Reconciliation As A Transformation Mechanism for Peace, Development, and Stability in Africa: with comparative illustrative evidence from five countries: with comparative illustrative evidence from five countries, South Africa, Nigeria, DRC, Uganda & Mozambique.

The recent revolutions in North African countries, commonly referred to as ‘the North African Arab Spring’, has shown that Peace and Development are most desired in Africa, but remain elusive, with serious implication for the stability of the region. There are a number of underlying factors or forces, including the following; governments and the governed have been estranged by protracted crises because the basic needs of the people are unmet; there are divisions between different ethnic groups due to the struggle for survival; and political opponents have suffered human rights violations from leaders who cling to power. This paper argues that almost all African countries have continued to search for peace and development over decades because the ‘reconciliation mechanism’ has been down -played as a peace- process. This paper uses ‘brief empirical comparative illustrative evidence’ on South Africa’s TRC and Nigeria’s Oputa Panel, as well as examples from Uganda, Mozambique and the DRC to drive home its message.The comparative analysis focuses on how reconciliation can be used as a mechanism for the actualisation of peace and development in Africa; it also emphasises and compares the roles of the political leadership in achieving this. The paper concludes that the role of political leadership is crucial to the success or failure of reconciliation in any given State