Dictatorships, tyranny and the fledgling fate of pan-Africanism

Following the lamentations on these columns last Sunday (‘Afrika’ week and the paradox of pan-Afrikanism’, we promised – for lack of space – to return to this rather important subject of our identity, personality, livelihood and indeed future survival as a peoples (Motherland and globally scattered), concluding rather mildly after the 5th Pan-African Congress (PAC).

While we briefly traced the contextual roots and emergence of pan-Africanism, we blurred immediately after independence, the formation of the OAU with its immediate challenges of neo-colonial scramble amid some, not so pan-Africanist leaders.

Whereas the 5th PAC (Manchester, 1945) almost certainly watered the seeding of early independence particularly for countries like Congo (remember Patrice Lumumba) and Ghana arguably considered the second stage of the Movement, the 6th PAC (Dar es salaam, 1974) represented the third stage; a number of African countries had received self-rule, the OAU had been formed and of import, it was the first congress to take place on Motherland Africa.

Hosted by Tanzania, the focus and challenges were around the apparent struggle against neo-colonialism (Nkrumah had been overthrown, Lumumba ruthless murdered, Obote overthrown) and, new faces of imperialist agents in the form of Mobutu Sese Seko and Idi Amin were on the scene.

Imperatively, there was urgency to pay attention to anti-imperialism, embrace consciousness around class struggle, social transformation and emancipation, national liberation and, national democratic liberation.

Summarised, keys were need for international appreciation and support for the struggles in southern Africa, alternative economic models to ensure non-exploitation by global capitalist interests and fulfilling the dream for total independence of nations in the Motherland and the Caribbean, translating these into real political freedoms and well-being of all the peoples.

That’s until the PAC went into limbo and resurrected in 1994 at Kampala. Driven by guys in town who were seeking national legitimacy and, a global base for relevance, the 7th PAC (April, 1994) was just about held with the backing of Uganda government and, Libyan dictator, Muamar Gaddafi.

Considering the nature and stage of the struggles, this congress was mixed in attendance. A number of would-be delegates boycotted with protests held, including in London where the first congress had been held in 1900.

The protesters argued, quite rightly, that with the invasion and occupation of Rwanda and Burundi, largely backed by Anglo-American interests, Gen Museveni and Col Gaddafi were both unfit to be associated with an organisation designed to liberate Africa from the yokes of those they were now serving. 

Not surprisingly, the organisation went into ‘hibernation’ for more than 21 years and to near death due to lack of coherent leadership and by 2013, serious questions of blurred direction, question of accountability and leadership transition from the Kampala team were central but luckily, it was rescued by the 8th PAC (March, 2015) held in Accra.

Later that year (July, 2015), Africa’s greatest son Barack Obama (his children are the epitome of global Africa) told the AU in Addis that Africa needs strong institutions, not strong men. How else would one - except for the sharp determination and might of imperialism – explain the pathetic failure of this continent to transform the concept and organisation that helped train, guide and support leadership for its independence into a global-body-of-identity-and-direction?

Shamefully, like the tragedy that befell Gen Katumba Wamala earlier this week, institutions and peoples of African descent continue to merely just about strive for survival. Wake up Africans, don’t agonise, organise!

The writer is a pan-Afrikanist and former columnist with New African Magazine

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