Select one African country that is facing challenges with its governance system

and processes.

Using the principles of good governance as an analytical tool, how would you

address the governance challenges of the African country in question.

ASSIGNMENT

ON

GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP

FACULTY OF PUBLIC POLICY AND GOVERNANCE

ID: PG0219822

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Origin of African states governance challenges

3. Perspectives in governance challenges in Mali

4. Principles of governance to address these challenges

5. Conclusion

Introduction
In Africa, as in every region, it is the quality and characteristics of governance that shape the

level of peace and stability and the prospects for economic development. There is no more

critical variable than governance, for it is governance that determines whether there are

durable links between the state and the society it purports to govern. The nature of governance

is central because it determines whether the exercise of authority is viewed as legitimate.

Legitimate authority, in turn, is based on accepted laws and norms rather than the arbitrary,

unconstrained power of the rulers. Governance also has an important regional dimension

relating to the institutional structures and norms that guide a region’s approach to challenges

and that help shape its political culture.

Origins of African State governance challenge system

In Africa, governance remains a major and critical challenge facing the continent. The people

have been denied and are continuously being denied good governance over the years.

Whereas, the continent has freed itself from the shackles of colonization several decades ago,

yet it has not been able to really chart a path for undisputable and functioning governance

structure for itself.

The potentials for development that decolonization was envisaged to bring has been

jeopardized and missed in the face of governance failure. Hence, rather than make significant

progress, many African states look worse off when compared to their colonial days. While only

a few have made some level of progress, others have retrogressed significantly, raising

questions over justification for their independence, when actually they cannot take charge of

their affairs and people. The continent seems to have been placed under a curse of governance

failure and irresponsible governance.

It is no doubt that governance rules the affairs of the state and set the pace for human and

capital development. The circumstance, therefore, that Africa is significantly lagging behind in

terms of quality governance explains the resultant lack of human and capital development so

visibly rampant on the continent. Challenges like corruption, democratic erosion, insecurity,

electoral violence, conflicts and manipulation, and state capture of institutions, among others,

continue to ravage the prospects of quality and good governance in Africa.

Africans have continued to be governments for themselves, striving to provide for themselves

services and public goods which are ordinarily the sole responsibilities of the state. Nothing

could better describe governance failure. The series of challenges which continue to beset the

continent – infrastructural decay, dilapidated schools and hospitals, educational challenges, and

increasing crime rates, among others – speak to the high level of governance failure in Africa.

Despite the fact that Africa is blessed with massive mineral and natural resources, with huge

population of highly industrious people, the continent continues to languish in developmental

challenges, poverty, hunger, and debt (Antonio 2010). The absence of quality governance to

coordinate this caliber of population and exploit the abundant resources to drive development

has led to conflicts of various dimensions across the continent. Given this governance

challenge, natural resources have thus become a curse rather than blessing for Africa, often

spiking violent conflicts, most of which have last through several decades and impede

development among countries. Glaringly, Africa has continued to struggle with the political and

governance institutions and practices that were passed on to it by colonial masters, which

completely do not fit into the African system (Afegbua and Adejuwon 2012).

Africa’s conflict burden reflects different forms and sources of violence that sometimes become

linked to each other: political movements may gain financing and coercive support from
criminal networks and traffickers, while religious militants with connections to terrorist groups

are often adept at making common cause with local grievance activists.

The link between conflict and governance is a two-way street. Security challenges can impose

tough choices on governments that may act in ways that compound the problem, opening the

door to heightened risks of corruption and the slippery slope of working with criminal entities

Governance challenges in Mali

Mali as a country in Africa will be the study area.

The Republic of Mali is a landlock country in West Africa. The country is the eighth-largest

country in Africa, with an area of over 1,240,00 square kilometers. Its population is highly

disperse living in extreme poverty. Approximately, 60% of its people lived in rural areas.

Since Mali’s independence in 1960, Mali has had four significant rebellions. These rebellions

have left Mali in perpetual political, humanitarian, and social conflict. The most recent conflict

occurred in 2012 and continues today as the international community works to combat the

many issues hindering Mali from achieving sustainable peace. The fact that foreign intervention

is needed and that there have been numerous uprisings critical questions.

