On the enduring legacy of two African heroines

In one of the classic episodes of Jesus Christ’s ministry recorded in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus annoyed fellow Nazarenes on Sabbath day when he boldly and to the chagrin of the Pharisees proclaimed that he was the long-awaited Messiah.
As if to rub salt in the wound, Jesus added: “I am sure that you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ You will also tell me to do here in my home town the same things you heard were done in Capernaum. I tell you this, Jesus added, a prophet is never welcomed in his home town.” Luke 4: 23-24 (GNB)
I have no doubt that if Jesus lived in contemporary Uganda he would be arrested by security operatives of the corrupt and lawless regime, dragged to court and charged under some dubious law and whisked off to one of the regime’s dreaded “safe houses” where torture of innocent citizens is routine.

The above quotation from Scripture reminds me of Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Laureate, Wangari Maathai (RIP) and our own Dr Stella Nyanzi of Makerere University, two great and brave unsung heroines who rubbed big men of Kenya and Uganda the wrong way and paid dearly for speaking truth to power. They have, however, been recognised by sober minds and organisations within and outside Africa.
In 1977, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental organisation whose work put her at loggerheads with former Kenyan president Daniel arap Moi. In 2004, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace”.

After suffering many years of harassment, humiliation and imprisonment by the decadent Moi regime, president Mwai Kibaki rehabilitated Maathai and appointed her an assistant minister for the environment in 2003. She died of cancer in 2011. May her soul rest in eternal peace!
In the case of Dr Nyanzi, one of the most respected magazines in the world, The Economist, has published an article by her in the current issue of The World in 2018. The article titled, “Activism for Africa” appears on Page 94 of the publication and is, in my opinion, a must-read for all progressive forces in Africa.

Activism for Africa
The article begins as follows: “My homeland, Africa, is a complex collage of contradictions. Although our countries claim to be democratic, we also have military regimes masquerading as civilian democracies.” She does not mention the masqueraders, but your guess is as good as mine.
“Embezzlement and patronage make wealthy politicians wealthier as they siphon off public funds allocated to essential public services. Elections are often shams engineered to reinstate the incumbent.”

She concludes the opening paragraph with a scathing attack on donors and our development partners and writes: “The silence of foreigners makes them complicit in the misgovernment of Africa.”
I agree and urge foreign countries and institutions which are friends of Africa or sympathetic to the African revolution to stop supporting corrupt, decadent and anti-people regimes in Africa where greedy, mediocre and notorious dictators have turned the clock back and are systematically destroying the future of Africa’s women and youth.

Who can disagree with Dr Nyanzi where she argues: “Africans need to move beyond merely going through the motions of a multiparty election. Current practice too often involves an uneven contest.”
Citing recent examples, she continues: “By contrast, the re-election of controversial presidents, such as Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon and Edgar Lungu of Zambia took place in a climate of coercion. Opposition leaders were arrested, voters intimidated and the press controlled.”

In conclusion, Dr Nyanzi writes: “Eventually, eliminating corruption from Africa’s politics would reduce the need for citizens’ strikes and protests. It would also bolster the confidence of development partners who provide foreign aid and cooperation. A big push is needed in 2018.”
I would like to thank Dr Nyanzi and assure her that she is not alone in the struggle for a peaceful and just society in Uganda and Africa. Dr Nyanzi’s courage reminded me of something Jesus told his disciples. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of God who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” Matthew 10 v 28 (GNB). Aluta continua!