Often when one hears the name president it creates the impression that he or she is a person who is powerful, authoritative and being treated with honour and fear....... but this is not the same with president of Uruguay Jose Mujica, branded the nickname “el presidente mas pobre” or in a familiar term the poorest president.
The 77-year-old recently admitted to the Spanish newspaper El mundo that he donates almost all of his presidential salary, making him the poorest, or, as Univision pointed out, most generous president, in the world.
El presidente explained he receives $12,500 a month but keeps only $1,250. The public servant told the newspaper, "I do fine with that amount; I have to do fine because there are many Uruguayans who live with much less."
He and his wife- a senator who also donates part of her salary- live in a farmhouse in Montevideo. His biggest expense is his Volkswagen Beetle, valued at $1,945.
Perhaps not surprisingly, under the former guerrilla fighter, who was elected in 2010 as a member of the left-wing coalition, the Broad Front, the country has become known for being one of the least corrupt on the continent.
Mujica has no bank accounts and no debt, and he enjoys one thing money can't buy: the companionship of his dog, Manuela.
The Uruguayan is not the first president to donate his salary, U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who came from wealthy background, donated his salary when in office, as did President Herbert Hoover. Hoover, who grew up poor, decided to never accept money for public service, so he could not be accused of corruption. It never happened in africa and does not appear to be.
Building strong institutions is a priority if Africa is to develop strong economies, It is important to have one nation with one goal. Then we need to work together as Africans to build a united Africa, not a united Africa of weak states but of strong states. To achieve this, leaders should not put themselves above the law, but should obey the rule of law.
It is time for Africa to define its own future, The challenges are many. There are very daunting issues as far as African leadership is concerned. One of the problems is that there are external forces trying to undermine African leadership. We are talking about transformation, but there are basic issues we are still struggling with. Our colleagues want us to continue to be exporters of raw materials and importers of finished goods. Thus africa needs to stick together to define its own culture and in the process promote fair trade.
Young and visionary aspiring leaders are often corrupted when they achieve power. this is because leaders with vision are tempted to be transformed into "ordinary thieves". Mostly government leaders act as paid or unpaid facilitators while others loot their countries.
African countries remain prey to dictatorship, this takes along time to end but at last it leaves nothing but conflict, suffering and misery. This is evidenced after the devolution in arab countries like egypt and libya.. the fall out of mubarak and gadhafi was welcomed by the majority yet it left nothing but war, displacement and suffering.
African leaders have unique traits that are tantamount with all whether one has stayed in office for over decades or is serving for the first time. They all tend to be hungry, corrupt and irrational. Africa needs leadership with clear plans and priorities to overcome structural problems focusing exclusively on comprehensive economic growth. It needs headship with perseverance to continue on the chosen path when the going gets rough. However, this is not the case but fraud and embezzlement of public resources form a meeting ground, where they discuss how they will loot funds meant for the common man.
Therefore if Africa needs to get a president like or even close to Mujica then it needs leaders with the will of the people at heart, leaders who will put the country first before their own needs and those that will improve the living standards of the people.
Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, said that leadership comes down to four factors: brains, soul, heart and good nerves. leaders at least need to have two of such traits to fulfill the public needs but the question is where are they? The search is still on.