The causes of the 2012 re-emergence of violence in Mali are manifold. The first cause of

conflict is the continuous political corruption of Malian government officials. The second

involves the growing influence of rebel groups which implies the lack of a stable central

authority adequate to counteract insurgency in both the northern and southern regions of the
nation. Finally, the third cause relates to the worsening economic conditions that are partially

state-engineered but also connected with an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.

Governance challenges in Mali

 Corruption

The continuous corruption of Malian government officials exacerbates hostilities

between rebel groups and other citizens and the government. Political fraud can be found by

examining the legitimacy of the form of government and whether that government practices

laws. Mali transitioned to democracy in the 1990s, but this transition proved to be a façade.

After ten years under President Amadou Toumani Touré, the democracy failed (Chauzal and

van Damme 2015). One reason for this failure is that the democratic processes were not

legitimate. An interview included in the documentary “Return to Bamako” voiced that although

it was said that democratic elections were held in Mali, the elections were often influential

people with money bribing the citizens to vote for them (Return to Bamako 2017). Essentially, it

became that the rich and powerful gained political influence over Mali, rather than purely

democratic elections being held.

Additionally, the government has failed to give equal political representation to all

Malians in these elections. Electoral zoning laws were passed that discriminated against many

groups Tuareg and Arabs. Representation of less densely populated areas was increased, which

drastically eliminated the Arabs in the north from having any political influence, but also

favored some Tuareg groups over others. Tuareg communities that immediately supported the

postcolonial Malian regime and were particularly violent against the aims of French
colonization were rewarded through these electoral zoning laws (Chauzal and Van Damme

2015). The electoral zoning laws are an example of corruption by political leaders as well as the

intentional political exclusion of some groups of Tuareg and Arabs in the north.

 Rebel Activity

The rise of militant anti-state groups has also played an essential role in creating a security

crisis. Since independence in 1960, Mali has experienced four rebellions that have been

instrumental in continuing conflict in the nation. The first Tuareg rebellion occurred in 1963

voicing discontent with political representation. Rather than consider the demands of those in

the north, the government ignored them and chose to intimidate them via military force

(Chauzal and van Damme 2015).

The second Tuareg rebellion occurred from 1990 to 1996 (Chauzal and van Damme

2015). At the start of the conflict in 1990, the Tuareg developed an entirely recognizable and

unified political movement through the creation of a liberation group called, at that time, the

Popular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad or MPLA. MPLA was formed officially after an

attack in Menaka, a town in northern Mali, where weapons and vehicles were stolen from the

Malian armed forces. At the time of the attack, the rebels were not a recognized militant group;

the acquisition of weapons and vehicles from the state’s military led to their legitimization. In

response to the rebellion, the Malian government deployed two-thirds of its military forces to

limit and eliminate the rebellion’s influence. Many of the victims of the clash between the

military and the uprising were civilians; the incident impelled many people to join the forces of

what would later become the MPLA (Lecocq and Klute 2013).
Ten years after the second Tuareg rebellion, violence re-emerged in Mali. The Tuareg

movement was no longer unified as is evident by the existence of several militant groups on the

side of the resistance by 2006. Despite the disunity, we may understand this movement to be

the Third

Tuareg Rebellion. These groups include the Popular Liberation Front of Azawad (FPLA), the

Revolutionary Liberation Army of Azawad (ARLA), the Arab-Islamic Front of Azawad (FIAA), and

the Popular Movement of Azawad (MPA). Still, more groups formed in rebellion to the state. By

May of 2006, the internal divisions between the MPA and ARLA led to the creation of the

Democratic Alliance for Change (ADC), which then waged an attack on another rebel group

known as the GSPC or Algerian Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (Lecocq and Klute

2013). Additionally, Mali must face terrorist groups such as “Ansar Dine, Al-Qaeda in Islamic

Maghreb (AQIM), Al Mourabitoun, the Macina Liberation Front, and the Movement for

Oneness and Jihad in West Africa” (Bere 2017).

