Proposing a new kind of leadership for the prosperity and unity of Kenya

South African President Jacob Zuma (right) greets former President Nelson Mandela during Zuma's inauguration at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, May 9, 2009. PHOTO/ REUTERS

What you need to know:

  • Closely related to inclusivity is the openness for forgiveness and reconciliation.
  • In order to achieve inclusivity and reconciliation, the magnanimous leader is ready for dialogue
  • Dialogue assumes the rule of law, and works within the framework of the constitutions.

Scholars and experts have proposed different models and styles of leadership. Among positive styles of leadership are: Visionary Leadership, Situational Leadership, Participatory Leadership, Transactional Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Servant Leadership.

Integrating most of these styles, I would like to propose a model of leadership which I call, “Magnanimous Leadership”. As we live through the current political situation in Kenya, I dare suggest, that Kenya today needs Magnanimous Leadership.

The word, ‘magnanimous’ signifies an attitude of being benevolent, generous and altruistic. It literally denotes being big-hearted. It includes being generous and forgiving especially towards a rival or less powerful person. It is akin to what some authors have termed, Virtuous Leadership, or Authentic Leadership.

If leadership is understood as an opportunity to exercise responsibility towards a group, and coordinating its decision-making processes and activities, then Magnanimous Leadership is simply a style of carrying out the responsibility with a large and generous heart.

What could this mean in practice? I would like to explore certain styles of operation that Magnanimous Leadership entails.

1. Inclusivity

The heart of a magnanimous leader is large enough to hold everyone. Such a leader is able to bring together everyone around a common purpose. These leaders are able to move out of the petty in-group mentality, and extend an open arm to even those who are considered to be in the out-group.

With this type of leadership, it is no more “we” and “they”, but it is all about “we”. They are also able to have people around them who are different from them.

2. Readiness for Reconciliation

Closely related to inclusivity is the openness for forgiveness and reconciliation. In the Hebrew Scriptures, Joseph of Egypt is ready to reconcile with his brothers who had sold him as a slave.

When Nelson Mandela was released from the prisons in 1994, after being imprisoned for 27 years, people expected him to take revenge on his captors.

Eventually when he became the first black president of South Africa, he set up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who led the Commission, lauded Mandela, “He’s going to be remembered as an icon of reconciliation and forgiveness, a person of very considerable magnanimity.”

3. Dialogue
In order to achieve inclusivity and reconciliation, the magnanimous leader is ready for dialogue. Rather than making unilateral decisions, the leader is alert to the soft voices that express different opinions.

Magnanimous Leadership ascents out of “my way” and “your way” to “our high way”. They are able to reach out to the dissenting voices. Sometimes dialogue requires going beyond the law, without breaking the law. It entails giving someone more than their due.

Dialogue assumes the rule of law, and works within the framework of the constitutions. However, the spirit of dialogue also avoids falling into the temptation of passing a bill constitutionally using the majority presence in the assembly, to silence the voices of the minority. Magnanimity goes beyond the tyranny of numbers.

4. Courage
The readiness to walk into the enemy’s den for dialogues calls for courage. It is only a person of inner courage who can reach out to his erstwhile enemy.

In the Torah, there is a story of Jacob who cheated his brother and coveted the right to be the clan leader and consequently had to run away from the wrath of his elder twin brother.

There is a powerful scene in the narrative: just prior to his return to his brother Esau, Jacob is still fearful and apprehensive.

That night, Jacob wrestled with a divine personage the whole night. At dawn, as he was strong enough, Jacob could walk right up to his brother and be part of a fraternal embrace.

In short, the large heart of a magnanimous leader is not a soft heart. A great leader is like a mighty river that takes on all the dirt and keep moving towards its destiny.

5. Accepting liability

Another expression of courage is also the ability to accept one’s mistakes. A magnanimous leader accepts liability. They apologise.

They resign when they realise they have been responsible for an inefficient system.

They hand on power to others when they realise that the situation demands more than what they are capable of.

This is what Mwalimu Julius Nyerere did in 1985, acknowledging that his philosophy of Ujamaa has not worked as he expected in Tanzania.

