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African proverbs on Peace and Leadership



Peace is costly but it is worth the expense. ~Kenyan proverb

War has no eyes ~ Swahili saying

When a king has good counselors, his reign is peaceful. ~Ashanti proverb




Peace does not make a good ruler. ~Botswana proverb

A fight between grasshoppers is a joy to the crow. ~ Lesotho proverb

There can be no peace without understanding. ~Senegalese proverb

Milk and honey have different colors, but they share the same house peacefully. ~ African proverb

If you can’t resolve your problems in peace, you can’t solve war. ~ Somalian proverb




When there is peace in the country, the chief does not carry a shield. ~Ugandan proverb

When two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled.  ~ Swahili saying

Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far. ~ West African proverb

He who thinks he is leading and has no one following him is only taking a walk. ~ Malawian proverb

An army of sheep led by a lion can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep. ~ Ghanaian proverb

He who is destined for power does not have to fight for it. ~ Ugandan proverb

Do not forget what is to be a sailor because of being a captain yourself. ~ Tanzanian proverb

Without a leader, black ants are confused. ~Ugandan proverb

He who refuses to obey cannot command. ~ Kenyan proverb




He who fears the sun will not become chief. ~Ugandan proverb

A large chair does not make a king. ~ Sudanese proverb

Because he lost his reputation, he lost a kingdom. ~ Ethiopian proverb

Where a woman rules, streams run uphill. ~ Ethiopian proverb

A leader who does not take advice is not a leader. ~ Kenyan proverb

If the cockroach wants to rule over the chicken, then it must hire the fox as a body-guard. ~ Sierra Leone proverb



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