The ManicaPost
Freedom Mutanda Post Correspondent
Yesterday, Zimbabwe joined the rest of Africa in commemorating Africa Day which used to be called Liberation Day and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). Since May 25, 1963, Africans within the continent and the Diaspora have religiously marked the day which is a symbolic day for the vanquishing of colonialism in the ‘dark’ continent.
However, after nearly six decades of celebrating Africa Day, the time has come for Africans to have a reality check on these celebrations and think about the Africa they want to bequeath to their off-springs and in this vein, there is ample need to look at ourselves in the face and then, plot a shift in thinking if we are to be relevant in geopolitics.
The OAU has been very active up to the 1990’s. However, its influence petered off as there appeared to be a lull in militancy for there was nothing to be militant about in the wake of political independence. The language divide of Lusophone, Anglophone and Francophone countries continue to hinder African unity.
Economic independence became the major talking point in the 1990’s and Thabo Mbeki, the successor to Nelson Mandela in South Africa, became vocal about the African Renaissance and President Mugabe in Zimbabwe was vociferous in his advocacy for equitable distribution of land which sparked off a diplomatic row with former coloniser, Britain, and an economic implosion visited the country resulting in the 2008 crisis.
Political independence is not synonymous with economic freedom. Letta Mbulu was right when she penned a song, ‘“Not yet Uhuru,’’ back in the 90’s. Some whites derided Africans in the 1980’s as they told the blacks that if they had known there won’t be material change of their lives after the guerrilla war, they wouldn’t have sacrificed a huge number of deaths in the protracted war.
White capital still reigned supreme as most companies had whites as executive directors while blacks took on junior roles. Interestingly, even where blacks took over the important leadership roles, they spoke the white man’s business language. These are the companies which retrenched thousands of employees following structural adjustment programmes in Sub Saharan Africa.
Challenges to the AU
Poverty remains a thorn in the flesh for African leaders. In as much as the West can be blamed for fanning civil wars, it is a fact that tribalism and sheer quest for power results in never ending civil wars which suck the little money available for development. However, it is noteworthy that the vultures circle around the country where there are willing leaders to make their people cannon fodder for the West. The Libyan experience provides a test case for any scholar to analyse. Six years on after Muammar Gaddafi’s demise, the Libyans haven’t tasted peace yet they were told by uncle Sam that the root cause of their ‘suffering’ was none other than the ‘despot.’
Extremism is the bane of Africa; Boko Haram is wreaking havoc in Western Africa hwile Al-Shaabab is a thorn in the flesh in East Africa. Religion sharply divides Africa.
Beneficiation will always be the only way to create wealth for Africa; nevertheless, the transnational companies tend to drag their feet when it comes to that; they would rather sell the raw materials to the metropolitan countries and bring back the finished products to mother Africa at a premium price.
We can’t complain about lack of technical know how when the African intellectuals are littered through-out the world and they help many countries realise their potential. Professor Arthur Mutambara is a robotics expert but has he done something noteworthy in his field to pull his country out of its quagmire?
While basic literacy skills could be on the rise in Africa, there are others who do not have a good education to empower them owing to a plethora of factors. These are the people who survive on less than a dollar a day. They want an economic transformation and politics certainly will not appeal to them. They want food on the table. To them, education can literally lift their lives to another level.
Information and Communication Technology is the in-thing but for many African students; the Internet is just a word that they hear being whispered but never really touches their lives. Africa must have 21st education to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Against that background, now is the time to walk the talk in as far as modern education is concerned.
At least 23 percent of Sub Sahara Africa is malnourished in spite of the abundant fertile soil in Africa. Some of the prime land is dogged with landmines and Africans want a landmine free Africa.
It is time to utilise modern methods of agriculture which will result in Africa being a net exporter of food.
Declining commodity prices put Africans at the mercy of tigers that reap where they didn’t sow; how can a buyer dictate the price of what I produce? Capitalism ensures the African remain poor. Intra-African trade must boost the African economies.
Importantly, the regional blocks should realise that if there is trade among blocks, many African countries will join the middle income countries.
Selfishness can’t drive Agenda 2063. Where a country is very good, it is exploited. Oil is exported to European and American countries yet her neighbour imports from Saudi Arabia. That should come to a stop.
Competitiveness encourages trade and innovation; what is needed is a co-ordination of the African players in order to get a win-win outcome in the economic negotiations.
So far African leaders have showed a modicum of unity when one of their own, President Mugabe, was attacked by the British press. They should do the same thing as far economic emancipation is concerned.
Africa, arise and take your place among the economic giants of the world. You are a sleeping economic giant that hasn’t reached his full potential.
