Keeping things real must be the first chapter of the book about contemporary Africa. Creating a socio-political space in which kinship and/ or partisanship would replace meritocracy was never the vision of generations before ours yet contemporary Africa has become just that; our forebearers laid their lives to fight colonialism and racism so that their generation and future generations could determine their cultural, religious, political and economic destiny. Social equity and individual liberties were their dream. They stood for an idea and country, not just the leader, they strongly believed, and rightly so, that a black African was no lesser human than a white European person, indeed they fought for equality before the law for all humans, not some.
Whether it is slavery or colonialism, black people are victims of intolerable discrimination and disenfranchisement, so they understand the pain better than anyone else. But how we configure our response to the injustices of these evil institutions will build or break us.
First, we must be patriotic to our countries; second, let us be rid of cultist politics and politics of identity that overlooks merit; this has often left us in a political loop where time and again we vote into power our abusers only because they look and sound like us. By patriotism we mean standing by the country, not the president or any other person in position of authority except where there is indisputable evidence s/he stands by the country. In short, it is patriotic to support the leader only to the extent that s/he efficiently serves the country; on the other hand, it is unpatriotic not to critic and oppose a leader when, through the abundance of their inefficiency or otherwise, s/he fails in his/her duty to stand by the country.
When things you hold high do not lift you up higher, let go. You cannot continue to have the back of leaders who do not have your back. Define in your own words what development would mean to you, your family, your community, and your country, and what steps would constitute progress. Even more important withdraw from politicians the perceived right to determine your limits and instead define your limits, lace up your boots and work with like-minded people to make politics work for you.
Let us not be distracted, a focus on elite manufactured hatred – primarily tribalism and racism, important as it is, serves as a deflection from the real power dynamic issues afflicting the average person. The biggest problem in Africa is the social class divide, there is an unmatched socioeconomic and political control by the elite, wealthy minority class in the face of an almost eroded middle-class and the working class unable to get by due to low pay and inaccessible resources.
To be on the right side of history and the right side of the future, this generation must take the responsibility to alter the architecture of our society. A change in the mentality of the average person is vital, disenfranchised from politics for years, the average African is not used to being an agency of political change and will often inadvertently pass that responsibility.
We must take an active role in local and national politics; we must demand more from politics and not be satisfied in a future where everyone gets by but in a future where everyone gets ahead. That journey must begin by the public declining derisory food parcels from political agents every election cycle and demand the enactment of laws that guarantee equal access to resources and opportunities so we can independently provide for our families every day.
Global socioeconomic and political institutions were never designed to benefit Africa, let alone the average African, they save their Western creators. Economic systems adopted from the colonial state used and not served the average African for the benefit of the colonial power and its white administrator resident in Africa. At independence the systems and institutions redirected their benefits to the black elite office bearer who again ignored the average person.
Redesigning economies so that no one is hindered and there is equitable distribution of benefits is essential. Instead of the elitist trickle-down project, bottom-up and middle-out economic policies must be adopted.
Information is critical in how we understand our world and respond to challenges. The media failed in its role as the arbiter and protector of the average citizen from misinformation, disinformation, and blatant lies of the elite when it took a liking to politicians and allowed its judgement to be corrupted by the corporate donor community, and its facts to be a function of the interests of the wealthy elite. Instead of embracing a patriotic stance and stand by the country and not the leader, the media paid homage to the leader; instead of critiquing policies, the media sang praises of leaders; instead of seeking accountability in the face of inhumane policies against certain population groups, the media vilified the victims.
We may never fully appreciate how much of the politics playing out in Africa is controlled by Africans. While there is no denying the influence of colonialism and imperialist forces, it is equally important that we confront internal causes. We must be forthcoming about the black elite motives in a political dynamic that perpetuates inequality. The elite hand in the politicisation of identity and the media to accrue power and divide the poor must be highlighted.
MTHWAKAZI INDEPENDENT 