Africa must rise to defend herself

Thursday 11, marked the beginning of an international wave of outrage that grew tremendously, especially from people of African descent (Haiti, South America) against US president Donald Trump’s shithole’ remark.
In the wake of such statements by a president, whose government is appreciated by many African countries, puts out of sight the entirety of Africa recognising only the suffering plea and not every aspect of the continent. The statement is clearly for those whose cannot understand that this land cannot be contained or defined by categories that exist in our minds. Africa must redefine herself!
Recently, the government of Uganda came up with a policy of Buy Uganda Build Uganda. The President directed that all government ministries, departments and agencies to procure goods and services locally whenever appropriate in order to support the local enterprises and also as a strategy to support transformation of our country.

We have prominent businessmen and women, who have endured the hard times , succeeded and currently employ thousands of Ugandans. We certainly need many more Ugandans, who can create jobs and become billionaires. Trump’s statement is awake up call to the leadership of African countries to stop shrugging and trading responsibility for pity. African leaders should not try to divide or limit themselves.

At the core of their service should be a struggle to smuggle in hope to untangle the rope of history, past injustices and the present fallacies that have robbed us of our true identity. United we must demonstrate our unbounded potential exhibited on the global scene.
I happened to have visited Libya with endorsement from President Museveni. I was coordinating the Afro-Arab Youth League of East Africa when the late Col Muammar Gadhafi was a president. He carried out one of the world’s largest irrigation project known as the great man made river to provide water for its citizens. If any Libyan wanted to start a farm, they were given a house, farm land, livestock and seeds all free of charge. A bursary was given to mothers with new born babies- a Libyan woman that gave birth was given $5000 to take care of herself and the child. Before Gadhafi, only 25 per cent of Libyans were literate and the figure was brought up to 87 per cent with more than 25 per cent graduating with university degrees.
All this is to remind us that it’s possible to turn our continent around. It is time for us to rise up, reintroduce ourselves to the world and make Africa claim its glory on the world stage.

But we need not to forget that nobody will give it to us on a silver plate. Our identity and heritage as Africans entirely depends on us. African leaders and its citizens should decide whether to be referred to as people from ‘shithole’ countries or to be welcomed on the world’s high table. For God and my country.
Allan Kajik, Nebbi