The growing number of insurgent groups is directly relatable to the immediate cause of the

beginning of the intrastate conflict in 2012. The National Movement of Azawad formed in

October of 2010 as a political movement that would demand autonomy in Mali through politics.

After the demands of the movement were ignored, more people joined the MNA and formed

MNLA or the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad. Rather than requesting political

autonomy and equity the way MNA had, MNLA declared that its purpose was to make Azawad

an independent state. (Lecocq and Klute 2013). In January of 2012, the MNLA launched an

attack in Menaka on a state military brigade (Chauzal and van Damme 2015). If the Malian

government were a strong central authority, it would have been better able to counteract

insurgency at its beginning or at least dismantle some of the rebellion.

Not only is the growing number of anti-state groups a problem for the nation, but one of the

motivating factors behind the formation of these groups: the Malian government’s role in

engineering and augmenting an economic crisis that was heavily concentrated in the north. The

rebellions expressed frustration with “the disproportionate development of southern versus

northern Mali and the failure of the National Pact of 1992”, (Lecocq and Klute 2013). The

problem of disproportionate development highlights the economic crisis as a cause of political

strife as well as what I will later show to be a peacebuilding challenge.

 Economic Conditions

Finally, the Malian government has exacerbated the economic conditions in the country due to

the lack of investment in the domestic economy. Most of the northern population in the

country are Tuareg and Arabs, and their contribution to the economy is driven by livestock and

agriculture as well as tourism, which makes up approximately 43 percent of the Gross Domestic

Product (GDP). Because tourism has significantly decreased, the income from these areas has

declined, leaving more than 8,000 people without a job by the end of 2011(Chauzal and van

Damme 2015). The Malian government is not investing in home-grown agricultural products,

which has upset many Tuareg because they struggle to provide for their families. One man

complained of being fed food from other nations when there is food on the farms in Mali, but

they cannot sell it because of the government (Return to Bamako 2017).

It is also true that the south is primarily dependent on gold export and cotton (Chauzal

and van Damme 2015). The Malian government then, by not investing in agricultural

production in Mali, effectively stifles the economy of the north, which is primarily Tuareg and

Arab. Furthermore, the prohibition of tourism by the Malian government also helped engineer

an economic crisis in the north (Chauzal and van 2015). Consequently, the financial situation in
Mali angers many Tuareg and Arabs and further encourages them to join the any one of the

growing number of anti-state militant groups. Such mobilization is a danger to the Malian

government because it causes a decrease in loyalty to the state and makes the northerners

more susceptible to receiving help from countries like Libya and Algeria (Chauzal and van

Damme 2015).

 Human Rights Violation Experienced

Regarding the forms of human rights violation experienced since the crisis began, children

especially have been denied access to education. Immunity cover were extended to relations

and supporters of the administration. Citizens experienced injustice and they used of firearms

on protesters, illegal imprisonment,kidnapping of activists and journalists.

Civil Unrest, Driven by Rising Inflation and Unemployment

Additionally, the study asked respondents whether they believe the current economic situation
in

Mali, marked by the rising inflation and unemployment is the major cause of the civil unrest.

Interestingly, It is true that unemployment, poverty inflation are the major causes of the civil

unrest in Mali because most young people who finished their studies in the universities can’t

get jobs, whilst terrorist groups are around proposing and enticing them with lots of money as

bait to get enlisted into their groups.

 

Using the Principles of good governance to address the governance challenges in

Mali?

Governance simply refers to structures and processes that are designed to ensure

accountability, transparency, responsiveness, rule of law, stability, equity and inclusiveness,

empowerment, and broad-based participation. Governance also represents the norms, values

and rules of the game through which public affairs are managed in a manner that is

transparent, participatory, inclusive and responsive.

Dobrainsky (2003) outlines five key tenets of good governance for development assistance to

determine which countries will qualify for development assistance under the Millennium

Challenge Account, and these include free and fair elections; independent judiciary and the rule

of law; freedom of speech and press; absence of corruption; and government investment in

basic social services.

