Political leadership, ethnicity and government effectiveness in Africa: comparative evidence from Kenya and Nigeria

This article examines political leadership and government effectiveness in ethnically diverse countries in Africa using the experiences of Kenya and Nigeria—two of Africa’s most ethnically diverse countries. The study reviews different proxies for government effectiveness in Kenya and Nigeria. Drawing on inclusive leadership theory and based on an interpretivist perspective, the study argues that the negative impacts of ethnicity in the polity can be attenuated by stable political leadership that is committed to galvanising the populace, forging national cohesion, and pursuing good governance and inclusive development through a high index of government effectiveness. Given the critical roles of leadership in moderating the negative impacts of ethnicity in the polity, a crucial step for African states is to strive for stability in the polity and to embrace leadership recruitment processes that target only those candidates with broad national orientation and outlook.