Page 32 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 8

COMMUNITY

Even when you start building, you’ll discover that it’s not
just the terrain which is problematic, but the environment think that through the common-
itself which is caused by these insurgency groups, many of wealth they will manipulate us in
them which are homegrown, but are also now being funded a manner that doesn’t appear like
by gunrunners from different parts of the world, so conflict is manipulation but is manipulation
a multi-billion dollar industry, in fact, trillion-dollar industry nevertheless. The Portuguese will
and there are those who would want to see Afrika degener- not think that they will continue
ate deeper and deeper into the murk and mire of conflict. to manipulate us. The Spaniards,
with their little colony in Equa-
torial Guinea, must not continue
find that Somalia is divided into agriculture we are undermining our [to think] that they will do so, the
Puntland and Jubaland. You go to ability to invent and innovate and Italians and the Germans and the
Mozambique there is an insurgency to deploy resources into education, new kids on the block the Chinese,
in Northern Mozambique which to deploy resources into health, to pernicious to the core, pernicious
ought to receive the attention of the deploy resources into agriculture to the core. You now see them
world. If you go to the Democratic and to deploy resources in all these entering the continent of Afrika
Republic of Congo, Eastern part of critical areas that would see the con- through a multi-pronged approach.
Congo you know there are prob- tinent of Afrika, rise to her proper They are building stadia and infra-
lems, you go to Southern Camer- place in the scheme of things. It is structure but they are also coming
oon in Ambazonia, you know that urgent business, in my view, and in education. If you go to major
there is a problem, in Guinea, there when I hear the eloquent silence of Afrikan universities now you’ll find
is a problem, in Mali, Central Afri- the African Union, it saddens my something called the Confucius
kan Republic and it goes on and on. heart. Institute where they are teaching us
So when you find yourselves in a about China and our children are
situation such as this, it tells you IT IS HEARTBREAKING, BUT being encouraged to learn Manda-
that the environment in our conti- WHO STANDS TO GAIN rin. China, pernicious to the core.
nent is inimical to the things that we FROM THESE CONFLICTS The other one that we don’t talk
desire to do. If today, for example, AND CAN AFRIKA EVER RE- about as often as we should is India.
you wanted to move from Addis ALLY, TRULY KNOW PEACE India also must not be ignored and
Ababa in Ethiopia to Dakar in Sen- AND BREAK FREE FROM THE her subtle capacity. We must also
egal, by road or by rail, you can’t. EXTERNAL INFLUENCES not ignore the United States of
Even when you start building, you’ll AND MANIPULATIONS OF America, which is the international
discover that it’s not just the ter- THOSE WHO WANT HER RE- hegemon, which dictates to the
rain which is problematic, but the SOURCES FOR THEMSELVES? world what it ought to do.
environment itself which is caused There is not a single continent, And as long as we are disunited and
by these insurgency groups, many there is not a single people that we are weak, we will be manipulat-
of them which are homegrown, but have been so abused and ravished ed and that is why it gladdens my
are also now being funded by gun- like the Afrikan, but her spirit is heart when I listen to a number of
runners from different parts of the never say die. I believe that we have Afrika leaders. When I listen to
world, so conflict is a multi-billion the capacity and we have demon- Paul Kagame, my heart is glad-
dollar industry, in fact, trillion-dol- strated it time without number. The dened, because the size of Rwanda
lar industry and there are those who last colonial question is to cut the notwithstanding his self-esteem
would want to see Afrika degen- umbilical cord that we have with allows him to tell them that we
erate deeper and deeper into the our erstwhile colonizers and when can survive and we have survived
murk and mire of conflict. we say cut the umbilical cord we are without you. When I listen to John
Look at Nigeria, Northern Nigeria, not saying that we will not be part Joseph Pombe Magufuli, my heart
what is happening with the Boko of the world in terms of trade and gladdens because I now behold a
Haram and the Boko Haram has other relationships, but we will no man who thinks that he can do it.
affected that entire region in Cam- longer be puppets being dictated to And when I listen, occasionally to
eroon and in Chad and this cannot what to do. my friend who sometimes I think
be good, because we are generating The French should not think that should have left office, but has re-
internally displaced persons and they are the guarantors of the lives fused to leave office, Yoweri Kaguta
we are undermining agriculture of their former colonies. The subtle Museveni, sometimes it gladdens
and we are not only undermining and subterranean British must not me because you need boldness.

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