Maravi

Mhango cautions over united Africa dream

Mhango cautions over united Africa dream
Written by Bivan Saluseki
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 7:48:35 PM

FOUNDATION for Democratic Process (FODEP) president Stanley Mhango has called for a cautious approach in the course of projecting the dream of a United States of Africa.
Mhango yesterday said although the idea of a United States of Africa was a step in the right direction, its major aim should be to provide a platform through which the economic and political aspiration of the African people are met.

He said the dream, if concretised, could be a vehicle through which a 'bulwark' to peer the more integrated and cohesive European Union and the United States of America would be provided.

However, Mhango said some challenges needed to be met.
"We urge the proponents of this concept to note that in a contemporary world, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the most important distinction among the people to a large extent, especially in Africa, is not ideological, political or economic but cultural. Most Africans define themselves in terms of ancestry, religious, language, history, values, customs and institutions, cultural groups and tribes," he said.
Mhango appealed to those championing the idea to make a more rigorous analysis of the concept of a united states.
"They need, among other things, to undertake a comprehensive review of Africa's peculiar historical background because the debilitating conditions affecting the continent today are dictated by historical forces namely trans-Saharan/trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonial domination and conquest which made Africa to be in a perpetual state of socio-economic paralysis," he said.
Mhango said for the dream to be realised, there was need to address the challenge posed by the situation where the economies of the African people were tied to the apron strings of the colonial masters and Western world creating a situation of dependence, a relationship that was tilted in favour of the colonialists.
Mhango said another issue that needed to be addressed was the legitimacy of the present crop of leaders in Africa, especially those championing the dream, since the continent was filled with pseudo-democrats, sit-tight rulers, dictators and autocrats.
"Africans cannot afford to keep their destiny in the hands of such crops of leaders," he said.
Mhango said there was need to address the political will to undertake fundamental reforms of various African policies, which seemed to be lacking.
"In the absence of any other convincing arguments, the proponents of this dream may be living an illusion," said Mhango.

Labels: FODEP, PANAFRICANISM, STANLEY MHANGO

posted by MrK @ 7:48 PM