It is no secret; the continent of Africa is the poorest in the world today. The majority of the countries in Africa lag behind on almost every economic indicator, and as a consequence the bulk of the African population lives in abject poverty. Instead of being the most ambitious in setting developmental goals, Africa has however become a haven to some of the world’s most corrupt governments. It almost seems like Africa has no desire at all to catch up with the rest of the world.
While corruption is prevalent in other parts of
the world, it has turned out to be especially contagious across Africa. Almost
every country on the continent has been a victim of grand corruption schemes
from past and present administrations. Tens of billions of dollars have been
siphoned from government coffers, thus economic and human development has
remained almost static for decades making Africa the corruption hotspot of the
world. “The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels
of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very
clean). The Sub-Saharan Africa average is 33, the lowest in the world, and 44
countries rank below 50. Seychelles (70) tops the region, with Cabo Verde (58)
and Botswana (55) the distant runners-up.” (Transparency International, 2022).
The list of big-money scandals in which corrupt African
leaders have embezzled from their own countries and stashed their gains in
overseas nations is colossal. Names like the late Mobutu Sese-Seko of DRC
(formerly Zaire), General Sani Abacha of Nigeria, the late Zimbabwean dictator
Robert Mugabe, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Angola’s Eduardo Dos Santos, Sudan’s Omar
Al Bashir, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea are all notorious
for amassing unimaginable wealth through corruption at the expense of poor
citizens. Much of the money has found
its way to safe havens in Europe, the Caribbean and of late the Middle East
where much of it is expended in plush property, luxury cars, designer clothes
or yachts. According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission report
(2019), Africa loses over 50 billion dollars annually to corruption through
illicit financial outflows. Previously poor regions like Asia have seen
significant positive change in governance and financial controls, which
resulted in major economic shift especially post year 2000. Although developing
countries elsewhere might have experienced the same levels of corruption as in
Africa, much of the loot was ploughed back into the economy rather than stashed
offshore.
The post-colonial era in Africa, especially the Sub-Saharan
region, has witnessed unending political instability one country after another as
the impoverished people rebel against the unproductive corrupt governments in
power. However, the threat of rebellion seems to have done little to deter
corruption and misrule. Corruption has proved an irresistible temptation even
to the most promising African leaders. Surely there must be something
absolutely wrong with the calibre of people who take to power across Africa.
It boggles the mind how generation after generation of leaders would loot billions from their own
governments and stash them abroad while the people who voted them to power are
facing starvation, and infrastructure falling apart. Only psychopaths can behave this way.
The term “psychopath” is often used to describe someone with
antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). The behaviour of a psychopath usually conflicts
with social norms and displays an intense lack of disregard for others. Psychopaths
are generally antisocial, egocentric and have a characteristic lack of remorse.
They are manipulative and thrive on this to exploit other people for their own
gain.
There is enough evidence to support the notion that the
majority of the corrupt leaders in Africa are psychopaths. The rampant
corruption by Africa’s ruling elite exposes a lot of disregard for the lives of
the citizens they rule over. The poverty levels in many African countries
should drive any leader to work so hard to change the situation as best as they
can, but the opposite is happening. These leaders don’t love their countries,
and they don’t love their people. The only thing that satisfies them is looting
for their own good. The extent to which African leaders are prepared to resort
to violence and sacrifice the lives of innocent people just to hold on to power
also exposes the deep rot in their way of thinking.
The nature of African politics has never given chance for
democracy to flourish. Many African countries are led by either revolutionary
governments which have been in power since the end of colonial rule or military
governments who got in power through violent military coups. These types of
governments have a sense of entitlement to the countries they lead. They thrive
on suppressing freedom of speech and political choice. They are unwilling to
relinquish power once they capture it and fight to retain it for a long time
with whatever means necessary. African politicians use deception and coercion to
maintain their stranglehold on power. “Even
in the face of contrary evidence, the psychopath can lie so well that listeners
doubt themselves first, rather than question the psychopath.” Paul Babiak
(Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work)
This desire to keep
power becomes the prime occupation of these governments more than dealing with
the socio-economic problems facing the people they lead. They become corrupt to
amass fortune and power, so they quickly become untouchable. The incompetence of
the leadership in most African countries spreads from the top offices down to
all tiers of government. Corruption quickly becomes a culture. A power distance
is created between leaders in government and ordinary citizens. The citizens
can no longer challenge or hold the leadership unaccountable to its actions.
While everything seems hopeless in Africa at the moment
there is a silver lining on the clouds. Several African countries are really putting
a stand to corruption and beginning to place more emphasis on development than
personal enrichment. Countries like Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Cape Verde,
Mauritius, and Rwanda have done a lot to clean their politics and discourage
looting. The positive results of these efforts are already beginning to show. The
big hope is that other African countries can draw inspiration from the success
of the few that are beginning to experience real economic transformation and
positive human development.
Before Africa can win this war over corruption it has to first find ways of reforming the political systems and install checks and balances that eliminate potentially greedy candidates before they take charge of important positions. There must be a way of exorcising the psychopaths from the high offices of power.
