This is one hard question that many people may not want to answer directly. But the truth is, Africa has tried different types of government for decades and still, most countries are struggling with poor economy, bad roads, unemployment, high cost of living and low standard of living. So when people say maybe we should try autocracy, I honestly understand where they’re coming from.
Autocratic government is when one person or a small group of people have full control. They don’t wait for voting or public debate. They just do what they believe is right for the country. Some say it helps development move faster because there's no long process of democracy slowing things down. That kind of leadership, if it’s in the hands of someone that really loves the country and wants the best for the people, it might actually help things move forward.
Take Rwanda for example. Many people point to Paul Kagame and say, yes he’s strict and his government doesn’t entertain opposition like in other countries, but the country is clean, the roads are good, businesses are growing, tourism is increasing. You enter Kigali, you’ll even forget you’re in Africa. The system works because decisions are taken fast and implemented without much delay.
But then again, there’s a big “but” in all of this. The problem is not the system, the problem is the people who lead. African leaders, whether in democracy or autocracy, have the tendency of putting their personal interest first before the country. Power easily gets into their head, and most times they start ruling like kings and forgetting the reason they were put there in the first place. That’s why autocracy might be dangerous in our case.
What if we give that much power to someone who is selfish, greedy and has no plan to step down? It becomes a disaster. Look at what happened in Libya with Gaddafi or even Zimbabwe under Mugabe. At first, they had good plans, but after staying too long in power, things got worse. People suffered more and development even reversed.
So for me, I don’t think autocracy is the answer. What we need is discipline and accountability. Whether it’s democracy or autocracy, if the leaders are honest and truly want to improve the people’s life, then progress will happen. We also need strong institutions and a culture that doesn’t tolerate corruption or laziness. If we can fix that, democracy will work just fine.
Most African countries don’t need to change their system of government. They just need good leadership that has vision, courage and love for the people. We’ve seen countries with democratic government doing well too – like Botswana and Ghana in some ways. So it’s not about the system but how we use it.
In conclusion, I understand that people are tired and want something different, but I don’t think autocracy is the solution. Let’s focus on building responsible leadership, and the rest will follow.
https://flexnetl.ink/@powerpaul/engdeu-i-am-so-ill-will-they-cut-off-my-leg-i-need-to-visit-the-hospital-tomorrow
https://flexnetl.ink/@powerpaul/engdeu-simple-as-that-stand-out-heres-why-and-how
