Sameera Casmod sameerac@radioislam.co.za
23 January 2024 | 21:39 SAST
2-min read

In this week’s Africa Report on Radio Islam International, John Bwasa, an academic with a diverse educational background, discussed the issue of leadership failure in Africa, using the Democratic Republic of Congo as a case study.

Bwasa, with qualifications in education and African sociology, emphasised the global challenge of a perceived lack of strong, ethical leadership.

“At the moment, worldwide, we are facing what I would call a vacuum of strong leadership, and I would say ethical and morally correct leadership,” Bwasa said.

Bwasa discussed the vital role that leadership typically plays in a nation’s development, but noted that, in many parts of Africa, including the DRC, there is a notable failure of leadership. The factors contributing to leadership failure were outlined, with Bwasa saying, “Corruption undermines the trust between the citizens and the leaders and erodes the rule of law.”

“There is a gap, a big gap, between the population and the leadership due to the fact that the funds that were normally to be prescribed for basic services are misappropriated by the leaders who are mainly corrupt,” he added.

On the re-election of President Tshisekedi and the speculated influence of former President Kabila, Bwasa expressed his views on Kabila’s continued impact, stating, “Kabila is still a big key holder of the Congo economics and finances.”

The interview explored the influence of western imperialism on leadership failure in Africa.

Western involvement in Africa persists, especially in the financial sector, with major mineral companies still being western-driven and funded.

Bwasa highlighted the Berlin Conference’s historical impact, stating that the west’s interference often follows a ‘divide to conquer’ approach.

Bwasa asserts, “The West is implicated in the failure of the government in Africa because they are dividing to hold due to the imperialism charter that’s writ Divide to Conquer.”

Bwasa questioned the western role in recent elections, noting contradictions in foreign delegations attending President Tshisekedi’s inauguration despite concerns about the fairness of the electoral process.

“How can you send a delegation when you know perfectly well that those elections were not free, fair and democratic?”

He highlighted a double standard in how the West perceives Africa, which is a significant economic asset for western nations.

Listen to the Africa Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.