By Nfansu Camara, Sandu Kuwonku
In May 2013, the Organization of African United, later renamed the African Union, assembled in Addis, Ethiopia, as they commemorated the 50 years of the organization since its establishment in 1963 under the inspiration of stalwarts such as Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, the host Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and among other pioneering leaders.
Under the administration of Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the then chairperson of the Africa Union, the African heads of state and governments drafted and manufactured the Africa Agenda 2063, which is a continental instrument intended to marshal the ship of the continent in a prosperous direction. In the same year, the African leaders recognized and collectively took the seldom obligation of silencing all guns by 2020. Was it a decorated proclamation with no merit? The interior portion of the article will provide a befitting response to that.
In its prescriptive appearance, Africa suffered unending conflicts and military interventions after the continental festival in the year 2013. The continent started bleeding profusely due to failed promises and the incapacitation of leaders who were forerunners of this giant step in pushing the agenda forward. Was the political baptism made in 2013 to silence all guns implemented?
Moreover, it’s not lost on me that there’s ongoing political instability in eastern Cameroon, Senegal, Sudan, South Sudan, and other countries unmentioned. This is a clear demonstration of the incapability of African leaders to silence guns at the appointed timestamp in 2020. It’s nothing but an MMickey Mouseseldom vow that was/ is still in a coma, and no medical prescription has been made to restore its condition to normality.
As we witnessed military takeovers and uncountable political brouhahas after the congregation of African leaders in Addis Ababa in 2013, it will be eternally justifiable to say that the so-called continental instrument that fights against any political hooliganism and military interventions was just a mere political pronouncement for solidification at the helm of political leadership. No constructive step has been explored to silence guns by 2020!!. Why?
The question to be posed is, why have African leaders failed in silencing guns by 2020 as uniformly vowed in 2013? It has been unendingly demonstrated not once, not twice, that those at the helm of political leadership do not have the zeal and penchant to prioritize their people’s needs and aspirations. As the primitive saying goes, “When you intentionally hit the ball at the wall, it backfires.” The citizens have waited far too long because the avenue through which their voices could be heard meaningfully, the ballot box, is rigged. This is another reason why the mantra to silence guns by 2020 failed and failed woefully.
Recently, Africa witnessed over five military takeovers to uproot democratically elected governments and destabilize the constitutionally established order. It started in Guinea, spearheaded and escorted by military loyalists; it continued to Mali; then Burkinabé, Niger, and Gabon hijacked the electioneering process and declared the results that triumphed the president over null and void. The seldom vow of silencing all guns is subjected to rigorous diagnostic procedures to authenticate the essence of it being seldomly taken and what positive advancements were made.
Furthermore, it’s admissible to say when it comes to signing international and continental instruments, African countries were never behind, but the operationalization aspect of it is always questionable and mostly unattainable. Words should be matched with actions!!!.
In addition, the Africa Agenda 2063 was not the only continental instrument. The Lagos Plan of Action in 1980 was signed and ratified, the Africa Convention for Combating and Preventing Corruption was signed and confirmed, the Africa Continental Free Trade Area that allows Africans to trade within Africa was signed and approved, and all other instruments. Why have they all failed?
Africa will continue to go downward Only by decolonizing our minds and bringing political hygiene into our body politics.
