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Thomas Zondo Sakala

Molline Gagare Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE and Sadc candidate, Thomas Zondo Sakala has lost the battle to become the next president of the African Development Bank. Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina, 55, who is also Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Planning, succeeded Rwanda’s Donald Kaberuka after he beat seven other candidates to win the post at the bank’s annual general meeting held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday.

Kaberuka’s tenure ended after serving two five-year terms at the helm of the AfDB.

Adesina secured more than 60 percent of the vote, overcoming challengers, including former Chad minister of finance Kordjé Bedoumra and Cristina Duarte of Cape Verde who made it to the top three.

According to the AfDB, Adesina’s victory was announced by Albert Toikeusse Mabri, Minister of Planning and Development for Cote d’Ivoire, and chairman of the board of the continental bank’s governors who said the election process was done in a free and fair manner.

“The election process was concluded by voting among the bank’s board of governors (54 regional member countries, 26 non-regional), whose voting powers are weighted. The result was an expression of the will of all the member countries who displayed good spirit during the election process that was not marked by any tension,” he said.

In his acceptance speech as the 8th AfDB president, Adesina spoke of how humbled he felt to have won the election and promised to emulate the work done by Kaberuka.

“Today, I’ve been given a great responsibility. I salute the excellent work of president Kaberuka. It’ll be a big challenge for me to step into his shoes. He leaves a solid bank behind him,” said Adesina.

Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, now has one of her own leading the continent’s most influential financial institution.

The board of the AfDB has been reluctant in the past to elect as its leader representatives from the region’s bigger economies, choosing presidents from some of the smaller countries.

It was their way of counteracting the potential dominance of the big nations.

Adesina takes over the role at a time of considerable promise for Africa.

During his campaign for the post, he was vocal about wishing ensure that the AfDB is more inclusive.

He was keen to talk up agriculture’s potential role in helping to eradicate poverty on the continent.

The timing is fortuitous for Adesina as a new government takes over in his home country of Nigeria.