Chief Kyalo Muli urges AU to restore Africa’s traditional governance systems

Anzauni Chief His Royal Highness Kyalo Muli I has challenged African governments to address what he termed an “unfinished liberation”, arguing that the continent attained political independence but failed to fully restore indigenous systems of governance. Speaking at the Africa Reparations Forum 2026 held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Chief Muli, who is also the Party Leader of the National Liberal Party (NLP) of Kenya, declared that Africa is “not yet Uhuru” because traditional institutions that existed before colonialism remain marginalised. “Everyone is talking about reparations, justice and action against the injustices of colonialism. But what about the governments that took over from colonial powers and continued with colonial systems?” he posed. Addressing an audience of traditional leaders, African Union officials, scholars and representatives from across the continent, Chief Muli argued that independence gave African nations flags and national anthems but did not fully return authority to indigenous institutions. He said colonial administrations dismantled African governance structures, including councils of elders, kingdoms and traditional leadership systems, replacing them with provincial administrations designed primarily for control. According to Chief Muli, many African founding leaders, while focused on nation-building and unity after independence, retained colonial administrative structures, land laws and governance models. “Independence was meant to reclaim sovereignty and return power to the original custodians of African communities. But that did not happen. Colonialism simply continued under different faces,” he said. The Anzauni leader criticised what he described as the contradiction where traditional leaders command respect among millions of Africans but lack formal recognition, funding and institutional support. “In many countries, traditional leaders carry great titles His Royal Highness, His Royal Majesty, Fon, Kgosi but those titles have been made small by the systems we inherited,” he said. Using Kenya as an example, Chief Muli noted that while the Constitution recognises traditional dispute resolution mechanisms, traditional institutions themselves lack clear constitutional protection. “Government-appointed chiefs created under colonial structures are recognised and paid by the State, yet traditional leaders who represent communities that existed before colonialism have no similar support,” he said. He challenged African leaders to move beyond diplomatic language when discussing the place of traditional institutions. “There comes a time when we must remove the diplomatic robe and say what needs to be said. That time is now,” he said. On reparations, Chief Muli argued that Africa requires both external and internal reparations compensation and justice from former colonial powers, but also recognition and restoration of traditional institutions by African states. He questioned the African Union’s implementation of Agenda 2063, asking why traditional leaders, who he described as custodians of Africa’s culture and heritage, do not have a formal platform within continental structures. “If Agenda 2063 speaks about an Africa with a strong cultural identity, where is the place and support for the institutions that preserve that identity?” he asked. Chief Muli proposed the establishment of an African Traditional Leaders Parliament as an advisory organ of the AU, saying it would represent a major step towards correcting historical injustices against indigenous African institutions. “Do not write Agenda 2063 about us without us,” he told delegates. The post Chief Kyalo Muli urges AU to restore Africa’s traditional governance systems appeared first on KBC Digital .