{"id":22839,"date":"2024-04-17T11:20:49","date_gmt":"2024-04-17T11:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biografrica.com\/?p=22839"},"modified":"2024-04-17T11:24:32","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T11:24:32","slug":"top-vocal-african-presidents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biografrica.com\/top-vocal-african-presidents\/","title":{"rendered":"ELOQUENCE VS PERFORMANCE: Judging the Performance of Africa’s Most Vocal Presidents Today"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cGovernment is not reason, it is not eloquence – it is force! Like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.\u201d<\/p>\nGeorge Washington<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

People refer to the above-quoted statement whenever they want to argue that good speeches alone do not make good governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a nation, Africa <\/a>has been blessed with great orators who inspired their people with great speeches. From the likes of Nelson Mandela<\/a> of South Africa to John Nkrumah<\/a> of Ghana, Thomas Sankara<\/a> of Burkina Faso, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania down to Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Uhuru Kenyatta, Paul Kagame<\/a> of Rwanda, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this piece, we shall look at the top 5 most vocal current heads of state in Africa vis-\u00e0-vis their performance in office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. William Ruto of Kenya<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Portrait
Kenyan President William Ruto, known for his captivating speeches, is evaluated on his ability to translate eloquence into effective governance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The savvy-looking President of Kenya is fast becoming one of Africa\u2019s finest voices within and beyond Africa. Since he assumed office as the 5th President of Kenya on the 13th day of September 2022, Ruto has dazzled his audience with captivating speeches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In one of his great speeches made at the 2023 IGW African Leadership Ceremony<\/a> with Mo Ibrahim, Ruto condemned the recent craze of African heads of state travelling en masse to foreign countries in search of financial aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While citing the embarrassing scenario which played out during the U.S.-Africa Leaders\u2019 Summit<\/a> in Washington DC where 50 African leaders packed themselves to the U.S. to see President Joe Biden, only to be disappointed as they could not have a one-on-one with him, Ruto brilliantly stated thus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2026it is not intelligent for 54 of us to go and sit before one gentleman from another place. And sometimes we are mistreated. We are loaded into buses like school kids. It’s not right\u2026 So the decision that we have made as AU is that going forward if there is going to be a discussion between Africa and any other country, we are going to be represented by the chair (of the African Union Commission).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Impressed by Ruto\u2019s intelligence, the European Parliament<\/a> invited him to deliver a keynote address on the need for increased global collaboration to fight climate change, combat poverty and tackle conflicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appearing as a guest speaker before the European Parliament on the 21st day of November 2023, Ruto delivered a breathtaking speech which got members of the European Parliament on their feet as they applauded him with a standing ovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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