The theory of African president and prime minister, working together
By Steve Paterno
November 21, 2014 – Africa is notoriously known for political instability, stemming in most cases, over power struggle among the ruling elites. Often times, the best and quick fix for this endemic is to accommodate the conflicting parties in a same government as a solution. This arguably means the powers must be shared among the conflicting elites in the presidency and premiership.
In essence, the president simply means the head. However, in terms of governance, for example, the president of USA is the most powerful position. Prime Minister on the other hand means the head of all ministers. In Countries like United Kingdom, the prime minister rules and the president just rest on the side. For students of political science, this means, there is a presidential system, the prime minister system, or a combination of both. For example, in Russia, President or is it Prime Minister Vladimir Putin manipulated both systems to remain on helm of power perpetually. The governing system varies from one part of the world to the other, with their own implications.
Nonetheless, in Africa, they take those variations to the next level. Kenya and Zimbabwe provides the best examples. In both countries, two powerful opposing parties run disputed elections, where all claimed victories. To settle the scores, violence ensued, followed by a quick fix of Government of Accommodation also known as Government of National Unity: an establishment of the position of President and that of a Prime Minister to accommodate the opposing teams. In practical sense though, one of the principal positions is just acting as a second fiddle, a ceremonial position. In other words, as they gossip among the corridors of powers, they say, ‘somepnr is holding a powerless position in government.’
In the case of South Sudan, this notion manifests itself in a unique manner. The idea of having both a president and a prime minister is very strange to South Sudan, a country born out of decades of war and barely struggling to establish itself and it’s institutions.
Dr. Lam Akol, the opposition chair from SPLM DC party, an offshoot of the main ruling party, the SPLM, first proposed the position of premiership for himself, during the discussions for the transitional constitution of South Sudan in 2011.
Today, in South Sudan, the idea of having both the president and prime minister is a hard sell. Someone also whispered to me or I so heard that in a land where people walk up right, the Burkina Faso, their ensuing dispute is resolved by having both the position of the president and that of a prime minister. Now, one wonders as to where is the position of the rest of the citizens in those countries belong. Can we say they depend on the president, prime minister, or both or none.
Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at [email protected]