With a diversity in terms of culture, ethnicity, language and resources africa is an enjoyable habitat for human existence. One remarkable aspect is that whilst the African leaders are busy exploiting the resources and investing somewhere else, most of the Africans are tied to their television sets watching fantastic dramas and movies. Being a disturbance and a place of relief after a long day of hard work with little income. This is the most interesting part. But even though we are suffereing and characterised by poverty in the midst of affluence, there is hopa that one day Africa will emerge to the helm of the globe and shine and that is when the African child will have enough time to smile.
We are cognisant of the sufferings but do not undermine our ability to move a step ahead. We are born equal with the same level of intelligence and ability to peform duties, we are able to work for the improvement of our conditions and we will make it. Fellow Africans this is only but a challenge. We should not look at our shortcomings but concentrate on the potentialities of a better Africa where everyone enjoys the pleasure and peace offered.
The determination to move ahead should not be discouraged by some unscroupulous personalities in our midst, who hold with them illicit ideologies aimed at destroying our continent. No matter the magnitude of the problem there is always room for success that is what we have to achieve.
My dear colleagues, Mr Innocent Lokote, Victor Lokamba-Kahudi, Heritier Yemba None, Fidele Otshudi, Omba Okito and many others, here is the opportunity for us to move ahead. We sahll change a rugged terrain to a smooth and gentle plain for the goodness of our continent and fellows.
Albert Otshudi Longe
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Paradox of Africa
Despite the well known fact of Africa being rich, it is a shared view that most people in Africa are still living under extreme poverty. The issue is complex, some personalities take a considerable amount of time blaming others for their failure to achive certain desired goals. Black painting should be clearly pointed to be a misnormer detrimental to African communities. People can not think further and act for the improvement of their livelihoods simply because they want to blame others. If one can not provide a solution, then it makes no sense to waste time shouting about it.
The riches of Africa are being exploited for the benefit of only a few priviledged personalities. The populace is gaining nothing from these God-given resources. People work for no salaries and when given it becomes insignificant to human needs. What is thereby the necessity of being identified with a rich nation whilst living under extreme poverty.
The bottom line to these problems is that Africa is facing a leadership crisis. One wehich is bringing all these troubles. The leaders have changed their mandate from leading to ruling. Autocratic leadership characterizes African politics. The leaders breach the terms of the constitutions so as to ensure continued stay in office. Elections are rigged and oppositions are taken as the people ready to cause mayhem in the comunity. They are blamed for being traitors who invite foreigninterference in African politics. The leadership is no longer concerned with their sole mandate to lead poeple in a democratic way to prosperity, they are now concerned with enriching themselves and making investments in foreign states at the expense of the local populace.
Africa is also facing a problem of corruption. This has reached levels beyond people's ability to handle. The situation has severe effects on the judiciary, securiy, economy, politics and social life. People share the view that corruption is a necesary evil given the situation that there is no other way that people can sustain themselves. The greatest issue is rather that of consciousness. People's thoughts have shifted from focusing on developemnt to underdevelopment. This calls for the need to institute educational programmes to inform people of the need for proper observance of ethical values regardless of the situation.
The contribution of the civil society to these problems is just too much. The civil society has been involved in the propagation for bad administrative morals. The civil society has lost its focus from being the mouthpiece of the majority to being partisans to the maladministration and governance. The civil society in Africa can be grouped with regard to the interests represented. The first group includes devoted civil society mebers who truly represent the people at all levels and work for the improvement of people's lives. The second group is comprised of shameful politicians who can not come to the open. They strongly believe that the best way to convince people of their ambitions and aspirations is through the civil society group. The last group is the most dangerous group to the African society because it represents the interests and is the mouthpiece of some political parties and the views of foreign states in African matters.
The complexity of the situation though not fully explained is that numerous people play a role to the current state of affairs, and that the game of blaming others for one's failure should be brought to an end. The alternative to this should rather be proposing and initiating policies aimed at the benefit of the population through the right nad appropriate structures.
The riches of Africa are being exploited for the benefit of only a few priviledged personalities. The populace is gaining nothing from these God-given resources. People work for no salaries and when given it becomes insignificant to human needs. What is thereby the necessity of being identified with a rich nation whilst living under extreme poverty.
The bottom line to these problems is that Africa is facing a leadership crisis. One wehich is bringing all these troubles. The leaders have changed their mandate from leading to ruling. Autocratic leadership characterizes African politics. The leaders breach the terms of the constitutions so as to ensure continued stay in office. Elections are rigged and oppositions are taken as the people ready to cause mayhem in the comunity. They are blamed for being traitors who invite foreigninterference in African politics. The leadership is no longer concerned with their sole mandate to lead poeple in a democratic way to prosperity, they are now concerned with enriching themselves and making investments in foreign states at the expense of the local populace.
Africa is also facing a problem of corruption. This has reached levels beyond people's ability to handle. The situation has severe effects on the judiciary, securiy, economy, politics and social life. People share the view that corruption is a necesary evil given the situation that there is no other way that people can sustain themselves. The greatest issue is rather that of consciousness. People's thoughts have shifted from focusing on developemnt to underdevelopment. This calls for the need to institute educational programmes to inform people of the need for proper observance of ethical values regardless of the situation.
The contribution of the civil society to these problems is just too much. The civil society has been involved in the propagation for bad administrative morals. The civil society has lost its focus from being the mouthpiece of the majority to being partisans to the maladministration and governance. The civil society in Africa can be grouped with regard to the interests represented. The first group includes devoted civil society mebers who truly represent the people at all levels and work for the improvement of people's lives. The second group is comprised of shameful politicians who can not come to the open. They strongly believe that the best way to convince people of their ambitions and aspirations is through the civil society group. The last group is the most dangerous group to the African society because it represents the interests and is the mouthpiece of some political parties and the views of foreign states in African matters.
The complexity of the situation though not fully explained is that numerous people play a role to the current state of affairs, and that the game of blaming others for one's failure should be brought to an end. The alternative to this should rather be proposing and initiating policies aimed at the benefit of the population through the right nad appropriate structures.
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