This Leaves a Bad Taste

Africa’s political leaders are being offered a $5m prize and a stipend for life if they do not plunder the national coffers or rig elections. Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair and Bill Clinton are backing the initiative to be formally launched tomorrow in London by a foundation started by a Sudanese-born telecom tycoon, Mo Ibrahim.

Mr Mandela said the award, which is for former leaders who have shown “excellence in leadership”, will contribute to “Africa’s political and economic renaissance”. Mr Blair said it supported efforts to “encourage exemplary leadership”.

Paying people to do the right thing? Their hearts are in the right place, but this does a lot to codify the cycle of dependence, and from the top down!

Or maybe it's the lesser of two evils.