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Pan-African Postcard
RSS FeedTajudeen Abdul-Raheem and the tasks of Pan-Africanists
Horace Campbell
2009-07-16, Issue 442
In his tribute to the late Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, Horace Campbell points out that if Tajudeen could mobilise 7 million people to stand up against poverty in Africa, just think what all of us could achieve in the name of Pan-African unity and reconstruction. Buoyed by an inspirational life, Campbell outlines the tasks before the Pan-Africanist movement, highlighting the need to re-politicise Africa's youth along democratic, emancipatory lines in a spirit befitting Tajudeen's legacy.
Predatory leaders are destroying trades unions movement
Vincent Nuwagaba
2009-07-16, Issue 442
Beset by antagonism and lack of solidarity, both the Pan-African and the trades unions movements are letting down Africans, says Vincent Nuwagaba. The reason, Nuwagaba argues, is that there are two categories of members: Those that are 'genuinely passionate about the ideals, values and objectives of the movements, which are centred on social welfare, and those that seek personal and self-aggrandisement'. The movements must ‘extricate themselves from the claws of African predatory leaders,’ says Nuwagaba, who ‘promised too much upon capturing power and have destroyed too much instead’.
What is the real value of Africa's wealth?
Khadija Sharife
2009-07-09, Issue 441
What is the true wealth of nations? Do GDP statistics provide an accurate pointer to economic progress? Why are resource-rich countries, particularly in Africa, poor, while resource-poor countries in the North are prosperous? How does one assess the value of the ecology? Khadija Sharife analyses a startling report from the World Bank that sets out to answer some of these questions.
Tajudeen at the 2007 African Union summit
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-05-27, Issue 435
Capturing the spirit of his inimitable public-speaking style, this audio clip [mp3] of Tajudeen's comments at a debate on the union government at the 2007 African Union summit in Accra is a fitting testament to his ability to combine quick-thinking and humour when delivering a critical message.
I’m not signing up to that
Why no-one will ratify the AU charter on democracy
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-05-07, Issue 431
Its no surprise that the African Union (AU) can’t persuade people to ratify the AU Charter on democracy, elections and governance when not even the commisioners’ countries are prepared to do so, writes Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem. Although 28 nations have already signed up to the charter, they are not obliged to comply with it unless they ratify it. Nor can the charter come into force until it is ratified by 15 countries, a goal, Tajudeen suggests, that the AU is unlikely to achieve given the lack of ‘political will’.
Resisting another June 12 in Nigeria
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-04-30, Issue 430
Highlighting the relative strength of Kenyans' voting power despite the country's difficulties, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem contends that Nigerians have no illusions around their own votes. With Ekiti State witnessing the re-run of its local election following the Court of Appeal's 17 February 2009 ruling, the State Governor and People's Democratic Party's (PDP) Olusegun Oni faced Dr Kayode Fayemi of Action Congress (AC) on 25 April. Of national significance in potentially denting the PDP's near-monopoly of political power, the determination of electoral monitors to oversee a clean count led to their suffering a brutal attack by PDP thugs while en route back to the state capital Ado Ekiti, an attack observed with amusement by local police. While the intervention of a senior officer stopped the attack, the victims were then ludicrously arrested and detained over a 48-hour period in Abuja. This situation, Abdul-Raheem contends, is tantamount to a June 12 1992 – when Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida oversaw the forceful detention of a candidate he found unpalatable – at state level, the overall responsibility for which must lay at President Umaru Yar' Adua's door.
The Migingo dispute: Will diplomacy work?
