to be thought through concretely: the Most Serious Political Problem is to be found in Congo, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Kenya. The political problem is an expression of a deeper social problem revolving around land. Who owns more land? Tribal rights, citizen rights. Zimbabwe was divided by land issues./ Darfur conflict started in the 1980s between agriculturalists and pastoralists (1987 - 9). The latter said, 'We couldn't make a living up north, so we moved south. We have to survive ...'/ Banyamulenge in Congo migrated towards the end of the 19th Century and have conflicts with migrants from Rwanda. But who is a citizen?
Second question is a question that divides the political class. It originated from the colonial system of Big Men, you are appointed from the top and removed from the top. It generates its own corruption, creates sycophants, otherwise they will not survive. It creates arrogance, this is not the critique of any individual. That is the psychology a system creates. Who will ensure a transfer of power. In some kingdoms, it was the work of the wives to blow the whistle if the king was too weak to lead the people. The transfer of power cannot be left to the person who occupies that position. It also happens in the opposition. The base of leadership begins with three fundamentals: Hope, Vision, and Promise. We can hope for the best but must prepare for the worst.
(Photo of Honourable Eriya Tukahirawa Kategaya, Courtesy of www.hindu.com)
Eriya Kategaya (the one who made the famous U - Turn in his political affiliation back to the ruling NRM - National Resistance Movement) was the last speaker from the high table, "We need tools for nation building. The question is skin deep. When Ugandans move from one region to another for instance Masindi, they are called immigrants. We need leaders who can create institutions (which are the guarantee of security) in the country, not strong men like Charles Taylor and Mobutu. Most African wars are intra-state e.g. in Congo, Liberia, Sudan and Uganda. Some groups don't feel comfortable, wrongly or rightly. There must be a mechanism of solving those problems. Anybody can wake up and become a leader but we need systematic delivery of leaders. It must be deliberate. Amin's Vice President was asked if he knew the constitution and he said, 'Karatasi gani?' (Swahili for 'Which paper?')/ Alternative avenues for wealth creation/ Think tanks: Running a country is not a short term exercise, we need people to think through the policies. Lack of a think tank in a country creates earth worm movement. The earthworm doesn't see where it is going so when it meets an obstacle, it changes direction and starts again. We need to look for more leaders in Africa. We have been praying all this long and still waiting for signs. It is people who aren't elected causing us trouble. I stood for Local Council Chairman in my village but lost, the man who won was in the seat for over 5 years but I did not complain.
Famous Public Figures present included DP President Ssebaana Kizito (who wanted the topic widened to include business leadership too), Army Spokesman Felix Kulayigye, Makerere University Kampala Chancellor Mondo Kagonyera, Omar Kassim, Ken Lukyamuzi (well known for the hilarious phrase 'What are you talking about?' which he applied like cream after asking Kategaya a few hard hitting questions and exciting the audience), Reegan Okumu, Uganda Christian University Vice Chancellor Dr. John Ssenyonyi (the first speaker from the audience), Professor Kirya plus many gray haired people and the rest. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely," Robert Kabushenga assured everyone that he was going to use his power for the day to humiliate people, there would be strictly 3 minutes for the audience speakers to comment or ask the panellists, 5 minutes for Eriya and Mahmood to answer but 7 for the special Ghanaian guest Professor.
A public lecture was also held four days later on Sunday 19th July 2009 at the same venue between 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm. "The President (M7) wants a think tank that will give people the Freedom to Think," Professor Stephen Adei from Accra, Ghana spoke about 'The Critical Importance of the Creation of Think Tanks for Africa's Development'. The lecture was organised by S.A.L.T Program Uganda (Sundoulos African Leaders Training) in conjunction with Intercessors for Uganda. Contact persons included Mrs. Allen Kagina (Coordinator S.A.L.T. Program [Uganda], Dr. James Magara [National Coordinator, Intercessors For Uganda) Tel: +256(414)466657, +256(712)959081, +256(712)876006
