Obama’s Ghana visit rattles continent’s despots, but offers only hope to oppressed Africans

President Barack Obama, together with First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia, last Friday touched down in Accra, Ghana, marking his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as president of the US. The choice of Ghana was a strategic one, and Obama made no secret of the fact that the country, which was conspicuously not his father’s homeland of Kenya, was in this historic visit highlighted as a model of good governance.

Obama’s emphasis on good governance and the responsibilities of leaders to their people has been apparent from day one. On an icy January day in Washington, Obama spoke directly to autocrats, strongmen and dictators the world over in his inauguration speech: “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

Just over six months later, this time in Ghana’s colorful flag and banner bedecked parliament, he reiterated, this time speaking directly to African leaders and their people, “Make no mistake: history is on the side of these brave Africans, and not with those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power,” he said to a rapt audience that extended across the continent through television broadcasts. “Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.” He went on to berate the unfortunately ubiquitous corrupt and autocratic leadership of so many African countries, but he also sent a clear message to citizens all across Africa who dream of a better future for themselves and their children: Yes, you can.

When asked in an interview with AllAfrica why Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country he would visit, Obama replied, “Ghana has now undergone a couple of successful elections in which power was transferred peacefully, even a very close election.” He went on, “Countries that are governed well, that are stable, where the leadership recognises that they are accountable to the people and that institutions are stronger than any one person have a track record of producing results for the people. And we want to highlight that.”

With Obama’s disparaging talk of corruption, changing constitutions and the like, it often felt as if he were speaking directly to Uganda. It became clear, if it had not been already, that Uganda could not have been on the list of possible contenders for Obama’s Africa itinerary. Though Uganda has long been a US ally in the region, it would have been hard to justify the visit of a president who has long emphasised the importance of good governance to a country that recently scored among the most corrupt countries in the world, that abolished term limits through open bribery of members of Parliament, that has abused and thrown journalists in jail, that has even “lost” the money meant to prosecute officials who siphoned off millions of dollars from the GAVI and Global Fund for purchasing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria drugs.

Nonetheless, even though Uganda is not exactly a shining example of democracy and President Yoweri Museveni is no longer considered by many to be a “new breed of African leader”, all things considered, Uganda fares better than many other African countries. See, for example, the three coups that have taken place on the continent alone in the past year – Guinea, Mauritania and Madagascar. Obama also recently expressed his concern over the “backsliding” of Kenya and other nascent democratic states in Africa. It is by now abundantly clear that the fact of President Obama’s Kenyan blood does not mean that he will turn a blind eye to the failures of that country or any other on the continent. On the contrary, he may be even more critical, and in some ways his heritage may free him from accusations of racism, neocolonialism and the like that often trip up western leaders who criticise African governments.

Faced with so many African governments on “the wrong side of history”, Obama spent much of his Ghana speech encouraging Africans to take responsibility for their own destinies. “We must start from the simple premise that Africa’s future is up to Africans,” he said. While he acknowledged the role of colonial maps in breeding conflict and the degrading attitude with which the West has long treated African countries, he has explicitly stated that he is “not a believer in excuses.”

What can Uganda take from these remarks? The government of Uganda, despite all of its challenges, is clearly not shaking in its boots. After all, it knows full well that Uganda is a key US ally in a volatile region. But the Obama administration is unlikely to make overtly friendly overtures to a government that continues to condone corruption, human rights abuses and running roughshod over democratic institutions. Nevertheless, Ugandans themselves can take heart with Obama’s words. “You have the power to hold your leaders accountable,” he said, “and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up.”

Regardless of his African heritage, Obama will not be and does not want to be a knight in shining armour, galloping in to save Africa from its woes. What he will do is offer his trademark of hope and change, reassuring Africans that, though the road many be long and hard, a brighter future is ahead if you work for it yourself – and that yes, you can.

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