Leadership plays an essential role in shaping people's lives, whether in business or politics (Kellerman, 2001). In the recent past, there has been an increased focus on good leadership while neglecting leadership failures, which are essential in learning how to better leadership roles. A focus on matters of power, influence, and authority offers the chance to learn how good or bad individuals can become in the quest for the three and after obtaining the three (Kellerman, 2001). Idi Amin and Nelson Mandela offer two distinct leadership characteristics. The former portrayed a dictatorial form of leadership with abuse of human rights and low ethical considerations that saw his leadership fall. The latter showed good leadership qualities, appreciation, and protection of all human rights leading to a thriving and peaceful nation experienced up to date. In this paper, I will discuss a recent present leadership of Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe that emulated in most ways the leadership of Amin in Uganda. Besides, I will discuss the ethical foundation, impact of human rights, and strategy for combating Robert Mugabe's leadership while relating to the leadership of Idi Amin.
Mugabe's gain of power can be traced back to the Zimbabwe African National union's formation in 1963 after returning from Ghana (Brownell, 2004). Mugabe's imprisonment for subversive speech also offered him an opportunity to obtain law degrees that he would later use as weapons to gain power. He was freed in 1974, and at this point, he decided to join with Nkomo to revolt against the white rule of prime minister Ian Smith (Sibanda, 2016). The operations against the Rhodesian government took place from Zimbabwe's neighboring countries, such as Zambia and Angola. While Mugabe took advantage of the British negotiations to rise into power, Amin used a military approach while Milton Obote was attending an international. The classic leadership point in the two is an exhibited seizure of advantage due to the prevailing situations, which is a significant leadership characteristic (Clinebell, 2014). Mugabe then got a victory in elections that were supervised by the British using the ZANU-PF party.
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After gaining leadership as the prime minister, Mugabe looked focused on rebuilding Zimbabwe through the coalition and negotiations with Nkomo. Like Idi Amin, who used a dirty political approach like cleaning the city of Kampala and Entebbe, Mugabe had a similar approach for sounding like helping Zimbabwe gain stability while accumulating fame in return (Decker, 2010). Mugabe's pragmatic approach, which Kellerman in the required reading describes as the aspect of a leader obtaining leadership qualities from the environment around them, helped Mugabe reassure the remaining white businessmen and farmers of their economic security stability (2001). Like that of Idi Amin, the rise to the presidency aimed at converting the countries into one-party states that would give the leaders absolute control of the countries (Sibanda, 2016). The strategy worked for Mugabe, although it involved war and oppression.
It can be noted that Mugabe's initial aim was to bring the country from the hands of colonialism to independence. However, with time, Mugabe experienced moral and ethical decay and turned into an absolute tyrant (Brownell, 2004). When Mugabe gained leadership in 1980, he had promised reconciliation and forgiveness for everyone that had wronged him and the country at large. The application of the concept of leadership of communication and forgiveness helped Zimbabwe's people gain confidence in Robert Mugabe's leadership in the initial stages (Concepts of leadership, n.d). While the leadership like that of Nelson Mandela exhibited the ethical-moral of complete forgiveness, Mugabe's reign did not have lasting forgiveness as he accused the white individuals of the unrest in Zimbabwe and decided for their expulsion just like that of Amin to the Asians in Uganda in 1972 (Parmar, 2014). The ethical motivation of forgiveness was nullified by Zimbabwe and Mugabe's subsequent unrest, just like Amin ruined the legacy that they had created.
Seizure of absolute power was a low ethical consideration Mugabe emulated from the Rule of Idi Amin. Amin had cited that Adolf Hitler was his political role model raising the questions of democracy and fair obtaining power (Sibanda, 2016). Political greed and love for money are at the center of the leadership of Amin and Mugabe's leadership. After becoming Zimbabwe's executive president in 1987, elections were characterized by violence and intimidation (Sibanda, 2016). Other candidates did not enjoy fair and credible elections, and there was political unrest that lasted in Zimbabwe for more than three decades. A contrast can be noted in the leadership of credible leaders like Mandela, who ruled for only one term and decided not to be drive-by political greed. Besides, Mugabe emulated the ethical morals of Idi Amin of self-declaration fame and bestowal. For instance, Mugabe claimed that God chose him and that only God would remove him from power showing political selfishness and greed (Brownell, 2004).
Just like Amin's leadership, the leadership of Robert Mugabe had a significant impact on human rights. The two leaderships primarily impacted the right to human life with increased cases of crimes against humanity. In Amin's reign, great dignitaries lost their lives, including four cabinet ministers that lost their lives in an unexplained road accident (Bruce-Lockhart, 2018). While good leadership entails protecting the rights of the people and making people feel safe where they live, there was increased insecurity and execution of innocent Ugandans during Idi Amin's reign. In the same manner, since 1980, there has been a gross violation of Zimbabwe's human rights by Robert Mugabe, including the loss of political rivals and ethnic wars that saw many people lose lives due to the continued political unrest (Sibanda, 2016). The expulsion of foreigners, Asians in Uganda, and the Whites in Zimbabwe was also a violation of human rights.
