Good Governance or the Struggle for Democracy in Africa

In the week after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown after 30 years as president of Egypt we should perhaps reconsider the role of the ‘development partners’ in bringing good governance to Africa.

For thirty years Mubarak was heavily supported by the US and other industrial countries receiving an estimated 30 billion dollars in aid. In return it is estimated that Mubarak stole 70 billion dollars and the people of Egypt suffered a state of emergency, repression and the lack of even the most basic human rights.

In contrast, the people of Egypt eventually rose up and after 18 magnificent days Mubarak eventually gave in.

So who are the best guardians of good governance in Africa? The donor community or the people themselves?

Eight years ago Issa G Shivji, then professor of law at the University of Dar es Salaam considered these issues in his brief paper, “The Struggle for Democracy” (see the previous post). He mapped out the history of good governance: the struggle against colonialism, the cold war and the Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs). He argues that democracy is “the struggle of the African people to reclaim their humanity and dignity and the right to think for themselves and to chart their destiny”, much as happened in Egypt immediately before Mubarak left power. That democracy has three critical elements, popular livelihoods, popular power and popular participation. This rather than the ‘good governance’ agenda of the development partners is what we have seen flowering in Egypt over the last few weeks.