Renowned Kenyan lawyer and Pan-Africanist, Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, has renewed attention on one of his most memorable remarks on leadership and governance in Africa, declaring that Africans “elect hyenas to take care of goats and then wonder why the goats are gone.”
The statement, originally delivered during a lecture at the University of Nairobi in 2018, has resurfaced across social media amid renewed conversations on corruption, accountability, and democratic governance across the continent.
Speaking on the quality of political leadership, Lumumba argued that corruption in many African countries persists not only because of the actions of leaders but also because voters repeatedly entrust power to individuals whose records and intentions are already known.
“Because what we do is to elect thieves. We elect hyenas to take care of goats and when the goats are consumed, we wonder why.”
According to Lumumba, the metaphor reflects the recurring cycle in many African democracies where politicians make sweeping campaign promises, secure electoral victories, and later preside over widespread corruption, mismanagement of public resources, and poor governance.
He maintained that while institutional weaknesses contribute to the problem, citizens also bear responsibility when they prioritise ethnic loyalty, political patronage, or short-term personal interests over competence, integrity, and accountability during elections.
Lumumba, who previously served as Director of the former Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, said Africa’s governance crisis cannot be resolved unless voters become more deliberate in choosing leaders committed to public service rather than personal enrichment.
He noted that the consequences of poor leadership are reflected in failing public institutions, inadequate infrastructure, underfunded schools and hospitals, rising unemployment, and the diversion of public funds meant for development.
According to him, the “goats” represent ordinary citizens whose welfare depends on prudent governance, while the “hyenas” symbolise corrupt political leaders entrusted with public resources.
Lumumba stressed that meaningful democratic change begins with responsible voting, insisting that citizens cannot repeatedly elect leaders with questionable records and later express surprise when corruption and underdevelopment persist.
His remarks have continued to resonate across Africa, with many commentators describing the statement as a powerful reminder that democratic accountability begins at the ballot box and that the quality of leadership often reflects the choices made by the electorate.
