African Politics in a Limbo

By
John Moono

The African political landscape has never been the same ever since the continent started interacting with descendants from other continents. Historians say precisely about 500 years ago, Africans had their first interaction with descendants from other parts of the globe.
The 1900s have a had a significant consequence on the course of life on the African continent. It was during this century that the Continent witnessed a “necessary evil” which was propagated under the auspices of the Berlin Conference. The Conference ushered in what is known as the Scramble for Africa which result in the formalization of the “necessary evil” called Colonialism. This was the first significant consequence of the 1900s albeit it has brought more negative consequences than the positive.
The second consequence of the 1900s is the period which saw many African States become Politically Independent. The period of Nationalism saw many African States become Politically Independent and the majority of leaders were indigenous Africans. This period saw the elite of African politics who had learnt democratic tenets from the Europeans and the Americans take charge of their countries. These gentlemen and women are heralded as heroes in their countries and on the continent for their efforts of attaining Freedom for the Majority Africans. These were so focused on the task of African Political Independence to an extent that they came together and form a continental body called the Organization of African Unity which now is called African Union.
58 years on, the African continent is in a state of limbo where to stick to the democratic tenets that they learnt from chiefly their colonizers or the Socialist Form of Governance mainly practiced by the Chinese and in the Far East which has seen these nations in the Far East catapult themselves to massive infrastructural and economic development.

Democratic tenets that the continent has practiced since the 1900s have resulted in high levels of underdevelopment, unequal distribution of nation wealth which has resulted in high poverty levels, disease and a widen gap between the politically exposed individuals and the electorates in their nations. This has led to many African States envy what is obtaining in the Far East. Many countries in the Far East were economically dependent on the Western world jus like many African States, have today turned the tide and are countries of Economic envy for many around the globe. It has often been said that the minds that created the problem can’t be the same minds that solves the problem.

All this massive infrastructural and economic development that has happened in the Far East particularly in Singapore and China is attributed to Leadership. This has made many African States to start having a rethink on what is best for their Nations. What is worth of note is that Politics and Business are two intertwined concepts. Both Politics and Business depend on each other and it is therefore, important Politicians are equipped with the necessary business ideas. Many African States have remained underdeveloped because the leadership in place have always distanced Politics from Business. The example of the Far East has given many African citizens to have a serious rethink. Leadership at the helm of the Nation should be both Political and Businessly astute. Only then can the continent see the unprecedented levels of Infrastructural and Economic Development like in the Far East.
African States, Zambia inclusive are in a state of limbo politically whether to stick or twist.

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