Abstract
This paper aims to examine the nature of indigenous African political leadership among the Luba People of Kasai in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The study employed qualitative research that was rooted in phenomenology. The concentration of the study was on the Kasai Central Province. The target population was charm givers, militia, and political leaders were selected as the units of observation by the researcher. The political leaders comprised of local traditional chiefs of villages and modern leaders. A sample size of 40 participants was adequate to enable the researcher to obtain rich information and reach the saturation point. The targeted 40 participants were: 10 charm givers, 8 members of the provincial parliament, 4 provincial ministers, 13 traditional leaders, and 5 militia leaders. The study used In-depth Interviews (IDIs), focus group discussions, and observations to collect data. The findings indicate indigenous traditional leadership among the Luba has various sources of power. These include the use of various symbols of Luba traditional leadership to perform duties on behalf of the community. The use of the manga is also in line with the customs and traditions of the Luba people and guides the leader on the right things to do while on the throne.
Highlights
There is growing interest in indigenous systems of leadership and governance ranging from Australia, New Zealand, and South America to what is popularly known in Africa as traditional leadership
This paper aims to examine the nature of indigenous African political leadership among the Luba People of Kasai in the Democratic Republic og Congo
According to the research findings, the traditional leaders among the Luba people derive their power from customs; they have customary power to exercise leadership, “Traditional leaders in our Luba community inherit their powers according to the traditions and customs of our ancestors” (Traditional Chief, TC 1)
Summary
There is growing interest in indigenous systems of leadership and governance ranging from Australia, New Zealand, and South America to what is popularly known in Africa as traditional leadership. It is mainly a form of indigenous governance system of communities that is largely based on cultural practices. In the period before colonization, traditional authorities had immense powers and authority over their land and its subjects. Their subjects were comfortable with traditional leadership because they were familiar with them and understood how they worked. They had little choice and could not avoid or run away from the systems because they were almost the same and they could not leave their families, which they valued very much
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147- 4478)
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