The freedom of expression, which is fundamental, was significantly undermined by the leadership of Idi Amin. Officers interrogated after the leadership of Amin described the leadership as one where no one was allowed to express their views to an extent where the media was greatly influenced by the politicians' say and stand of Amin. The impact of Robert Mugabe's rule on Zimbabwe's freedom of expression cannot be neglected either. Mugabe ensured that all media houses were registered under one media house controlled by the government (Brownell, 2004). Besides, just like Idi Amin prohibited the assembly of people, especially those who had gone into exile in Tanzania, including Obote, Mugabe also denied the people of Zimbabwe the right to assemble for the same fear. However, an essential aspect of the two leaderships to note is women's treatment since the two had an inferior treatment for women. During Mugabe's rule, there was sexual harassment and discrimination among women (George, 2015). The aspect of women's discrimination was one factor that led to Mugabe's leadership's downfall.
A strategy for combating power abuse, especially involving infringing on people's rights, is the international community's involvement. It is vital to note that abuse of power and poor leadership leads to the collapse of businesses and people's suffering (Nurnberger, 2003). A collapsed economy means high levels of poverty and education standards that generally lead to a nation's lowered productivity levels. The international community, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations Human Rights Commission, can help oppressed individuals find justice. Besides, having external forces and support make the battle for liberation from oppression bearable. When Amin lacked international support, and there was a stoppage of the purchase of coffee from Uganda, the sanctions led to a collapse in the economy, therefore the fall of Amin (Nurnberger, 2003). The rationale for international intervention is that external forces to liberation offer support to the fight against poor and abusive leadership. The international support to the opposition in Zimbabwe saw Mugabe give in the coup.
In conclusion, the aspect of leadership is acquired and developed rather than passed between generations. It is high time that there is an evaluation of leadership failures such as those of Idi Amin and Robert Mugabe to ensure that subsequent leadership proves successful. The rise of Mugabe to power included Zimbabwe's turning into a one-party state to ensure that he had control over all government aspects. Robert Mugabe emulated Idi Amin's leadership, especially about human rights, and the two leaderships experienced a gross violation of human rights. The rights that were violated included the necessary right to life, democratic rights, and freedom of expression and assembly. International intervention is vital as it offers the pressure, including sanctions, to help stop abusive leadership such as that of Robert Mugabe.
References
Brownell, R. (2004). Robert Mugabe and the Decline and Fall of Zimbabwe. Journal of Southern African Studies, 30 (2), 393-399. Retrieved January 13, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4133842
Bruce-Lockhart, K. (2018). The Archival Afterlives of Prison Officers in Idi Amin's Uganda: Writing Social Histories of the Postcolonial State. History in Africa, 45 (1), 245–274. http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edspmu&AN=edspmu.S1558274418000097&site=eds-live&scope=site
Clinebell, S. (2014). Snapshots of Great Leadership. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 13 (1), 139. http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=95276386&site=eds-live&scope=site
Concepts of Leadership. (n.d.). http://ramergroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Ramer-Resources-CONCEPTS-OF-LEADERSHIP.pdf
Decker, A. (2010). Idi Amin's Dirty War: Subversion, Sabotage, and the Battle to Keep Uganda Clean, 1971-1979. International Journal of African Historical Studies, 43 (3), 489–513. http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=58714967&site=eds-live&scope=site
Eliakim Sibanda (2016) Mugabe: a life of snakes and ladders, Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue canadienne des études africaines, 50:2, 309-323, DOI: 10.1080/00083968.2015.1129100
George, A. (2015). In Idi Amin's Shadow: Women, Gender, and Militarism in Uganda by Alicia C. Decker (review). Canadian Journal of History, 50 (3), 631–632. http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edspmu&AN=edspmu.S2292850215300450&site=eds-live&scope=site
Kellerman, B. (2001). Required Reading. Harvard Business Review, 79 (11), 15–24. http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cpid&custid=s8856897&db=bsh&AN=5634749&site=ehost-live
Kellerman wants the business to pay closer attention to leadership failures. Across the Board, 41 (6), 11-12. http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cpid&custid=s8856897&db=bsh&AN=15015063&site=ehost-live
Nurnberger, R. (2003). Why sanctions (almost) never work: In the late Idi Amin case, they helped drive him from power. The International Economy, 17 (4). http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsbig&AN=edsbig.A111013462&site=eds-live&scope=site
Parmar, M. (2014). Memorializing 40 years since Idi Amin's expulsion: Digital' memory mania' to the 'right to be forgotten.' South Asian Popular Culture, 12 (1), 1–14. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1080/14746689.2014.879420
