Although we thirst so much to see African unity, the same thirst is not reflected on the ground which creates a paradoxical situation in the sermon for everyone interested and involved in its advocacy.
Africa stands on a tipping point in its independence era, a revolutionary point yet with a bleak picture for the future. This is a point where we are seeing the reforming of the international order, especially in trade, and everyone seemingly has a plan for Africa, but the stubborn question is, does Africa have a plan for the world-the role it intends to play? This is a question poised by Prof. P.L.O Lumumba in a conversation with Vusi Thembekwayo.
On the upside, Africa does in fact have a plan for itself, but not for the world. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063 are the mirrors which Africans currently use to gauge they progress and see themselves in trade relations and socio-economic transformation.
Bobi Wine of Uganda’s National Unity Platform (NUP) shares the same sentiments has Prof. P.L.O Lumumba but he emphasizes on the transformation process and its pace, and the corrupting hands of power. Bobi Wine speaks to the “strongman” syndrome which has crippled many African revolutionary leaders violating constitutional democratic rights of citizens simultaneously hindering the democratic consolidation process.
These two distinct critical arguments eventually lead to a concept of African unity. Prof. P.L.O Lumumba provokes African unity in co-ordination of policy plans and actions while Bobi Wine provokes African unity by attempts of dismantling the generational power gap between African liberators and rising African leaders. It’s also important to note that this concept of African unity that’s so much needed is not new to us, Africans sung it in the 1940-90s period of liberation and nearly fifty years later we are still singing the same song.
However, although we thirst so much to see African unity, the same thirst is not reflected on the ground which creates a paradoxical situation in the sermon for everyone interested and involved in its advocacy.
On domestic soil, South Africa, the first division we see is the racialised constituency division which is also reflected on political parties, other African states face the same division in ethnicity or religion. Although parties represent the full political spectrum, this spectrum can easily be divided along racial, ethnic, or religious lines. But the troubling case is observing the left black progressive party bloc deteriorating further in unity. Recent actions from the bloc is the launching of the Mayibuye consultation process which has gave birth to a new political party singing the same rhetoric as the uMkonto WeSizwe Party (MKP), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and the United Democratic Movement (UDM) amongst parties in the bloc.
What is it exactly that political actors advocating for African unity miss when it comes to ground implementation? Does it have something to do with power or it’s more of ideological dogmas?
The paradox is also found on the security crisis which the entire continent faces. The war in Sudan, the political instability inside the region of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the recently ended conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the persist conflict in Somalia are all conflicts that erode the call for African unity. What unity can we possibly have while parts of continent is up in arms against each other?
Moreover, Africa has a collective voice, the African Union (AU), which preaches African unity. Are we seeing a comforting response from the peace and security council of the AU in dealing with these unity impeding conflicts? What possible free continental trade area can Africa achieve in these ongoing conflicts amongst its members states?
Documents seem to be praising the African unity sermon more compared to the action leaders on the ground who are elected vanguards of implementation. This is the uncomfortable discussion that must take place in foreign policy conduct, so that we avoid a situation where we have good policy documents such as the AfCFTA and Agenda 2063 but lack in doing justice to the ideas and grand plans we have placed on paper.
-MediaHouse150
