Africa Liberation Day - we are not a truly free people

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Africa Liberation Day commemorates the establishment of the Organization of African Unity on May 25, 1963, which later became the African Union in 2002. The day serves as a symbol of African unity, freedom, and independence from colonial rule. But we are not truly free from the yoke of colonial and imperial masters.

Even though institutions have been established to ensure Africa’s place at the table of diplomacy, politics, and trade, Africa can still be regarded as a colonised continent. The engine of the world is fuelled by African raw materials, which are extracted from the continent, processed elsewhere, and then sold back to Africans at a premium. Yet artisanal mining of these resources, a lack of labour protections, takes the lives of hundreds of Africans every year, subjecting them to conditions that are unacceptable on every level. It is nothing more than crass exploitation.

Where biomes that sustain the world ecologically are protected, African nations are not incentivised enough to ensure that this will be preserved. Rainforests, rivers, grasslands, and farmlands are subjected to the whims of capital with the assent and active collusion of political leaders, often with disastrous consequences as is evident in the oil-rich Niger delta.

African democracy, where it exists, is largely trapped in a paradigm of deference to global markets, indebtedness to international financial institutions, and reliance on other countries for defence and security. Africa is a slave to debt from institutions such as the World Bank and the IMF, who take their pound of flesh in the form of structural reforms and austerity, imposing an immoral regime in impoverished former colonies. The irony is that the wealth and lucre looted from Africa over centuries, and the riches that are generated from the cheap extraction of resources to this day means that Africans are being given their own money back as loans which would have to be paid back, or refinanced. It is a decrepit state of affairs.

Even now as we are dragged against our will into a new Cold War, geopolitical forces and imperial are dictating to sovereign African nations what we should think, do, and say. From the Cape to Cairo, such impositions on African sovereignty is a matter of course. In South Africa the US ambassador crashed the currency by making false claims of sanctions busting against South Africa. In Egypt, the US has dictated that no fly zones be imposed on enemies of the United States. The US has 22 military bases on the continent. It is a raw reminder that we live under the gun of imperialism.

Building Pan-African socialism in seven steps

The solution to these issues lies in building progressive institutions across the continent. Trade unions, grassroots movement, pressure groups on government, civil society that demands transparency from governments. The visions of Nkrumah, Selassie, Nyerere, Nasser, and Kenyatta cannot be completed without operating on the basis of a socialist society.

Socialist movements on the continent have been stifled. Leaders have been assassinated, and even now the leaders of grassroots movements are targeted by governments and police. Arbitrary detention of trade unionists and progressive leaders who resist imperialism is rife. To truly build socialism in Africa we need to commit to a long term program to implement the following steps:

Grassroots Mobilization and Participation: Building socialism requires the active involvement and empowerment of the people. Grassroots mobilization, community organizing, and inclusive participation are essential. This can be achieved through mass education programs, community-based organizations, and fostering a culture of democratic participation.

Redistributive Economic Policies: Addressing socio-economic inequalities is a core principle of socialism. Implementing policies that promote equitable wealth distribution, such as progressive taxation, land reform, and social welfare programs, can help alleviate poverty and reduce inequality.

National Sovereignty and Resource Management: Ensuring control over natural resources and strategic industries is crucial for economic sovereignty. African countries can adopt policies that prioritize domestic resource utilization, promote local industries, and curb exploitative foreign practices. This may involve nationalization or strategic partnerships to protect and develop key sectors.

Social Services and Human Development: Prioritizing education, healthcare, and social services is essential for human development. Investing in quality education, accessible healthcare systems, and social safety nets can contribute to building a more equitable society and empowering individuals.

Cooperative and Participatory Economic Models: Emphasizing cooperative enterprises and participatory economic models can foster collective ownership, decision-making, and worker empowerment. Encouraging cooperatives, community-based initiatives, and worker-owned enterprises can promote economic democracy and shared prosperity.

Pan-African Solidarity and Regional Integration: Encouraging regional integration and fostering Pan-African solidarity can strengthen African unity and collective efforts towards socialism. Collaboration on economic, political, and social issues can lead to shared development strategies and collective bargaining power on the international stage.

Democratic Governance and Anti-Corruption Measures: Establishing transparent and accountable governance structures is vital for socialism. Promoting democracy, strengthening institutions, combating corruption, and ensuring the rule of law are critical to building a just and socialist society.