Africa has its good and its bad

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation this week announced that there is no winner of the 2016 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. Again.

The Ibrahim Prize – with the winner receiving $5 million over 10 years and $200 000 per year for life thereafter – has, in fact, only been awarded four times since its inception in 2006. And that on a continent comprising 54 countries.

Launched as a celebration of Africa’s transition to democracy, highlighting and rewarding excellence in African leadership, critics have been quick to claim that the award has become just the opposite: placing the continent’s leadership void in the spotlight.

Only former African executive heads of state or government who have left their office during the last three calendar years, having been democratically elected and served their constitutionally mandated term, qualify.

But is African leadership really that poor?

That too many African leaders cling to power is a fact. That election irregularities in some countries are the norm cannot be denied. That despots stay in power is not uncommon. So, yes, it would seem Africa is in a leadership crisis.

But there are also good African leaders. And there are many signs that democracy on the continent is on the rise – the recent election in The Gambia is a case in point.

What is important to note is that the bad is not endemic to Africa.

Looking north of the Mediterranean, I’m not convinced there would have been more recipients of the Ibrahim prize if European leaders were also in the running.

Politicians throughout Europe were fingered in the Panama Papers. In France, a leading presidential candidate is about to be charged with fraud for giving his wife and children fake jobs. Italy’s former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was convicted of tax fraud. The list goes on.

Critics will no doubt once again beat the African drums of doom this year.

Reality is that poor leadership is not an African disease. It’s a global pandemic.