Dr. Solomon Taru Chikanda
Good governance is not merely the responsibility of those in public office, it is the collective expression of how a people choose to live, relate, and take responsibility for one another. The crisis of governance that we see in many nations today, corruption, poor accountability, and weak institutions, is not only a political problem; it is a reflection of deep cultural erosion. Governance begins at home. It is first learned, practiced, and normalized in the private spaces of life, in families, schools, churches, and communities, long before it becomes a national value.
When citizens complain about unethical leaders, mismanagement of public resources, and the abuse of power, they are often pointing to symptoms of a much deeper societal illness. Leadership does not emerge from a vacuum; it springs from the soil of social values and family culture. If homes normalize dishonesty, if parents model favouritism, and if communities tolerate shortcuts, then a culture of impunity becomes embedded long before anyone enters public office. A nation cannot rise above the integrity of its households.
1. The Family: The First School of Governance
The family is the smallest yet most powerful unit of governance. It is where power, responsibility, and accountability are first experienced. Parents are the first “leaders” children encounter, and their consistency, or lack of it, forms the child’s understanding of fairness, justice, and trust. When a parent keeps promises, disciplines fairly, and explains decisions honestly, governance principles are quietly being taught.
Conversely, when parents manipulate, deceive, or use authority harshly, children learn that leadership is about control rather than service. When elders in the home break their own rules or reward dishonesty, they reinforce the idea that integrity is optional. Years later, those same children become managers, executives, or politicians, reproducing what they learned subconsciously at home.
Governance, therefore, is not first a matter of policy but of personal example. Homes that uphold truth, responsibility, and mutual respect prepare citizens who value justice, accountability, and the rule of law.
2. Communities That Model Accountability
Communities are miniature governments. They manage shared resources, resolve conflicts, and enforce collective norms. When residents take responsibility for their environment, pay community dues faithfully, and hold leaders accountable, they demonstrate that governance is not about politics but about stewardship.
However, when communities tolerate corruption, when meetings are ignored, and when local leaders act without consultation, they quietly cultivate apathy, the same apathy that weakens national participation in governance.
Strong nations are built from active, ethical communities. When citizens see themselves as co-governors rather than mere observers, they create a culture of shared responsibility. Governance then ceases to be something “the government does” and becomes something everyone practices in their space of influence.
3. Education as a Governance Engine
Education is not just about producing professionals; it should also form principled citizens. Schools must teach integrity, fairness, and civic participation as core values. It is not enough to recite the constitution; young people must experience justice, transparency, and accountability in how their schools are managed.
When a school punishes dishonesty, rewards effort, and treats students equitably, it prepares a generation that respects rules and upholds ethical standards. On the other hand, when favouritism and cheating are tolerated, society loses future custodians of integrity.
If governance is a tree, education is the soil from which it grows. A curriculum that integrates ethical reasoning and civic engagement will yield leaders who govern with conscience and competence.
4. Governance in the Workplace
Corporate governance is not confined to board charters and audit reports; it begins in daily behaviour. How employees use company resources, how supervisors treat subordinates, and how managers make decisions behind closed doors all reflect the governance culture of an organization.
Workplaces that reward transparency, respect diversity, and enforce accountability contribute directly to national governance standards. In contrast, where nepotism, misuse of funds, or silence over wrongdoing are tolerated, they reinforce a wider national culture of impunity.
When governance becomes a shared ethic, from junior staff to the board, organizations become models of integrity that ripple out into the broader society.
5. A Call to National Renewal
Governance begins at home, but its reach is national. Every act of honesty, every decision made with fairness, every word spoken with truth contributes to the moral infrastructure of a country. The battle for good governance will not be won solely through constitutional reforms or anti-corruption campaigns, it will be won when the values of integrity, accountability, and service become domestic habits.
Nations that thrive have one thing in common: their people internalize governance as a way of life. From the home to the workplace, from the school to the state, they live with the consciousness that their actions are part of a larger national fabric.
We must, therefore, reimagine governance not as the distant function of politicians but as a shared moral discipline of every citizen. Let every home become a training ground for responsible leadership. Let every community be a classroom of accountability. Let every business be a model of fairness.
Only when governance begins at home will our national systems reflect integrity, and only then will our democracy bear the fruit of justice and prosperity.
When governance becomes personal, the nation begins to heal.
Dr. Solomon Taru Chikanda is a specialist in Corporate Governance, Strategy, Leadership Development, and Wellness. With vast boardroom and executive experience, he leads Vineyard Funeral Assurance as Managing Director and serves as Lead Consultant at Inspire World Institute, where he champions strong governance, and organizational excellence.
📞 0772 721 962 | ✉️ stchikanda@inspireworld.co.zw
