Chaos in the Community: Unpacking The African Convocation and the Future of Leadership Gatherings in the SADC Region

By Tapiwa Lukuta

Africa: Understanding The Community 

Being African is a unique strength, if one dares, it could possibly be a form of superpower. This view hinges largely on perspective. In the face of relentless wars, natural disasters, civil unrest, poverty, and corruption, Africans have developed extraordinary resilience. They navigate and even thrive in conditions that might seem insurmountable to others. This is not mere academic observation—consider this reflection from the heart of a fellow African experiencing a power outage amid a drought-stricken Zambia. 

In Africa, the struggle often eclipses the availability of basic necessities, in short, Africans have more problems than they have food. This mastery of adversity naturally fuels the desire to end the cycle of suffering. It is this very drive that led to the belief that convening discussions among African leaders would be the panacea to these shared challenges. After all, dialogue and collaboration have proven successful in the West and Europe; why not in Africa? And historically speaking, Africans themselves have turned to conversation as a means of resolving conflicts. 

Thus emerged the African Union, an initiative conceived by Africa’s founding fathers. However, the fundamental issue was overlooked in this ambitious idea: Africa is in fact, not united. Most importantly, the concept of bringing leaders together in such a forum is very different in African society, and comparing our models of convention to other continents is the same as planting a tomato seed and expecting to harvest maize. 

Africa: Understanding How The African Convocation Works 

At its core, African governance mirrors the dynamics of a traditional patriarchal household. Leadership is seldom questioned and is often established not through respect but through intimidation, status, or age. This dynamic is well-known and deeply ingrained. The structure of African leadership meetings reveals distinct characteristics worth noting. 

Firstly, equality is a foreign concept in these gatherings. They are populated by a hierarchy of elders, middle-ranking officials, and newcomers, each accorded respect according to their rank. The elders, having been entrenched in the system the longest and mastered its nuances, are the primary figures of authority. They set the tone, establish the standards, wield significant power, and have the “license to kill”. Quite literally, in this context. The middle-ranking officials, who have been involved longer than the newcomers but not enough to make pivotal decisions, hold a middle ground. Newcomers, eager to impress, are often subdued by the more seasoned leaders, their enthusiasm gradually wears down to serve the egos of their superiors. 

Moreover, these gatherings are not forums for genuine discussion but rather for addressing one another within the confines of this hierarchy. The goal is not to challenge the status quo of the region for the good of the people, but it is to align on a position that enhances the collective image of the leaders in the eyes of their followers. 

SADC: Unraveling The Chaos 

It should then not be a surprise that the Southern African Development Community (SADC), an offspring of the African Union (AU), has a model loyal to the one stated above. The elders in this instance, are the dictators, and longest-serving leaders, whether on the frontline or posing as advisors in their past lives, as seen in Zimbabwe. In the case of Swaziland, we should be vigilant to add that the category of SADC’s elders also includes the proponents of non-democratic societies. The middle-ranking officials are the leaders who are mid-term of service to their nations; drafting deals with the devils and flirting with the idea of absolute power, something which South Africa appears to be inclined to. The newcomers are gradually losing popularity as the veil of naivety is slowly being lifted from the eyes of both Tanzania and Zambia. 

Despite multiple convenings, 44 to be exact, the C in SADC-“Community”, is an obvious misnomer. Whilst in principle, SADC is essentially meant to be the people’s project, it is evident that it is rather a congregation of exclusion, and has lost its essence, akin to every other politically unifying structure that has ever existed in Africa. As the years go by, it becomes evident that this brotherhood is not only interested in self, but has conjured up more creative vices of deception than their predecessors. Under this year’s theme of the Summit, it appears that the league is cognizant that there is an increasing stubborn streak that this generation has acquired, and a fire of fearlessness that, if not managed tactfully, could evolve into an inextinguishable inferno. This, however, does not at all help to serve the people. 

SADC has tremendously failed to execute its mandate. Whilst initially posing as though they are solving the devastating crises that have ravaged the region, there appears to be a growing tendency of not following through with their intended course of action. This can be evidenced by their inaction towards the Cabo Delgado Islamist insurgency that has led to the death of community leaders, children, and women in Mozambique by rebel groups, to the ongoing civil unrest in Angola that deteriorates daily, to the unsolved investigations into the death of a key Human Rights Lawyer, Thulani Maseko by purported state actors, not forgetting the lack of vigor shown in the displacement and death of throngs of Congolese nationals following the ongoing conflicts, up to the unresolved disputed elections in Zimbabwe by the SADC Observer Mission. We must acknowledge the efforts placed by the body, but it is equally imperative to express that there are little to no examples that demonstrate the political stamina and leadership of the SADC in these instances. 

SADC: The Idea of a Kgotla 

In the wise words of Albert Einstein, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”, it is no surprise that we find ourselves having yet again, completed another academic exercise of convening the Heads of State for brunch, or as they like to call it, “Summit”.

SADC is an extraordinary opportunity to reflect, resolve, and even conquer our problems. It is the key that could possibly make the region more powerful than one could have ever imagined. Adopting the “kgotla” format would be a great start. Kgotla is a Setswana word, and concept to describe a traditional and highly respected fora for the chief and community members to discuss issues concerning the village administration, planning, and settling of disputes.

Taking Schapera’s wise observations of the Kgotla, in 1976, he explains it as follows: 

“...anybody present is entitled to speak, the tribal assemblies provide a ready means of ascertaining public opinion,

The discussions are characterized by considerable freedom of speech, and if the occasion seems to call for it, the chief and his advisors may be severely criticized.”

In African society, meetings hold deep cultural significance as spaces for dialogue, consensus-building, and collective decision-making. Traditionally, gatherings under the "indaba" or village tree were where communities addressed issues, fostering unity and mutual respect. These models of engagement, rooted in values of inclusivity and shared responsibility, offer a powerful framework for decision-making at higher levels, such as in regional organizations like SADC. By infusing African traditional practices—such as ensuring that all voices are heard and promoting consensus over conflict—into formal governance structures, these institutions can become more effective and attuned to the unique social dynamics of the continent.

The SADC assembly has this opportunity to adopt an existing home-grown solution, which would effectively save the sinking ship.

The Future 

The region faces a grim future if it continues to view SADC as a regional expenditure while ignoring its repeated failures to address regional issues effectively. For SADC to truly function as a community, it must actively involve its citizens. The current model, which excludes public participation and focuses solely on government entities, must be re-evaluated and restructured, as it fails to serve its intended purpose. Furthermore, the SADC Summit should transform into a genuine platform where people can express their concerns directly to their leaders. Currently, the Summit seems to benefit countries like Zimbabwe and Malawi, providing them with opportunities for development and infrastructure improvements simply because they are hosting.

It is crucial for SADC to undertake deep reflection and embrace honest evaluations. This approach will allow for necessary checks and balances to be implemented, free from the fear of repression. 

Tapiwa Lukuta (Dr. MD) is a Social Activist, Human Rights Defender, and Inclusion Expert with extensive experience in leading protection programmes focused on advocating for marginalized communities, particularly women, youth, and displaced persons.