UBUNTU and the Challenges of Africa-Rooted Public Policy Evaluation Approach

Abstract

African evaluation experts and scholars have been trying to establish a public policy evaluation approach which is based on the African indigenous philosophy of Ubuntu for many years. This type of public policy evaluation has been variously referred to as 'Africa-rooted evaluation' or 'Made in Africa evaluation' (MAE) and many other similar names. The objective of this article is to critically analyse the challenges evaluation scholars, academics and practitioners must overcome in order to establish an Africa-rooted public policy evaluation approach. The methodological approach used in this analysis is mainly qualitative and it is based on a robust review of existing topics of evaluation, Africa-rooted public policy evaluation (and similar concepts) to determine whether it is possible to establish an Africa-rooted public policy evaluation in an African context. This research finds that, the establishment of an Africa-rooted public policy evaluation approach will depend on two important transformations. First, indigenous African evaluation and non-indigenous African scholars and experts must agree on the African values, practices, and traditions on which such public policy evaluation approach should be based. Second, the indigenous African philosophy of Ubuntu has its own downsides which have serious implications for public policy evaluation in Africa. These weaknesses and their implications should be addressed before making Ubuntu the foundation of the envisaged Africa-rooted public policy evaluation approach. The challenge facing African evaluation scholars, experts and practitioners is to establish an Africa-rooted public policy evaluation approach which benefits the African indigenous people without excluding citizens of African countries who do not subscribe to the Ubuntu African philosophy.