The African Executive: "Mo Ibrahim's Multi-Million Dollar Prize For Good African Leadership Needs Fine Tuning"

Who will be the next African leader to get the $5 million prize?

Asserts the pro-free-market website, which is based in Kenya: "No African leader qualified for the $5-million 2012 Mo Ibrahim prize for African leadership awarded each year to a democratically elected African leader who exhibits positive leadership and good governance legacies. Mo ought to be lauded for not bending the rules by disbursing the prize as routine. African leaders ought to conduct a soul search, on the other hand, for failing to clinch the coveted prize."

The African Executive continues its commentary: "Mo Ibrahim ought to make his prize more relevant and effective by considering a number of factors. First, since leaders can make cheap and risk-free money as incumbent presidents and are better off plundering their economies and hanging to power to avoid prosecution, they can’t bank their hopes on an uncertain award. Second, targeting incumbent presidents and those that have left office in the last three years discourages presidents who leave office after implementing large-scale investments that take say, ten years to generate benefits, for by the time it matures, the initiators are not legible for the award. Third, focussing the prize on strengthening governance institutions as opposed to enriching individual presidents would make it more effective. Mo can, for example, support the civil society organizations to play their role as public watchdogs. Fourth, while some African countries would desire to pursue good governance, they are held captive by external interest dictates from developed countries."