This lecture, which I helped organize, was held at the Department of Philosophy at Rice University in Houston, Texas (USA) on Monday, November 23, 2015.
Dr. Oduor argues that the imposition of liberal democracy on post-colonial African states is largely to blame for the persistent failure of democracy in the continent. This, he says, is due to the fact that the typical African voter’s choice is significantly influenced by considerations of the good of his or her ethnic group rather than by his or her exclusive personal welfare. Consequently, Dr. Oduor proposes a model of democracy for post-colonial African states based on the communalistic orientation of indigenous African political thought, but one which, drawing from the Western liberal tradition as well, protects the personal rights of the citizens. The overarching aim of his endeavour is to enable Africans to see something of their own worldviews in the governance structures of their countries, thereby encouraging them to embrace a democratic culture.
Dr. Reginald M. J. Oduor is a Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Nairobi in Kenya. An interview with him can be found here.
Rainer Ebert 