Spouses on the Olympus of Power: the Role of the “First Couple” in Africa, Influence of its Image on the Image of the Country

Author:

Liubov Prokopenko

Abstract:

In African countries, power is generally perceived as personified, in close connection with the figure of a political leader. The image of presidents is influenced by the image of the first ladies, who, in the context of political liberalization, are increasingly involved in the election campaigns of their husbands, and after their election, through their charitable foundations, in solving social problems. It is noted that some first ladies are also involved in political life: sometimes, after the resignation of their husbands, they try to realize their own presidential ambitions.

The author notes that one of the reasons for the low standard of living of the population in a number of African countries is corruption, in which presidents and their spouses are often involved. This degrades their image as a whole in the eyes of the electorate and the image of the country in the international community. The sustainable development of African states that are facing new challenges requires effective work of the president and the first lady, which brings substantial positive results to society.

Keywords:

president, first lady, “fathers” and “mothers” of nations, electorate, development, corruption, image, political long-livers, COVID-19

DOI:

10.31132/2412-5717-2022-58-1-82-100

References:

1. Alao A. A New Narrative for Africa: Voice and Agency. L., Routledge. 2019. 214 p. ISBN 978036 7228637.
2. Bekker S.B., Dodds M., Khosa M.M. Shifting African Identities. Pretoria: HSRC Press. 2001; Africaʼs Islamic Experience: History, Culture, and Politics. 2009. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 268 p. ISBN 978-8120740853.
3. Bondarenko D.M. Gosudarstvo i ideologiya rodstva (State and Ideology of Kinship). Politicheskaya antropologiya tradicionnyh i sovremennyh obshchestv. Materialy mezhdunarodnoj konferencii. Vladivostok. 2012, pp. 30–41.
4. Chiluba and 19 others Ordered to pay back $46 million. https://www.lusakatimes.com/ 2007/05/04/chiluba-and-19-others-ordered-to-pay-back-46-million (accessed 15.02.2022)
5. Davos 2010: South Africa’s Zuma Defends Polygamy. (accessed 08.06.2010)
6. Delovaya programma foruma (Business program of the forum) (accessed 18.02.2022)
7. Denisova T.S. Tropicheskaya Afrika: evolyuciya politicheskogo liderstva (Tropical Africa: the Evolution of Political Leadership). Moscow. Institut Afriki RAN. 2016. 596 p. ISBN 978-5-91298-181-4.