African countries lack leaders who are focused and are able to propel both social and economic growth. Some leaders are only politically driven and their ultimate goal is to gain more powers for selfish motives .Due to immature democracy in African countries, cases of coup de tats are common .This affects development negatively due to the fact that such States do not attract investors and tourists.
Poor governance leads to poor planning. Any nation which does not have well planned policies achieve minimal development. When the government cannot manage and control various institutions within the country, corruption becomes widespread. Kenya in particular lacks competent leaders who are good enough to engineer development. In most cases, they are infamous for vices like engaging in corruption , embezzlement of public resources, greed for power and fight for political supremacy.
Other countries which lack good governance are Gambia, Egypt and Nigeria. These countries have recorded the highest rate of incompetence. To solve these problems , people must utilize their democratic right by voting for good leaders who are development-oriented and focused.
Some African cultures are oppressive in nature. This tend to undermine social development through denying some group of people their fundamental rights. For instance, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been there since time immemorial, however, this practice is oppressive towards women. In most cases, it is done without the consent of the victim. Secondly, the act has various effects which include school dropouts and health complications. FGM is an inhuman act which causes the victim to suffer trauma.
In areas where this tradition is practiced, the illiteracy is very high. This is due to the fact that those who have undergone this procedure are quickly married off. Most of these girls are below fourteen years of age. This practice also causes complication during childbirth increasing mortality rate and eventually underdevelopment in African countries.
Other cultural practices which contribute to underdevelopment are cattle raiding,wife inheritance and witchcraft. Wife inheritance is a major contributor to spread of HIV/Aids. The practice also intimidates women as it makes them appear like sex objects who can be used with or without their consent. Finally, witchcraft makes people become economically stagnant. This is because people apprehend that evil acts will be done on them by malicious people if they progress in life.
High population is also a major cause of under-development in African countries .When consumption rate is higher than production rate, discrepancy of economy occurs. This results to high rate of criminal activities . Most youth have no means of earning a living. To reduce the rapidly growing population, government should put various measures which include family planning methods and educating the masses on effects of high population.
High population has been caused by various factors which include deceptive believe that many children is a sign of wealth. Secondly, illiteracy contribute immensely to high rate of population growth. This is because they have no access to knowledge on how to practice family planning methods. It is evident that developed nations have population which is small enough to be managed. Effects of high population in Africa has caused rise in poverty level.
Political instability is a major source of underdevelopment in African countries. No country can develop when there is war and revolution. This is because instability prevents labor production yet it is a major factor of production. Secondly, any country which is not politically stable is insecure for investors and tourists. African countries are infamous for political instabilities which range from coup de tats, revolutions, rise of militia groups and civil unrests. Congo is a country which has never seen peace since it gained independence from Belgiums many years ago. This country is blessed with vast resources which ranges from copper, diamonds, gold and titanium but citizens are yet to enjoy them due to instability. South Sudan is another country which has abundant wealth but due to political instability, it has not benefited from them. GDP and Per Capita income of both countries have remained low over long period of time. Under-development in these countries has affected education and health sectors to the extent that South Sudan had to import man-power before it fell again to civil unrest.
Most African countries copied European system of education .This has contributed immensely on under-development of African nations .First of all, Africans copied educational systems which were more applicable to Europeans than to Africans. This system puts more emphasis on white collar jobs than blue collar jobs which are in high demand in Africa.
Many technical workers and innovative minds are required to accelerate development. Further more, Africans are taught in foreign languages which belong to former colonial masters hindering concept understanding among students.
Students have hard time understanding the language. Japan, Korea, Singapore and China have shown drastic economic growth in the past years which is majorly contributed by their system of education.
In Kenya, the system is purely based on passing exams and joining the next level of studies. This system has failed to appreciate talents and skills.
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