Elias Chipimo, Jr, urges leadership for Africa's future
Elias Chipimo, Jr (Zambia & Oriel 1990), a Rhodes Scholar who is running for President of Zambia, speaking at Rhodes House last night, has outlined a vision for Zambia's future with a strong emphasis on building leadership capacity throughout Africa.
Mr Chipimo, who graduated from Oxford with the Bachelor of Civil Law and has a successful legal practice in Zambia, is the candidate of the National Restoration Party in the presidential election later this year. He is also the author of Unequal to the Task? Awakening a new generation of leaders in Africa (2011).
Speaking on the topic 'Africa: a tale of two continents and why prosperity continues to elude us - the case of Zambia', Mr Chipimo drew attention to the urban-rural divide in Africa, including in Zambia, and focussed especially on what he regards as the absence of quality leadership at all levels of society.
Speaking of Zambia's dependence on one commodity, copper, Mr Chipimo lamented the failure of leaders to turn the rhetoric of economic diversification into reality. He proposed policies to achieve much more of what he described as Zambia's immense agricultural and energy potential. Calling for an end to the 'white elephants' of wasteful projects, he advocated more focus on new infrastructure (such as transport to under-used arable land) that would enable Zambia to achieve its potential.
Mr Chipimo urged a massive emphasis on training to build the capacity for leadership throughout society. This would promote leadership that was strategic and visionary, paid attention to succession planning, was open to independent thinking, and was based on a strong moral code. A stronger sense of personal responsibility needed to be nurtured, and corruption fought in new ways.
For the text of Elias Chipimo's address, please click here.
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