African leaders’ voices resounding loud, clear, and angry

By Janet Karim

8 “Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned, 9 for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. 10 Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding? 11 Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? Job 8:8-11

Here’s something new and refreshing coming out of Africa: African leaders’ voices against the history of manipulation and exploitation, the cultural wars that have made Africa the persistent recipient of centuries of the West and North undermining the continent as a whole, and cultivating continent-wide poverty of the majority of inhabitants. The voices are coming out loud, clear, and are in unison indignant anger. Among the outcry is a song I rejoice to hear from Dr. Edgar Githua stated that Africa must “shape African narrative to shake off the shackles of slavery.” He is joined by former African Union Ambassador to the US, Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao, who advises that “Africa must say enough is enough.”

For many years, centuries, the narrative all the way up to modern times, about Africa has appeared in the media, resounded by world leaders of massive continent-wide vices and negatives. The story of Africa has been one of corruption, HIV/AIDS, debt, tribal wars, violence, dictatorships, absence of human rights, and etc. the story about Africa has also been about fashion, music, polygamy, witchcraft. On top of this, the continent lacks the power to provide energy to bring electricity to the vast majority of the populations, the majority of whom live in rural areas, most countries lack reliable infrastructures, social services like schools, hospitals, security; the continent has the worst technology provisions such as the internet. All these have been blaring on western media controlled news networks in print, broadcast, and social media.

Behold the joint unified rise of young voices and leaders (both young and old, democratic and military), peppered with the almost instant simultaneous creation of African news networks. Among these are Swahili Nation, Cool Buzz, Make Africa Great, Africa News Network, and Africa Diaspora News Channel. The majority of the voices while outlining the evil brought on the continent by the Western and Northern countries are providing the solution to rid the continent of the malaise it finds itself encased. No voice is too old, no voice is too young, and definitely no voice from the military leaders is ignored; the military leaders that have disposed of puppet leaders deemed to operate on orders from outside the continent, are in fact looked upon as redeemers. Readers should take note that in the last three years, there have been six coups d’état, and three of them are former French colonies (Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso).

During the military takeover of Burkina Faso, France took from the bellies of Burkina Faso uranium which when carted to France, was converted to electricity that gave France an obscene $3 billion annual turnover. The majority of Burkina Faso residents do not have electricity, and live in abject poverty. In the last six months France has dropped from its position as the grim reaper of precious oils and stones of its former African colonies, to a prohibited occupant, exactor, and beneficiary of goods not belonging to France.

The European Union has also tried to leverage its donor status to 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific Island states, by creating a protocol section that would compel the 79 countries to vote according to the tune of the European countries, who are 26 in number. This would give the EU a whopping 106 votes in any international forum like the United nations, World Bank, etc. the main bone of contention is the call for gay and lesbian rights, abortion rights, and other culturally offensive position like giving contraceptives to 10-year old girls.

Here are some of the eyebrow raising headlines, one liners, and bold pronouncements made by Kagame, Ruto, Museveni, Ramaphoza, Malema, Professor Lumumba and many others that are putting western countries like the US, the UK, the European Union, and others on notice that Africa will not take it anymore.

· “The Problem with us in Africa, is that we have been polite for far too long. Now we speaking,” said Uganda President Yoweri Museveni. Uganda and its leaders are the recipient of abuse from the west due to its strong any-gay law that bans same-sex marriage in the country.

· On its part, Kenya wants reparations from its former colonial ruler United Kingdom for the role it played in the Mau Mau conflict. Incidentally, King Charles is in Kenya to commemorate Kenya’s 60 years of independence from the UK. Many Kenyans are also calling for an end to visa requirements to enter the UK.

· Both Ramaphoza and Kagame and others have called for African raw materials to be processed in Africa.

· African youth led by outspoken South African opposition leader Julius Malema, are called for an outright establishment of one Africa.

· As Burkina Faso nationalizes its sugar sector, the African Union has called for the end to sanctions on Zimbabwe.

· Africa is the new superpower.

· Africa tells French President Macron to get out of Africa.

· Some leaders have said the United Nations was created to destroy Africa, others accuse the EU of crafting strategies that are bent to take down Africa by destroying the African economy. They call for the United States of Africa to do business with the west as a bloc to avoid the centuries-long exploitation of the continent.

· The African Diaspora News Channel this week reported in its podcast that US records reveal that former DRC leader Patrice Lumumba was deleted because of the uranium supply in the country (formerly known as Zaire).

o Incidentally, although Africa is the main supplier of the world’s uranium, a commodity that is used in nuclear products, there is no nuclear power production company on the continent.

o Africa News Network on Wednesday quoted former UK Prime Minister George Galloway that the US has 29 military bases in Africa, while China has one. He accused the US of being hypocritical when it accuses China of interference in Africa.

· The cream of the statements comes from Malema who asked “Did Jesus die for us (Africans people) to suffer like this.”

· Still on religion, the western countries are accused of using religion to perpetuate slavery.

These and many vehement statements, pronouncements are daily pouring out on the YouTube channels, owned and presented by Africans in Africa and African from around the globe. Africans are pouring these out and I am proudly a pan-Africanist, join the stampede, shouting aluta continua, and in triumphant chant mode; “we shall overcome!”