Comments on: Succession is also an issue for civil society

By: Nzuzo

Nzuzo — Sat, 17 May 2008 05:49:35 +0000

Yes, Bush already feels that if the Democrats take over in 2009, they will bring down his failing foreign policy. The Republicans are shaking in their boots because a young, black newcomer isbaout to shake the country in ways it has never been in the history of the wesgtern world. They are losing seats in the White House, Congress, you name it. The liberals have come back full force and they have ten thousand reasons to end Bush’s reign of stupidity, intolerance, self-service, greed and incompetence. McCain, the republican presidential nominee, wants to continue Bush;s legacy and keep the troops in Iraq for another 100 years, even when they’re plan has failed dismally. Reps are pushed in a corner and MCainwho claims to be bringing ‘change’, finds himslef stuch with the Bush stigma all over again. His policies are incosistent he is trying by all means to gain the conservative vote by aligning himself with the incompetent fr right policies, that have not worked.. Bu the same conservatives do not like him, because.. he’s not too conservative. Poor guy. His age is also working against him, because he seems to flip-flop and forget the statements he made only two years ago, about the US foreign policy towards the radical group Hamas in the Middle East… I can write forever.
But my point is change is a difficult thing when it’s time to move on, and those who’ve been in power for so long, are hindering progress that woul denable organizations or nations to adapt or keep up with the ever changing global village we live in.

By: Nqina Dlamini

Nqina Dlamini — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:43:13 +0000

Botswana never get any love. While Zim is in crisis they changed leadership.
On Topic:
The blame also lay with the members of the organisation/company, its a kind of “if it ain’t broken…” mentality, but forgetting that the “brilliant leader” might be called to the big company in the sky or even rapid changes on the bussines environment might need a quick change in leadership.

By: Ebrahim-Khalil Hassen

Ebrahim-Khalil Hassen — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:13:38 +0000

Excellent post. I think part of the reason for this trend is our inabaility bringing new people into civil society organisations, and providing them with a career path.

By: mandla

mandla — Fri, 16 May 2008 07:08:08 +0000

In the western world the ideas remain constant and stagnant and only the faces at the helm of power change. In Africa there is a dire need not only to change faces at the helm but also the dominant ideas, and that is why change is strongly resisted. For the first time in the US, judging by what Barack Obama says, it appears that both the ideas and the faces are at stake. But democracy is not a cure all and end all, just imagine the US case: in spite of the huge intellectual and democratic capital and world renown thinkers and solid democratic institutions, George Bush stole the election in court and squandered the positive US image which took almost a century to put together and went on to dispense cruelty and violence to other people. The US silence of the lambs is eloquent. Infact African civil society is much more responsive and articulate about democratic infringements compared to their western counterparts in the US who simply live comfrotably with Guantanamo Bay, Abu Graib and other appalling examples of the systematic erosion of human rights.It was never a perfect system, and has serious shortcomings.

In a system that celebrates individuality as a holy sacrament why should I give my hard worn achievements and business empire to an opportunistic usurper who will just cannibalise my life-long work? It’s very easy to see African dictators as self-contained entities and conveniently forget their western partners in corruption. The arms deal fiasco in South Africa has the faces of Schaik, Zuma and possibly Mbeki but all foreign western nationals who introduced and really talked about the bribes (and continuing doing so elsewhere right now) are faceless and anonymous: we only hear of Thint. Individuals working for companies must be punished as individuals if they commit offences as agents and on behalf of their companies. Why is it that all military dictators in Africa between 1959 – 1975 were trained in Sandhurst military academy in Britain? Democracy, democracy … economists will say democracy wprks provided all other things are equal (ceteris paribus?)!

By: Man-O

Man-O — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:01:27 +0000

Well done for speaking something we usually shy away from.Wish this article would appear on Bussiness Day.

By: Liansky

Liansky — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:36:54 +0000

I’m not a big fan of civil society so if i give you a thumbs up for this article, am i being biased.
Anyways, most of the civil society of today is made up of mediocre egotistical fanatics who wants to be patted on the back and kissed in the arsehole of being ‘good people’. Their primary goal is not to alleviate the sufferings of others, but to be seen doing it. However, in order to hold on to this image of all that is good and kind, they have to construct their agendas in such a way that they keep the poor, poor and the oppressed, oppressed. You cannot be praised for saving that which does not need saving.Cosatu is a case in point. Their agenda to hold on to power is via the continued impovershment of the black man and woman. They have to make us believe that we are victims who should not move beyond the factory floor packing boxes and cleaning the factory tiolets. I freakin hate civil society.

By: Nigel

Nigel — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:08:59 +0000

Of course, there is also the return of the Clinton dynasty – “Mother of All Presidents”

By: Nigel

Nigel — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:06:47 +0000

Look further than Africa, see How Putin keeps his hands on the levers of power without having to resort to the usual device of changing the constitution to bypass the two term rules.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:18:51 +0000

I wish you were more specific and had actually given some names of individuals and organisations.
Khama, Masire and Mogae are three past presidents of Botswana who all willingly gave up their terms early in order to assist their successors.

By: Eddy Variet

Eddy Variet — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:58:14 +0000

Absolutely spot on. But you should also ponder why it is that virtually every CSO goes through enormous ructions and pain when their leader – whether founder or not – leaves. People get sued, they never get spoken to again, their era is written off – it happens in CSOs across the board and across the continent and elsewhere. Succession planning isn’t just about grooming no. 2, but about preparing the whole organisation for a new phase without the need to ‘kill the bad mommy/daddy’ who left as Director…