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-04-23, Issue 429
cc WikipediaAs Kenya and Uganda face off over the sovereignty of the tiny Migingo Island in Lake Victoria, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem suggests explanations for why two previously highly cordial nations have allowed the dispute to escalate to such a degree. While Uganda echoes the view of the Kenyan government that the dispute should be solved diplomatically, Abdul-Raheem suspects Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's talk of peace belies military preparations behind the scenes. Kenya, for its part, has seen the opposite situation, with President Mwai Kibaki employing a typically 'hands off' approach while his country's media becomes increasingly frustrated and militant in its demands over how to deal with Uganda. If these 'patriotic' frustrations reflect deep dissatisfaction with the deficiencies of the Grand Coalition government, Abdul-Raheem states, they should not be permitted to spill over into calls for definitive military action or jeopardise wider East African integration.
Change at IMF overdue
Muadi Mukenge
2009-04-23, Issue 429
cc WhorangeIn an open letter addressed to US President Obama, Muadi Mukenge calls on his administration to enter into dialogue with African and Africa activists to address ‘how change can come to the IMF and other instruments of economic policy that the US supports’. Despite evidence that the IMF’s economic policies for Africa have left the continent worse today than it was 30 years ago, the G20 Summit has recommended the injection of significant funding into IMF to rectify endemic poverty in developing regions. Mukenge argues that if the G20 decides to prioritise new funding to the IMF to address an economic crisis – which in Africa dates 20 years – the IMF’s ‘philosophy and modalities must change’.
An open letter to Ban Ki-Moon: Why Haiti can't forget its past
Richard Morse
2009-04-02, Issue 426
In an open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Haiti-based hotel owner Richard Morse warns that in its current state, HOPE, a textile act that Ki-Moon has expressed support for, will simply enrich Haiti's wealthy elite, without making any significant difference to the country's poorest. What's more he adds, its likely to spark further migration from rural to urban areas, unless economic growth is also stimulated in the countryside.
Corrupt leaders are mass murderers
Corruption more omnipresent than God
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-03-19, Issue 424
Following his involvement in a recent joint ECA–CODESRIA conference, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem reflects on his growing convictions around the importance of every individual doing their part to root out corruption in Africa. Suggesting that a collective policy of zero tolerance will be ultimately necessary, Abdul-Raheem urges Africa to look to many Asian countries for examples of how potential punishments can serve as effective deterrents.
Ending violence against women
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-03-12, Issue 423
Reflecting on the general progress on tackling gender-based violence on the African continent, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem argues that while enshrining women’s rights in law represents a positive step, it is in the actual implementation of the spirit of the law that genuine advances are achieved.
Mothers should not die giving life
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-03-05, Issue 422
cc. Pierre HoltzReflecting on some of the troublesome statistics around maternal mortality for sub-Saharan Africa, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem urges greater support for the continent’s women. Arguing that these statistics need to be humanised to fully illuminate their severity, Abdul-Raheem laments the lottery of geographical proximity in determining people’s access to effective healthcare, along with the tendency of the politically powerful to wholly ignore the needs of their citizens. Stressing that a bleak statistical picture is far more reflective of deficiencies in policy than an absence of resources, the author invites readers to join the UN’s Millennium Campaign.
The end of the capitalist error in east Africa?
Ronald Elly Wanda
2009-03-05, Issue 422
Financial turmoil is penetrating markets the world over, writes Ronald Elly Wanda. The impact, the author explains, will be seen in east Africa most notably in the fluctuating levels of financial aid, tourism and food pricing. Exploring the current economic situation in the UK and east Africa, Wanda suggests capitalism will never be the same again.
True solidarity: Notes on activism
Francio Guadeloupe
2009-02-26, Issue 421
Francio Guadeloupe explores the meaning of activism by reflecting upon personal encounters of human rights abuses in Brazil, South Africa, and the Netherlands. Narratives of discrimination and brutality lead Guadeloupe to believe that a clear split exists between activists in the West and the non-West, a split which we must work towards eliminating. Guadeloupe suggests that an activist recognises the equality of humanity; whether one demands the right to be perceived as human for oneself or for others, an activist, in so doing, demands human rights for all.