It must also be emphasized that, good governance and development should not be

based exclusively on economic growth. Through global persuasion, good governance and

development signify a broader spectrum of things, such as protection of human rights,

equitable distribution of wealth, enhancement of individual capabilities and creation of an

enabling environment to foster

participation and growth of human potentials. As it evolved today, sustainable development

necessitates “people empowerment” and “respect for human rights.” After all, economic

prosperity or the minimization of poverty and unemployment depends on how the state
unleashes the full potential of its human resource by recognizing their vital roles and according

full respect for human rights.

The principles of good governance that can be applied to address the governance challenges in

Mali

 Participation

Good governance essentially requires participation of different sectors of the society.

Participation means active involvement of all affected and interested parties in the

decisionmaking process. It requires an enabling environment wherein pertinent information is

effectively disseminated and people could respond in an unconstrained and truthful manner. It

also means gender equality, recognizing the vital roles of both men and women in decision-

making.

Participation by both men and women is a key cornerstone of good governance.

Participation could be either direct or through legitimate intermediate institutions or

representatives. It is important to point out that representative democracy does not necessarily

mean that the concerns of the most vulnerable in society would be taken into consideration in

decision making. Participation needs to be informed and organized. This means freedom of

association and expression on the one hand and an organized civil society on the other hand

Participation in representative democracies may either be direct or indirect, and

recommendatory or actual. It could be indirect and recommendatory because in principle the

form of government is based on delegation of powers. This is one of the tool Mali could use

effectively to harness its governance challenges.

 

Rule of Law

Democracy is essentially the rule of law. It is through the law that people express their will and

exercise their sovereignty. Mali as a country can practice rule of law to achieve good

governance. The underlying democratic principle here, puts no one, however rich and powerful,

above the law. Not even the government can arbitrarily act in contravention of the law. Thus,

good democratic governance is fundamentally adherence to the rule of law.

Good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. It also

requires full protection of human rights, particularly those of minorities. Impartial enforcement

of laws requires an independent judiciary and an impartial and incorruptible police force. Rule

of law demands that the people and the civil society render habitual obedience to the law. It

also demands that the government acts within the limits of the powers and functions

prescribed by the law. The absence of rule of law is anarchy. Anarchy happens when people act

in utter disregard of law and when the government act whimsically or arbitrarily beyond their

powers. In more concrete terms, rule of law means “peace and order,” “absence of corruption,”

“impartial and effective justice system,” “observance and protection of human rights,” and

“clear, publicized, and stable laws.”

Rule of law also requires that laws are responsive to the needs of the society. Archaic or

irrelevant laws must be amended or repealed to cater to modern demands.

 Effectiveness and Efficiency

This is yet another good governance principal Mali can adopt to ease its governance challenges.
It implies that: processes and institutions will produce results that meet the needs of society

while making the best use of resources at their disposal. The concept of efficiency in the

context of good governance also covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the

protection of the environment.

Good governance requires that the institutions, processes, and actors can deliver and

meet the necessities of the society in a way that available resources are utilized well. That the

different actors meet the needs of the society means that there is effective governance. That

the valuable resources are utilized, without wasting or underutilizing any of them, means that

there is efficient governance. Effectiveness (meeting the needs) and efficiency (proper

utilization of resources) must necessarily go together to ensure the best possible results for the

community.

Concretely, effectiveness and efficiency demand “enhancement and standardization of

the quality of public service delivery consistent with international standards,”

“professionalization of bureaucracy,” “focusing of government efforts on its vital functions, and

elimination of redundancies or overlaps in functions and operations,” “a citizen-centered

government,” and “an improved financial management system of the government.”

Public service delivery, especially of front-line agencies, must promptly and adequately

cater for the needs of the citizens. Doing so requires simplified government procedures and

inexpensive transaction costs. Cumbersome procedures and expensive costs trigger corruption

and red tape. “Red Tape” refers to the disregard for timeframes in procedures by government

agencies through procrastination in public service delivery or under-the-table or unofficial

transactions. To further curb such possibilities, the government agencies must comply with

their citizen’s charter and use up-to-date information and communications technology to
 

reduce processing time. There must also be coordination among various government agencies

to eliminate redundant information requirements.

