Many Africans abroad continue to run Western economies – why are these people not developing Africa? Think of Boutros Boutros Gali (Egypt) and Koffi Annan (Ghana), all finest sons of Africa who became UN Secretary Generals. And what about Dr. Anna Tibaijuka (Tanzania) longest serving UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Habitat – the woman who exposed the brutality of Robert Mugabe during Operation Murambatsvina which dispossessed thousands of urban Zimbabweans.
Africa today is free from white colonialism; I have to say white because colonialism is still going on in African, black against black. In Zimbabwe and Sudan we still have both mental and physical colonialism. Mugabe has ruled for over 30 years yet still denies the people of Zimbabwe their right to freedom, often using security agencies to torture and persecute perceived opponents of the state. Free and fair elections are elusive, over 85% live under the poverty datum line.
What Africa needs is leaders that have the drive to rediscover African values and talents, use them to forge peace and development. South Africa has become a major power both economically and politically. Mozambique under Armando Guebuza has transformed a war-ravaged country into a peaceful and prosperous nation. Look at Botswanas jewel of Africa policy. I have a dream that Africa one day will be like Japan, China and India. Those countries that capitalise on harnessing their talent and achieving the millennium development goals. Come on Africa, you can do it! I hope and pray that when we celebrate the next Africa day in 2012, Zimbabwe will be free of its dictators.
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