BREXIT

This is what Pope Benedict did in 2013, abdicating and giving way to someone else to lead the church. More recently, this is what the British Prime Minister David Cameron did following the Brexit reference.

His campaign for the No-Vote had been narrowly defeated. Perceiving that he no longer enjoyed the support of the electorate, he resigned.

Mind you, the Brexit was not about his prime-ministership.

Often resignation and abdication do not necessarily mean that the leader has made a grave mistake or that they have failed in their duty. It could be necessitated by the out-dated style of leadership and organisational structure.

Bhutan is a little kingdom tucked away in the Himalayas situated between India and China.

It has had a consistent form of political structure since the 17th Century, and since 1907, the Wangchuck dynasty had ruled the kingdom as an absolute monarchy.

DEMOCRACY

However, in 2005, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck wanted to introduce parliamentary democracy in his kingdom.

The people were not keen on a parliament, they were quite happy with their king. However, the king thought monarchy is a matter of the past, and people should be directly involved in their self-rule.

Following the first elections in 2008, the king now remains the head of the state and the Prime Minister became the head of the government.

The king himself assented to a constitution that allows the impeachment of the king by the two-third majority of the national assembly. This is magnanimity at its best.

6. Humility

Both openness to engage in dialogue and accepting liability entail a great level of modesty and humility, in addition to inner courage. An arrogant person cannot be a magnanimous leader.

The arrogance of their personality might ruin the prospects for the people that they lead.

Paulo Freire, the great Brazilian educationalist and philosopher, points out, “Dialogue cannot exist without humility.

The naming of the world, through which people constantly re-create that world, cannot be an act of arrogance.

Dialogue, as the encounter of those addressed to the common task of learning and acting, is broken if the parties (or one of them) lack humility.

How can I dialogue if I always project ignorance onto others and never perceive my own?”

7. Being a person of Character and Virtue

As we begin to describe Magnanimous Leaders it seems that such leaders are virtuous people. We have already pointed out that they possess virtues such as forgiveness, courage, humility. Anthropological examination of elders in African traditional societies has suggested that they were paragons of character strengths. Indeed, Magnanimous Leaders are people of fairness, integrity and wisdom.

They do not consider themselves above the law. They require their own children to stand in queues when they are seeking a job, as Mwalimu Nyerere insisted with his own children.

They deal with others and themselves in a spirit of utmost fairness. They are willing to make sacrifices. In a similar vein, a Magnanimous Leaders are aware of the flaws in their personality and acknowledge that these flaws might clash with some other personality types. They wisely discern the difference between personality clashes and divergence of ideologies.

8. Embracing Consensus

Magnanimous Leaders make decisions not based on mere majority opinion, but always seek consensus among the members of the group.

This is possible, as pointed out above, by reaching out in dialogue to the dissenting voices. They do not manipulate, they are fair to all parties concerned.

They decide more by the spirit of the law rather than by its letter, especially when such decision would entail some sacrifice on their own part.

A Magnanimous Leader is considerate to the welfare of the minority groups. One expression of magnanimity is affirmative action towards the vulnerable sections of the whole group.

This would mean extending some reserved opportunities and privileges to some groups, so that all may eventually have equal playing ground. However, it should be noted that affirmative action should not be used to hide corruption and short-term popularity.

9. Towards a Common Narrative

Magnanimous Leaders know very well that the unity of the population is a pre-requisite for development and happiness. They work towards unity by means of inclusivity and dialogue, as mentioned above.

They also facilitate the evolution of collective narratives. As it is said, history is often written by the victor. However, under magnanimous leadership, history is written collectively.

The history captures even the little contribution of minority groups and acknowledges regrettably the gross mistakes of the majority groups.

10. Common Resources for the Common Good.

With due consideration for affirmative action, under magnanimous leadership everyone has access to the common resources of the group.

Leadership is not perceived as a privilege of having access to resources for personal gains, either for the leaders themselves or their in-group.

Magnanimous leaders are able to rise above every form of greed, vested interests, and pettiness.
Yes, Magnanimous Leadership builds a nation. It turns politicians into statesmen.

The author serves as the DVC (Designate) for Academics and Student Affair at Tangaza University College.