The African Question

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BY GEORGE PAMBASON

My commentary relates to pan-Africanism and the founding values that form the basis of pan-Africanism but it is a commentary through a very liberal and pragmatist lens. 

I believe that as a continent we ought to have some set of values that drive our common ideology and yes, profound ethos of Africanism. An integrated Africa or an Africa with a set of values that level the ground and sets rules under which we all operate politically and economically. A shared vision crafted for an intertwined destiny.

These values may then prefect the political players to a minimum standard of operation.

This is of great importance as we can only remain relevant on the global stage when we have something tangible and unique to offer the world.

Our political landscape to a larger extend leaves you at the fence on issues of importance and mainly those leaning towards pan Africanism, it’s a riff ruff culture mostly devoid of specs of modern world thinking.

African leadership is entitlement as opposed to service; African politics is elitist and opportunistic. African leadership is authoritarian and coercive.  The rule of law is elusive and justice selective. All the above are daily leadership hiccups this continent struggles with and are manifested by the same people who sing lyrics of Pan-Africanism as we sing along in chorus with doubting voices.

These leaders have comparatively position themselves around the Pan-African agenda but quickly become absorbed by the porous Eurocentric tendencies of the past. These brothers of ours discourse the exact opposite of what they practice. So you wonder!  To be? Or  Not to be?  The sun sets on you still stranding at the fence.

But let me remind you in 1885 the scramble for Africa was initiated by Europeans because they wanted to micro-manage the continent, The land was divided into smaller manageable units, the principle behind this was” divide and rule’ They wanted to exert more influence, they wanted more trade, they wanted to weaken the African idea one of a free people united with a common purpose.

During this partitioning many African leaders were helpless, they couldn’t resist, they never had resources, no army to resist, no organization to voice their concerns, they watched the process initiated and imposed on them, tribes were divided, land was grabbed and many African people suffered as a consequence.

After the Second World War at the helm of divisions in Europe coupled with their depleted resources bases, patriotic Africa leaders seized the opportunity to free themselves from the shackles of colonialism. Africa started the road to a free and independent idea of Africa for Africans campaign which led to independence.

The question lingers however whether truly we were liberated, Or maybe we were liberated and then decolonized by our own, it has been over 50years for most African countries since they gained independence.

We are still peevish with fundamental issues of identity. The African identity is amorphous.  You and I know the history that forsakes our identity was a creation of the West because they wanted to micro-manage the continent, to disguise our commonalities, what have we done to reclaim that identity apart from deepening the tribulations with politics of tribal divisions, thuggery, marginalization, and elitist tendencies by those in leadership.

Our identity as a people should be determined by our own characters, our social roots, the culture and creed that unites us and identifies us from the rest.

Through a similar lens, look at the continent with introspection; plunders of African wealth happens in the broad day light presided over by our own, oppression, dehumanisation of the African people who may differ in political opinion, torture and extortion are daily occurrences on the continent. These happen and are presided over by our own.

The young generation needs to start analysing the political creations we have on the continent and pause the claim that the West is responsible for our own failures. Truly stating the West was responsible for our unfortunate history, the history of slavery and that of colonialism that pitied the continent to massive sufferings, dislocations and misguided our identity. But that was then! We are now responsible for our unfortunate situation.

What is wrong when America donates a billion US dollars to boast education on the continent but with a condition that there must be accountability and structures in place to ensure that sought accountability? Are we going to be the so don’t- give-a- damn pan-Africanist and reject whatever is dressed in western garb and embrace the stench dressed in afro labels?

Our leaders, our civil societies, our institutions, are to blame for the extricable failures that bug the continent to date. Yes! We have a very unfortunate history but this can’t be used as a lullaby to sing every problem to sleep.

 I will give you an example, when president Museveni of Uganda captured power in 1986 many (West) described him as a new breed of African leaders thirstily needed by this continent. He was literally a darling of the west; the same applies to Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe who was awarded The Most Honourable Order of the Bath by the queen of England, only to be scrapped when the Centre didn’t hold no more. 

These are honours given to extra-ordinary individuals for extra-ordinary achievements, the argument however may creep around the sincerity of these honours whether they are truly awarded on merit or used as a tool to hoodwink African leaders to trek a carefully pre-designed path that ensures policy dominion of the West.

The doubt however is about the recipients themselves, are they statesmen of the calibre of Nelson Mandela, Julius Nyerere, or Kwame Nkrumah?

Nelson Mandela under any circumstances wouldn’t unleash the wrath of state machinery in the shadow of a police force to butcher his own people due to a differing political opinion. He vehemently wears and owns the right to brag Pan-Africanist because he lived it.

On the contrary Mr. Museveni on his inaugural speech he stated and I quote "The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular, is not the people but leaders who want to overstay in power." He said in 1986. He was being deceitful, he wanted favors to hold his grip on power, he wanted to learn the game, Africa believed him, the west believed him. 

The then president of the USA went global trotting touting his political brand as a new light of the Dark Continent. After almost three decades Museveni still desirously manoeuvres all probable ways to keep him-self relevant no matter the price tag.

The state has degenerated into pandemonium, corruption has flounced through all institutions, he has divided the country along tribal lines and he is practically Man managing the country, because his government is a loose canal on a rowdy sea. He patches here and there using state resources and coercion tactics to safeguard his hold onto the wheel of power.

He is leading an authoritarian state. The same approach used by the European colonial rulers. But him like many African leaders trot the continent preaching Pan-Africanism and labeling those with descent opinion agents of the West. 

We must not allow the Pan-African jargons that are bankrupt of ideology, that are built on deception and self-greed.

Today Mr. Museveni is the head of the East African Community; COMESA, ICGLR  (International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. All these are regional blocks that would catapult the continent to the elusive future, they need steady african leaders. 

He is seen by some as a strong pan-African leader while he is presiding over a military state that is oppressive and unaccountable to Ugandans, a state that allows nobody no space to participate freely into the affairs of the country. A failed state that has fuelled conflicts and has participated in the plunder of resources on the continent.

Should we then after Uganda becomes another Zimbabwe blame the west?

Should we sing along in choruses, these non-aligned jargons of Pan-Africanism?

This is the awakening, Play you part! I say; YES U CAN!