Being African: A call for new leadership

Africa reflected on the past and contemplated a future. However, it seems the future is refusing to arrive because of poor political leadership on the continent.

There are insurgents in West Africa, a war in Sudan, a civil conflict in Ethiopia, clashes in DRC, militia in northern Mozambique. And a series of coups across the continent, a club which Zimbabwe joined in November 2017.

Former South African president Thabo Mbeki had a grand dream when he spoke about the African renaissance. Taking back Africa to its deserved pedestal in world economics and politics. Mbeki even spoke on New Partnerships for Africa’s Development (Nepad), an initiative that looked at economic trade and to leverage Africa’s position in these trade negotiations.

Like all the good dreams of the founding fathers — Selassie, Kwame Nkrumah and Abdel Nasser, among others, it has been betrayed by succeeding leaders who took over by force, corruption or rigging elections. They only care about building their personal empires, with fortunes stashed in Dubai, UAE, Swiss bank accounts or other tax havens.

Africa needs leadership. It needs to get on the map not only as a producer of raw materials but also an exporter of manufactured goods. It needs to improve intra-continental trade and break the barriers of colonialism. It is time to stop playing who is a better black and most liked by the West and East.

This is a huge call. A call to action that goes beyond mere rhetoric and should be accompanied by real action. A call that can only be done by people with ethical and development-oriented leadership.

Africa needs to be connected by roads, railways and air networks. Africa needs to be able to feed, clothes, educate, house and have health facilities for its people. It needs to forego looking up for food aid and development assistance from its former colonisers.

Like Mbeki said in a speech, Let’s stop the laughter, at Kualar Lumpur, Malaysia during a smart partnerships meeting, Africa should stop stealing elections, corruption and respect the human rights of its people. It has to work together and develop its economy.

We should stop the derisive laughter from the West and East. We need to be respected, that we can stand with our heads held high at international forums as we articulate our aspirations and execute them.

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The civil wars are not good for Africa. The image of leaders flying in private jets with large entourages and eating caviar and prawns, yet extending the begging bowl to feed people back home should come to an end. The dignity of Africans should be restored and maintained.

As for Zimbabwe, it has an opportunity this August during the general elections to put things right. It has an opportunity to unify its people and start working for development, developing the standards of living for her people. This is not asking much.

The fight against corruption should be seen to be a reality. Aljazeera documentaries of the Gold Mafia should be a thing of the past. The country’s resources should be seen to develop its people and build prosperity for its posterity instead of funding personal opulence for the Zanu PF top leadership.

This is possible. Captain Thomas Sankara proved it in his short fouryear stint as the leader of Burkina Faso. He brought food sufficiency, lowered infant mortality, increased literacy and built roads and schools for his country. It was a brief moment, but it showed it could be done.

Back to the basics. 60 years is a long time.

The vision of the AU founding fathers should be realised. It needs to be implemented as of yesterday.

As Africa celebrates this day, it is important that we can be candid with ourselves. It is an opportunity to accept and be grateful to the liberation generation that fought with arms against colonialism. We now need a new liberation — economic emancipation and social development. This may need a new calibre of leaders. May the young generation raise their hands to this challenge.