Editor,

RE: "Do African leaders need US$5m as an incentive to govern well?” (The New Times, December 2).

You are absolutely right, Mr Mutabazi. In fact you used the right term for the Mo Ibrahim Good Governance Award: corruption.

The US$5m could be used differently to reward excellent efforts by serving presidents, especially those who try hard to lift the standards of living for their people, who reverse hopeless situations to turn round miracles. The Mo Ibrahim award is a bribe to leave power even when a leader is doing well.

I am just wondering whether there is no hidden agenda behind the award. Is Mo Ibrahim alone in this scheme or there is a driving force behind him?

If I had an opportunity to advise Mo, I would suggest he used that lump sum to build a governance university on the African continent in order to impart and entrench his governance model into future leaders. Otherwise, I see his award as not effective.

Paul Runesha

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I don't think the prize awards leaving power but rather celebrating exceptional leadership, and I guess the assumption is that there will be a number of candidates who meet the prize criteria (including having served one's constitutionally mandated term) then the prize given to the most outstanding among many not all.

Above all, I strongly believe Mo Ibrahim is absolutely right to set the price, criteria and terms of the prize. It is his money, right? Just like every one of us decides how and where to spend his money!

Zamu Isma