AMONG the many factors that negatively affect development in Africa, bad governance, unproductive politicking, wrong policy choices and poor systems of justice administration rank high, our Chief Justice Mumba Malila has observed. He said this at the Africa Bar Association (AFBA) Annual Conference for 2024. The Chief Justice’s remarks offer a sobering diagnosis of Zambia’s, and indeed Africa’s, stalled journey towards development. His emphasis on issues such as poor governance, unproductive politicking, and weak justice systems as the major impediments to progress is right on point. Zambia’s political landscape has long been marred by the same problems he highlighted, where leaders choose to engage in mudslinging, scandal-mongering, and name-calling rather than tackling the nation’s pressing issues. This is a trend...