The Chairman of the African Political Parties Initiative (APPI), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has called on political parties across Africa to look beyond winning elections and prioritise building the institutional capacity and expertise required for effective governance.
He said the quality of governance on the continent depended largely on the strength of political parties, stressing that preparations for public office must begin long before politicians secure electoral mandates.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah made the remarks while addressing the inaugural leadership of APPI at the conclusion of the African Political Parties Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He urged political parties to invest in policy research, strengthen institutional memory and develop a pool of professionals capable of providing technical advice on the complex challenges facing their respective countries.
According to him, political parties serve a broader purpose than providing platforms for electoral contests, as they help shape the people, values and practices that eventually influence government.
He cautioned that the internal culture of political parties could have significant implications for national governance, particularly when their members assume positions of public authority.
“Political experience teaches us that power changes hands more quickly than nations change. Those who govern today may sit in opposition tomorrow, and those in opposition may later inherit the institutions they once criticised. A political party is not merely an organisation for winning elections. It is one of the places in which future government is formed,” he said.
The APPI chairman further emphasised the need for political parties to develop a thorough understanding of the economies and public institutions they aspire to manage.
He identified industry, agriculture, trade, energy, technology and public finance as critical sectors requiring sustained investment in specialist knowledge to support effective policy development and implementation.
He also advocated the establishment and strengthening of policy institutions within political parties to preserve expertise and institutional knowledge beyond the tenure of individual leaders.
Such institutions, he explained, would prevent parties from repeatedly rebuilding their knowledge base whenever leadership changes and ensure that government decisions are informed by evidence, research and technical expertise.
“Electoral victory gives authority. The ability to govern well has to be built before victory comes,” he stressed.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah also called for greater political maturity during transitions of power, urging parties to avoid discarding existing policies, expertise and institutions solely because of changes in government.
He maintained that political competition should not prevent incoming administrations from recognising and sustaining initiatives that contribute to the national interest.
“Political maturity includes the ability to know what must change and what must be preserved. There is no virtue in wasting what works,” he said.
His remarks underscore the importance of strengthening political party institutions, preparing party members for the responsibilities of public administration and ensuring that changes in political leadership do not disrupt the continuity of national development.
