Western democracy failed, it is time for Pan-African movement to gain the field.

The red, black, and green Pan-African flag designed by the UNIA in 1920.

Since Africans gained independence from Europeans colonization, we(Africans) started struggling to walk in Europeans footsteps by implementing western democracy which we were taught that is unshakeable pillar for human rights.

In this way, voices of our brethren Africans such as Nkameh Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara and Mwalimu Kambarage Julius Nyerere which had been calling us to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all people of  Africa were ignored something which resulted in a pause of Pan-African movement even if OUA (Organisation de l’Union Africaine) launched in Ethiopia in 1963 based on this idea.

Earlier, Europeans and Americans carrying their democracy on shoulders killed Muammar Gaddafi of Libya then the country fell in chaos, they broke Ukrain into two parts, thousands of Syrians are dying after an Arab spring which was created and financed by these gods of the planet.

In USA, Republicans and Democrats are vying after Presidential election which was won by Donald J Trump on the other side people of Burkina Faso (un pays des hommes integre) are rebuilding their country slow by slow through Sankara ghost after they chased Blaise Compaore on power, Nelson Mandela uprooted and burnt roots of Apartheid in SouthAfrica and Rwandans are healing wounds of 1994 genocide against Tutsis.

By now, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and his compatriots around Africa are trying to re-activate the Pan-African movement in order to remind Africans that they are capable to build Africa for Africans, the idea borrowed from Nkrumah, Sankara, W.E.B du Bois heritage.

Undoubtedly Africa with solidarity, unity of 54 states with one target of promoting home grown solutions and aim to confirm their names before Europe and America will reach a bright future but it is difficult to be achieved while Africans are still leaning to foreign aids. Yes, aids helped us and help to strengthen our lives but it is time to ask ourselves what do we need aids for?

Africans should learn how to use opportunities which occur in Africa

In order to build a strong Pan-Africanism,  we need at first to build a wealthy Africa with strong industries which  process our natural resources into Products that we need. 

African countries said to be poor yet African continent  is rich in minerals and many other different natural resources, Africans need to tackle mentality says that Africa can’t exist without European industries because not to have equipment doesn’t mean to be poor while you have resources of all kind. Thanks to President Paul Kagame for the idea of promoting #Made in Rwanda.

Removing blocks

Africans live in blocks where there are franc-phony block, Anglo-phony block and Arab block even if we are all Africans. So we need to delete in our mind the issue of being located in Arab region, French colonies and English colonies because these boarders of language make Africans to have different understanding on Africa continent.

So you can’t say that you want a one unified Africa while you still believe in your block however I support South south cooperation idea. 

It is time for Africans to believe in Pan-African movement because western democracy which we imitated for so long in past shows that it is not uniform for all people as President Kagame says it every day even though to have government by the people, for the people is not a bad idea and we need to believe in ourselves because we are people who have power, who can make power and ‘’Pan-African movement is our power’’. 

KARANGWA Janvier is a student at University of Rwanda, Journalist and Blogger