Transparency

Another good principle that can be apply in Mali to give citizens stability is transparency in their

governance process. It is an indicator of good governance, meaning people will be open to

information regarding decision-making process and the implementation of same. In legal terms,

it means that information on matters of public concern is made available to the citizens or

those who will be directly affected. It also means that transactions involving public interests

must be fully disclosed and made accessible to the people. It is anchored on the democratic

right to information and right to access of the same. Transparency is necessary not just from

government transactions but also in those transactions of the civil society and private sector

imbued with public interests.

The reason why there should be transparency is to promote and protect democratic

ideals. When there is transparency, people are placed in a better position to know and protect

their rights as well as denounce corrupt or fraudulent practices in the public sector and in the

private sector.

 Responsiveness

Responsiveness means that institutions and processes serve all stakeholders in a timely and

appropriate manner. It also means that actors and structures of governance easily give genuine

expression to the will or desire of the people. In other words, the interests of all citizens must

be well protected in a prompt and appropriate manner so that each of them can appreciate and

take part in the process of governance. While responsiveness is also a characteristic sought
from the private sector and civil society, more is demanded from the government or the public

sector. This when utilized effectively, it will promote stability in Mali.

 Equity and Inclusiveness

Equity and inclusiveness mean that all the members of the society, especially the most

vulnerable ones or the grassroots level, must be taken into consideration in policy-making.

Everyone has a stake in the society and no one should feel alienated from it. Particularly, those

who belong to the grassroots level must not only be the subject of legislation but they must be

given the opportunity to participate in decision or policy making.

Social equity refers to a kind of justice that gives more opportunity to the less fortunate

members of the society. It is based on the principle that those who have less in life should have

more in law. Good governance demands that the actors must give preferential attention to the

plight of the poor. Laws must be geared towards this end and the society must actively

participate in the promotion of the same.

 Consensus Oriented

Governance is consensus oriented when decisions are made after taking into consideration the

different viewpoints of the actors of the society. Mechanisms for conflict resolution must be in

place because inevitably conflict that will arise from competing interests of the actors. To meet

consensus, a strong impartial, and flexible mediation structure must be established. Without

such compromises, broad consensus cannot be reached that serves that best interest of the

whole community.

Fundamentally, democratic governance is based on the partnership of the actors of the

society in providing public services. Decisions-making must therefore entail recognition of their
 

respective interests as well as their respective duties. The essential of governance could never

be expressed in a unilateral act of policy making by the public sector or other dominant sectors.
Public hearings or consultations in arriving at a consensus are therefore inherently necessary in

the process of governance.

 Accountability

Accountability means answerability or responsibility for one’s action. It is based on the

principle that every person or group is responsible for their actions most especially when their

acts affect public interest. The actors have an obligation to explain and be answerable for the

consequences of decisions and actions they have made on behalf of the community it serves.

Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. Not only governmental

institutions but also the private sector and civil society organizations must be accountable to

the public and to their institutional stakeholders. Who is accountable to whom varies

depending on whether decisions or actions taken are internal or external to an organization or

institution. In general, an organization or an institution is accountable to those who will be

affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability cannot be enforced without transparency

and the rule of law.

Accountability comes in various forms: political, hierarchical, and managerial

accountability. Political accountability refers to the accountability of public officials to the

people they represent. Hierarchical accountability refers to the ordered accountability of the

various agencies and their respective officers and personnel in relation to their program

objectives. Managerial accountability refers to employee accountability based on organization

and individual performance. A system of rewards and punishment must be in place to

strengthen the processes and institutions of governance. If these principles are properly

adhered to, Mali will become the beacon of democracy in Africa.

In conclusion, the principle of good governance is one of the greatest tools that could be used

to ease governance challenges in the sub region and Mali in particular. Though expensive

riding on these principles, but it will give the country some form of stability for free movement

of citizens and the discharge of their daily activities without fear of been victimize. This will

pave way for legitimate political authority and exercise of control over a society and the

management of resources for social and economic development for the benefit of the

citizenry.

Simply, it will allow the effective management of public affairs through the generation of a

regime (set of rules) accepted as legitimate, for the purpose of promoting and enhancing

societal values sought by individuals and groups.

The absorption of these practices will make Mali one the best countries in Africa per

democratic practices.

REFRENCES