Respect term limits for democratic change
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-02-19, Issue 420
With Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez having successfully won voters’ backing through a referendum on the removal of official term limits, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem considers the dangers of allowing leaders of revolutionary clout to remain in power indefinitely. As a marked contrast from the country’s former imperially-backed political leaders, Abdul-Raheem points to the Chávez administration’s great achievements in health and education and continuing popularity with the poor. But if democracy is truly to function and sustain itself, the author argues, presidents must not be permitted to simply entrench themselves in power.
Africa’s ambivalent union
Tim Murithi
2009-02-18, Issue 420
Remarking on the apparent strangeness of electing a figure renowned for intolerance towards differences of opinion within his own country and support for militia groups around the world, Tim Murithi stresses that Muammar al-Gaddafi’s new appointment as chairperson of the African Union reflects internal competition within the union over the extent of its influence over its member states. Highlighting African leaders' ambivalence in electing a head of government not known for his commitment to democratic governance, Murithi wonders whether those voting for the Libyan leader were tacitly heralding ‘one of their own’, and concludes by arguing that instead of interminable debates over integration, the continent’s figures of authority should prioritise addressing their peoples’ impoverishment.
Gaddafi and African unity
Addis summit putting brakes on progress
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-02-05, Issue 418
cc. Andrew HeavensFollowing Muammar al-Gaddafi’s election as the African Union’s new chairperson, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem calls upon the long-time Libyan leader to promote genuine strides towards greater pan-African unity. Noting Gaddafi’s traditional support for minority groups and left-wing political causes across Africa and around the world at large, Abdul-Raheem argues that substantive achievement will rest on the ability of the new leader and the AU to effectively engage with pan-Africanists at all levels outside of the corridors of governmental power.
Yes we can!
Karen Chouhan
2009-02-05, Issue 418
Reflecting on her visit to Washington during Obama’s inauguration, Karen Chouhan discusses how the new president has transcended traditional divisions around race and gender. Saluting Obama’s campaign for never resorting to personal attacks or disparaging remarks, Chouhan hopes that the momentum generated behind the message of change will bear fruit in the form of progressively greater equal opportunities, opportunities which are the responsibility of all of us to work towards.
Obama cannot be our Saviour: We have to save ourselves
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2009-01-22, Issue 416
While calling on Obama to “pursue a policy change that we can believe in” Tajudeen also argues against our seeing Obama as a messiah who will solve all of the world’s problems. Rather his election should give “both Americans and the rest of us a chance to look at things afresh and probably find a solution that we can all live with even if it may not be perfect.”
The Africa that pushes back
Mukoma Wa Ngugi
2009-01-15, Issue 415
Offering a counterweight to negative images of an aid- and handout-addicted Africa, Mukoma Wa Ngugi discusses and commends the work of the local organisations around the continent. Often operating with minimal funding or media support, these organisations deserve to be the focal point in new approaches of genuinely helping those who help themselves, writes Wa Ngugi.
Ghana's electoral run-off
Nkrumah to the rescue
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2008-12-17, Issue 413
With Ghana witnessing elections broadly heralded as free and fair, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem considers the country’s enduring two-party political system. Arguing that John Kufuor’s outgoing administration simply owed its electoral success to a fortuitous set of circumstances, the author delves into the country’s post-colonial history and considers the persistence of the Danquah-Busia/Nkrumahist divide in contemporary politics.
Education for self-effacement in Kenya
A student’s view
Wangui Kimari
2008-12-17, Issue 413
Considering the ultimate limitations of instructing Kenya’s children in ‘civilised’ acts like eating a banana with a knife and fork at the expense of an education true to the nation’s history, Wangui Kimari wonders whether the current educational system simply upholds students’ self-effacement.
Liberation from ‘liberators’?: Uganda and the NRM
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2008-12-03, Issue 410
Though applauding the success of this year’s record-breaking Stand Up action on global poverty, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem wonders whether revitalising the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will simply amount to lining the pockets of a few individual African recipients in positions of power. Taking up the example of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Uganda, the author situates such latent misappropriation of resources within a broader problem of one-time liberation leaders lingering in power. Once a genuine force for changing the system, Yoweri Museveni’s NRM, Abdul-Raheem argues, have now become the system.
