Own Correspondent 

OUAGADOUGOU – Former Mozambican president Joachim Chissano has called on African leaders to voluntarily relinquish power, warning the continent no longer has room for life presidents and that incumbents should not “gamble on the confidence of their people” by clinging to power. 

In a keynote address to delegates attending the seventh African Governance Forum here in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou, Chissano said peaceful change of leadership was vital to fostering good governance on the world’s poorest and conflict torn continent. 

“Leaders should not be reckless power venders who reap where they did not sow,” said Chissano, who also proposed national dialogue as a way achieve reconciliation and harmony among societies in countries emerging from conflicts. 

 “Leaders should not be power-mongers . . . grabbing power by all means and clinging to it when their time to go has arrived,” said the former Mozambique leader who addressed the Forum late on Wednesday. 

Ironically, Chissano - who quit in 2005 and was this week awarded the Ibrahim Mo Award for good governance during his tenure as Mozambique leader - is a close friend of controversial Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe who has refused to step down after 27 years in power. 

Chissano, whose words must have struck a sour note with host President Blaise Campaore who seized power in a coup 20 years ago, last year tried to mediate in Zimbabwe’s crisis but apparently was snubbed by Mugabe. 

Mugabe, who earlier this year said there was no vacancy for his position, has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron-like grip since independence in 1980 and intends to stand for re-election for another five-year term next year. 

Under Mugabe’s charge, Zimbabwe has declined from a regional breadbasket to a classical African basket case, characterised by the world’s highest inflation of more nearly 8 000 percent, deepening poverty and shortages of every basic survival commodity. 

The governance Forum, convened by the United Nations Development Programme’s regional bureau for Africa, is being attended by various stakeholders from 30 African countries. 

The Forum that has the theme “Building the Capable State in Africa” has drawn participants from governments, civic society, private sector, the media and Africa’s development partners, to explore how countries could develop capacity for effective governance and facilitate the mobilisation of resources for national programmes. - ZimOnline