“Cheryl Hendricks introduced the topic of debate by stating that the question of leadership has increasingly become critical in Africa especially with the advent of the ‘new wave of democratization.’ She observed that the first generation leaders emerging from the struggle for independence positioned themselves as the only ones capable of leading and as presidents for life. The shift toward democracy brought about an emphasis on constitutionalism and the entrenchment of term limits.The seminar, she said, was intended to examine a number of issues including; why leadership is important, why it has taken the forms it has, the trends in Southern Africa and their implications, the ‘third term’ scenario and overall where to direct the focus of analyses on these issues.”