Regrets
J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
2008-11-26, Issue 408
J. Douglas Allen-Taylor reflects on the just concluded US presidential election and Barrack Obama’s victory. He ponders the historical significance of an African-American being elected to the White House. Through the lens of his forebears’ experiences as African-Americans and their views of the changing political landscape in the country, he underlines the fact that Obama’s election cannot escape the enduring effects of racial discrimination and segregation on the psyche of the American people.
Noisy western diplomats should learn to shut up sometimes
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2008-11-26, Issue 408
In this week’s postcard Tajudeen takes issue with what he calls ‘noisy western diplomats’ and their tendency to speak out injudiciously against the misdeeds of African governments. In the same vein, he deplores African envoys for their silence in the face of misrule and injustice on the part of host governments. He calls on African diplomats to stand true to the shared values on human rights, protection of the weak and vulnerable respect for the dignity of Africans, and not to abdicate this role to western diplomats.
Auntie Zeituni and Obama's African burden
Steve Sharra
2008-11-11, Issue 406
Reflecting on the media attention given to Barack Obama’s illegally resident auntie Zeituni in the run-up to his election victory, Steve Sharra explores what Obama’s presidential campaign has revealed about American politics. Identifying a noticeable shift in the way the now president-elect approached the issue of ‘Africa’ from his first and second autobiographies, the author argues that while a marked change may have occurred in civil rights in the US, much of the country retains established assumptions about the African continent. While Obama may personally understand the importance of changing the image of Africa and Africans in the eyes of Americans, change in this regard will prove a slow and deliberate process if it is not to antagonise sectors of US society thoroughly resistant to the idea of person of African ancestry leading their nation.
Rwanda vs. France: Who is trying whom?
France seeking absolution through judicial vendetta
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2008-11-13, Issue 406
Following the arrest of Lieutenant Colonel Rose Kabuye in Frankfurt, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem explores the core hypocrises and injustices underpinning France’s attempts to try a key figure in the Rwandan genocide. The author contends that France has since 1994 been attempting to wash its conscience through denial and counter-narrative, and that whatever one may think of Paul Kagame’s current regime the recent French indictments should never be mistaken for justice. Far from a move towards genuinely bringing an alleged player in the genocide to justice, Abdul-Raheem suggests judicial developments in the France reflect the guilt of a former imperial power with blood on its hands.
Obama makes hope possible again!
We can hope again and be courageous enough to embrace change
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem
2008-11-06, Issue 405
Following Barack Obama’s historic electoral victory, Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem reviews the new president-elect’s global appeal and comments on prospects for the future. Cautioning against any notion that Obama’s presidency will automatically reverse the fortunes of the poor and downtrodden, the author nevertheless celebrates the historic ascendancy of an individual whose own path will serve as a potent example for others around the world.
The world food crisis: a 'silent tsunami'?
Astrid von Kotze
2008-10-29, Issue 404
Questioning the validity of a description suggestive of an unpreventable natural phenomenon, Astrid von Kotze explores the factors behind the onset of an ostensible ‘silent tsunami’ driving the world food crisis. Addressing core issues around global disparities in consumption and problematising received Malthusian wisdoms, the author argues that food encompasses far more than the purchase of mere commodities, reflecting social relations, use of the environment, and control of resources.
What is America to me? Thoughts on the US presidential election
Mukoma Wa Ngugi
2008-10-22, Issue 403
With the US presidential election fast approaching, Mukoma Wa Ngugi offers his reflections on Barack Obama’s candidacy, George W. Bush’s exalted status within particular African countries and the future prospects for US-Africa relations under a new US administration. While asserting that Obama’s rise would scarcely have been possible in Wa Ngugi’s own native Kenya, the author contends that Africans must ultimately rely on themselves if the continent’s promise is to be fulfilled.
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