Elly Twineyo-Kamugisha - Why Africa Fails: The case for growth before democracy

Historians usually recount what happened. Political scientists link history to the political management of society. Sociologists explain the underlying role of culture, family and history, etc., in society. Economists produce models and theories, and make assumptions about situations and how they impact on society. And economic historians portray economic growth and development, but from a historical perspective. Although I cannot claim to conform to any of these disciplines, I have followed, worked on and observed the challenges that sub-Saharan Africa faces as it rethinks its future.

I have written this book from the perspective of my personal experience of more than 20 years as a practitioner in the field of development. However, I am also guided by theoretical work in the fields of international business, international trade, development economics and political economy. I have had the privilege of discussing issues that confront African countries with international leaders, development practitioners, politicians, ordinary people, academics and students. And through discussions, observations and reading, I have come to one conclusion: colonialism is no longer a viable excuse for Africas dismal performance in the global economic arena.

I believe that the solution to Africas economic woes will not come from heaven. Instead, the solution will be the result of home-grown soul-searching and critical planning and commitment to work for prosperity although it will take a long time to yield tangible results. In my view, 25 years will be sufficient for Africa to develop from the last to the first world. To achieve this feat, however, Africa will require courageous leaders, committed men and women who have a vision to steer the ship in the right direction. And, in addition, if sustainable rapid growth and high levels of income are to be achieved, Africans of all walks of life will have to work harder, but in smarter ways. As noted earlier, economic salvation will not come from heaven. It is through strategic thinking and smart, but hard, work that the developed economies have attained economic success. Their policies were tailored to suit specific challenges and aspirations.

Acronyms

Soon after gaining their political independence several of them in the 1950s and 1960s many African nations embarked on a struggle for economic independence. Fifty years down the road, the struggle is yet to deliver meaningful results. Millions of Africans still live in dire poverty; many lives have been claimed by curable diseases; many breadwinners have been maimed in wars; and others are unemployed. In turn, their dependants have been deprived of education and healthcare, among other basic necessities.

In tandem with the continents economic plight, many African states have failed infrastructure, and some depend on food aid. Although the economic emancipation struggle has been fraught with immense challenges, I, personally, do not buy into the repeated argument that colonialism is the main cause of Africas current economic woes. I believe that the continents plight is attributable to maladministration by its leaders. Many African nations have suffered long spells of poor leadership, dictatorship and gross corruption.

As explained earlier, this book is the result of my personal experiences and observation. Over the past two decades, I have represented Uganda officially and later unofficially at several development and trade engagements worldwide. I have interacted with bureaucrats and ordinary people from almost every part of the world. I have visited the rich and the poor, and seen how good policies can transform once feeble economies into great industrialised and stable nation states. I have interacted with officials from countries that were once poor but are now economically buoyant, thanks to good policies and leadership. Their countries achieved this as a result of enabling macroeconomic environments and government support. They pulled their scarce resources together. And sooner than they had expected, these countries were on the path to economic freedom. However, I have also seen economies crumble under the weight of bad regimes.

In this book, I argue that despite the effects of the colonial project (some Africans argue that the colonial experiment is yet to end), Africa should accept that its present malaise is largely due to its own mistakes: greed, poor policies and bad leadership. African countries must soul-search and find internal solutions to its problems instead of relying on Europe, Asia and the US. Although most African leaders continue to extend the begging bowl to Western administrations, there is nothing to write home about what they have achieved in their endeavours. In a nutshell, aid has not been useful in terms of enhancing economic growth for African nations. Free things can never build nations, period. Over the past couple of decades, much foreign aid that has been extended to various African countries has been squandered by officials in government. And the activities of non-governmental organisations are not a panacea for development. In my opinion, we need an aid exit strategy. Although I agree with Zambian-born economist Dambisa Moyo (2009) that the entire aid system ought to be disbanded, I do believe the last aid packages should be spent on enhancing trade infrastructure to open up international markets.