THE West’s regime change agenda in Zimbabwe is spreading to other countries in Africa.
This is no paranoia, but a fact.
Zimbabwe is suffering from a marauding West hell-bent on effecting regime change.
Africa is suffering from the menace of pliant regimes.
Which way Africa, is the question confronting progressive minds as the continent celebrates its 60th anniversary.
In the beginning was the vision to steer Africa from the murky depths of colonialism and to an empowering state of unity among African nations.
This was a vision driven by the likes of the great Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, the inspirational Modibo Keita of Mali, the mercurial Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt, Sekou Touré of Guinea, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Ben Bella of Algeria, Emperor Haile Selasse of Ethiopia, William Tubman of Liberia, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and many others who were inspired by the pan-African Movement.
One of the major objectives of the then Organisation of African Uinty (OAU) (now African Union) was to promote understanding and co-operation among African States.
The formation of the OAU was in response to the aspirations of brotherhood, solidarity and unity transcending ethnic and national differences.
Their main objectives were to rid the continent of vestiges of colonialism and apartheid, to promote unity and solidarity among African States, to co-ordinate and intensify co-operation for development, to promote internal co-operation and to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Africa.
So where is Africa getting it wrong? In Zimbabwe, we have CCC, formations sponsored by Western powers to dismantle the aspirations of the liberation struggle.
CCC wants to negate the historic Land Reform and Resettlement and the ongoing Economic Empowerment Programmes.
But they are not alone in this battle of delivering neo-colonialism.
There are several other entities of a similar nature across Africa. These are paid to do the bidding on behalf of their masters from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Nkrumah taught us in one of his autobiographies that: “I have never regarded the struggles for the independence of the Gold Coast as an isolated objective but always as a part of a general world historical pattern.”
In his memoirs he said: “Ghana’s independence is meaningless, unless it is linked with every inch of African territory.”
In his address at the founding of the OAU, Nkrumah said: “Only a united Africa functioning under a union government can forcefully mobilise the material and moral resources of our separate countries and apply them efficiently and energetically to bring a rapid change in the conditions of our people.
Unite we must.”
Are we united as a continent, as one people of Africa? Are we living the dream of our founding fathers?
Amilcar Cabral, one of Africa’s finest thinkers, said in his famous speech, ‘Destroy the economy of the enemy and build our own economy’ in 1965: “Keep always in mind that the people are not fighting for ideas, for the things in anyone’s head.
They are fighting for material benefits, to live better and in peace, to see their lives go forward, to guarantee the future of their children.
National liberation, war on colonialism, building of peace and progress – independence – all that will remain meaningless for the people unless it brings a real improvement in the conditions of life.”
As we celebrate Africa’s 60th birthday, the question that should burden our minds is: Are we living the dream of our founding fathers?
I am happy that Zimbabwe is leading the way.
