My supporters said ‘it’s our turn to eat,’ so we had to stick to principles: Seychelles president Ramkalawan

Threats to clean governance and liberal economic principles sometimes come from within the governing party.

This is according to Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan, who spoke in Johannesburg ahead of being awarded the Africa Freedom Prize by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation on Wednesday night.

Ramkalawan became the first sitting president to be awarded the accolade. Previous winners include Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane.

He came to power in 2020 in what was the island nation's first democratic transition in the 43 years since independence. Ramkalawan has been credited with leading Seychelles to balanced economic growth with social welfare and environmental protection as he integrated social programmes with market-friendly policies.

Ramkalawan said bringing about change has been a difficult process which still confronts his government four years into power.

“When we won [in 2020] a lot of my supporters were saying 'it's our turn to eat' and this is something else about change, you have to stick to your principles. I think this has been the biggest strength of my administration,” Ramkalawan said.

He said change doesn't come easily and despite him being at the helm for four years, his country is still in a transition period.

“Change is very difficult, it's a concept that people eventually assimilate and subscribe to which is exactly what I have experienced,” he said.

Ramkalawan, who attended a leadership programme by the foundation in Germany about 15 years ago,  has indicated that he will stand for re-election next year.

Despite having lost the presidential elections six times, Ramkalawan emerged victorious after amassing 55% of the vote in 2020.

“It's a question of persistence, you have to believe and have a vision. You sell this vision every day, you repeat the same thing and eventually people will understand,” Ramkalawan said.

He said though it was a surprise that he was chosen as the 2024 Africa Freedom Prize winner, he considered it a lifetime achievement.

“I feel greatly honoured to be receiving the Africa Freedom Prize ... and I see it as an acknowledgment of the principles I stand for,” he said.

Ramkalawan said he also sees the accolade as a promotion of liberalism which he believes in.

“From time to time, liberalism is given a bad connotation, I think that right now South Africa is experiencing the government of national unity where the DA, which has been a partner of my political party, sits in government and so far things are going smoothly,” he said.

Other winners include Ugandan activist, politician and lawyer Bobi Wine, radio personality Gareth Cliff, Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema, Nigerian author and activist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Guinean economist and politician Cellou Dalein Diallo and Zimbabwean novelist and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga.

The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom hosted Ramkalawan for a discussion on his leadership and Seychelles' economic transformation.

Ramkalawan's administration is credited with playing a key role in Seychelles' transition from a socialist one-party state to a leading example of successful economic liberalisation while still maintaining robust social welfare programmes.

The country's economy is highly dependent on tourism, which attracts foreign investment, and environmental sustainability.

Seychelles currently ranks first in Africa on the UN's Human Development Index.

Inge Herbert, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation's regional director, told TimesLIVE Premium that Ramkalawan, who was part of the foundation's programmes on leadership while he was an opposition leader, remained true to his liberal principles when he came to power.

“It's unusual that we would honour someone who is a president, this is not what this is for... the president [Ramkalawan] and his party have been partners of the foundation for a long time and we've seen how he has been persistent and how he has not betrayed the principles of good governance and human rights when he came into power,” Herbert said.

Herbert said winners are assessed by teams in their seven offices across Africa before they decide on the winner.

“The Africa Freedom Prize has been around since 2016... it has been given to people who are influencing populations from the culture side, like Ngozi Adichie or Dangarembga last year,” Herbert said.

The foundation is based on and advocates for principles of liberalism.

It offers political education in Germany and abroad. Its events and publications are aimed at assisting people to become actively involved in political affairs and students are offered scholarships.