Africa’s pioneering Marxist political economist​

Samir Amin (1931-2018)

Patrick Bond

Samir Amin’s celebrated life was amongst the most trying, but also rewarding, of his generation’s left intelligentsia. Following Amin’s death in Paris on Sunday, his political courage and professional fearlessness are two traits now recognised as exceedingly rare. Alongside extraordinary contributions to applied political-economic theory beginning 60 years ago, Amin’s unabashed Third Worldist advocacy was channelled through unparalleled scholarly entrepreneurship when establishing surprisingly durable research institutions.

 

Samir Amin stands for people

Farooque Chowdhury

Samir Amin lives as long as peoples’ revolutionary journey moves forward. And, peoples’ revolutionary march is unending, as revolutionary advancement opens path for further revolutionary advancement. 

 

A primitive animal in London

In the memory of the Battle of Omdurman

Rabah Omer

Next month, the Sudanese people will commemorate the 120th anniversary of the Omdurman Battle, which is widely known in Sudan as the Kararey Battle after the name of its location, in the northern part of Omdurman. 

 

Afrocentricity: an important feature of Pan-Africanism

Adjei-Gyamfi

This essay seeks to explain why the concept of Afro-centricity has been an important feature of the Pan-African tradition. 

 

 

BlackKKKlansman: injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere

Biko Agozino

Spike Lee adopted the Africana tradition of story-telling in his award-winning film about a 1970s Black detective, Ron Stallworth (played by John David Washington, son of Denzel) who, as the first black cop in the city, infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and also infiltrated a radical Black Students’ Union in Colorado Springs and eventually helped to save the life of the female president of the students’ union (Laura Harrier).

 

Notes on the “July events”

Edwin Madunagu

For Nigerian Leftists currently studying or re-studying Nigerian politics, the month of July 2018 has offered fresh and interesting materials. But for me and some close comrades, what has so far happened this month further clarifies—not by any means solved—several existing problems that may here be grouped into four tasks.

 

Revisiting “the people’s revolution”

Edwin Madunagu

By “the people,” Leftists include, principally, “those people who do not exploit other people, but are themselves exploited; those who stand at the lowest point of the social ladder, those who are essentially excluded from the governance of their country; those who, strictly speaking, have little or nothing to defend in the present social order; and those who cannot liberate themselves without liberating society as a whole”. 

 

Western countries have supported Mugabe’s tyranny – not surprising to be behind Mnangagwa!

Tendai Ruben Mbofana

Over the past two decades, the world could have been hoodwinked by Western governments’ imposition of targeted sanctions on then Zimbabwean president Robert Gabriel Mugabe’s tyrannical regime, on the pretext of human rights abuses and electoral fraud. However, was that the real reasons for these targeted sanctions on Mugabe and members of his ruthless regime?

 

Zimbabwe incumbent President, ZANU-PF re-elected in historic poll

Abayomi Azikiwe

National harmonised parliamentary and presidential elections in the Southern African state of Zimbabwe were held on 30 July, but opposition forces rejected their outcome seeking to continue Western sanctions and attempted isolation.

 

 

Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections: The end of a neo-liberal beauty contest and the way forward

Lenin Tinashe Chisaira

The historic Zimbabwe presidential and parliamentary “harmonised’ elections of 30 July 2018 have just been concluded. The final results tally saw President Emmerson Mnangagwa getting 2,460,463 votes (50.8 percent), ahead of his nearest rival Nelson Chamisa who got 2,147,436 votes (44.3 percent). The 50.8 percent by the President meant he scrapped above the legal 50 percent plus one vote necessary to avoid a run-off election. 

 

Swaziland: elections without democracy

Peter Kenworthy

Swaziland will hold national elections on 21 September. But according to reports that examine the country’s last national elections in 2013 and many Swazis, Swaziland’s political system is undemocratic and only serves to keep its absolute monarch in power.

 

How to end the bully culture in America

Olurotimi Osha

Looking at the spate of rape allegations in the halls of power and trust – is it starting to make sense now that America has a long-established bully culture that has fed its pervasive rape culture?

 

The search for an elusive peace in the Horn of Africa

Abayomi Azikiwe

Major developments related to internal and external relations are taking place in Horn of Africa states. However, those new breakthroughs are threatened by western economic and military imperatives. 

 

Why Trump, not Russia’s Putin, is winning the Syrian War

Gerard Boyce

Judging by media and popular accounts, with all the inherent limitations therein and biases attached thereto, President Putin’s recent visit to South Africa for the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit was an overwhelming success. Based on the tone of commentary and analysis prepared thereon, President Putin is widely admired in South Africa and across the African continent for his strong leadership qualities, although not everybody agrees with his country’s policies. 
 

Why the attempt to assassinate Maduro?

Farooque Chowdhury

The attempt to assassinate Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela, has failed. This news is days-old, but the facts are reiterated here starkly. The event raises serious questions for “progressive” critics now in close collaboration with imperialism.

 

 

Towards the first Russia-Africa summit?

Kester Kenn Klomegah

After several years of high-level consultations, Russian President Vladimir Putin has finally hinted that Russia would organise its first Russia-Africa summit of African leaders and ministers to roll out a comprehensive strategic road map outlining concrete economic sectors for investment, issues relating to trade and culture for Africa.
 

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