Page 57 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 20

Leadership

make changes going forward. But
no, someone else has to be blamed
for their failures and that has been
the picture of the cycle of irrespon-
sibility and mismanagement we have
in Afrika.

Will we ever have great leaders
in Afrika?
Children scavenging for burnt metal at the site of the Ngong town inferno. Photo: Samuel Phillips I do not think leadership in Afrika is
supposed to be difficult or com-

“Residents of Ngong Town, Kajiado Concerning the allegation that the plex. It just needs minds that think
County woke up to a fire Saturday morn- governor gave the operation of the outside of the box of Euro-centric
ing around the Ngong town bus park. fire service trucks to his relatives, ideologies and the wrong narrative
Kajiado County Spokesperson, Alex of what Afrika should look like or
The fire broke out around 4 am setting Maina dismissed the allegations, be governed like. I really think we
ablaze a furniture workshop store worth saying they were malicious political keep going round in circles of failed
hundreds of thousands of shillings. tactics by the governor’s competi- leadership not necessarily because
tors: of the leaders we elected, some of
According to residents present at the scene, “These are just dirty tactics being peddled them really have good intentions,
the dawn fire started abruptly and the by competitors. In fact, they are coming but I think the problem really is the
cause is yet to be established.” at a time when the Governor will soon be system that they come in to lead. I
launching a new truck for the county,” he do not think there is any country
From reports on ground that day, said. in Afrika that is not head deep in
the fire started around 4am and for the oppressive and unproductive
about two hours, the fire service that If you take a good look at the re- colonial system of governance that
was called was nowhere to be found. sponse of the supposed government was passed down by the colonialists
The residents only managed to put spokesman, you will see what really when they were “leaving” Afrika.
out the fire at around 6am. In fact, is wrong with leadership in Afrika. But what does it really take to create
they even chased away the fire ser- That a fire service truck did not a new system of governance that is
vice truck when it arrived too late. respond to a distress call until after really for the Afrikan people? The
There was blame thrown here and two hours and that this was only passion and the commitment to do
there about what may have caused after all the stalls had been burnt to so.
the issue of the fire service coming the ground means someone should I think the lack of political will to
very late. In fact, a person claiming be out of a job by now. Someone both see and also actively make the
to work at the county offices said was sleeping on the job. But no, the required changes is lacking in our
that Kajiado Governor Lenku had situation simply created an opportu- system of governance, and that
given the jobs of driving the three nity for the government to shift the is where our problems lie. It’s like
county fire engines to his relatives. blame on someone else and call it there is an unwritten script that says
dirty tactics being peddled by competitors. no Afrikan government must think
“The trucks that were being driven by the of creating a system that sets their
Governor’s relatives, two of them got into There is no higher level of foolish- people free from poverty. And as
accidents, while one has a problem with its ness and irresponsibility than such a long as they keep going to line up in
clutch that will take less than Sh50,000 statement. When will Afrikan lead- queues in America, China and Eu-
to repair,” said the worker. ers simply accept the fact that they rope to beg for loans and aid, then
do not know what they are doing they are “good boys”. Is slavery so
Now, my issue is not that there was and should make room for someone sweet that Afrikans must embrace
fire, nor is it that nothing could be else who does? And if they think it even in a 21st century world?
rescued from the inferno because resigning is shameful, they should But how long will it be before the
of the delay of the fire service. My at least learn to accept responsibility Afrikan people themselves decide to
concern really is the response of the for the failure of their offices and take matters into their own hands?
county government’s spokesman. then come up with new ways to Time will tell.

WWW.MSINGIAFRIKAMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 20 | FEBRUARY 2022 57