Sunday, 23 October 2011
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
PAN-AFRICANISM AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WILL BE THE SEEDS OF EAST AFRICA COMMUNITY INTERGRATION
On 30th July 2011 Saturday, in Rwanda Kigali Kyciru area near the ministry of agriculture (MINAGRI) we had opportunity to participate in Rwanda monthly clean-up exercise called Umuganda (communal work) and thereafter listened to debates and discussion on the question of social development and Reconciliation in Rwanda as the government official and the village community leaders informed the people on the plans of the government in collecting statistics of the most poor people in the country to be enlisted in the social security program and education sponsorship, where some of the definition of the poor person was contested by the people who had gathered that day after communal work for discussion after the communal work and they informed the government official to review the description of the poor person as, in order to encourage the people to see their potential and dignity even in poverty, while the government was collecting the statistics of different economic classes in Rwanda during the communal work ,a challenge that Rwanda is struggling with to heal the wounds of genocide and political violence through social justice programs and reconciliation from the government of Rwanda under President Paul Kagame.
Although it took our courage to join the clean up as visitors in the area as we were inspired and encouraged by the beauty of Kigali one of the clean and safest capital city to walk even at night in East africa community and the new social development that is shaping social change and reconciliation in Rwanda from the history of genocide that has left the horrible scar in Africa and the world in the 21 centaury. I and my colleague fellows with Fahamu Pan-African fellowship program in East africa placement in Rwanda attached to Ishyo community Arts and cultural centre , a community centre that was started by Rwandese women to support youth in culture and arts for social justice , On our arrival that day at venue of community communal clean up exercise at around 9.30 am, although we were late, as the clean up had started an hour ago, we were welcomed and encouraged by a student and a resident of Kyciru area a place that 4000 Tutsi were massacred in 1994 genocide and today bubbling with middle class and tourist guest houses sandwiched in between by low income houses that remind you of growing inequality in the new Rwanda . To welcome us was Mr. Innocent Rukundo and his younger brother who we found at the end of clean-up line and later helped us to interpret some of the discussion that were being conducted in Kinyarwanda, and sometimes in Kiswahili, after the clean-up exercise where organic debates and discussion take place on reconciliation and social development in reflection of the history of genocide and developments plans a form of participatory dialogue that anchored on the communal work,Our friends and the residents of Kyciru area who we spoke to were very happy and encouraged in our spirit to join them that day in the communal clean up as it was not usual to see visitors coming from their guest houses and joining the communal clean-up that is done monthly nation-wide in Rwanda as symbol of reconciliation and healing from the history of the genocide.
Rwanda and Burundi are the new members of the East africa community from the Great lakes region which bring in to the community another tortured history of genocide in Rwanda , Civil war in Burundi and in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and complex crisis of refugee with unresolved historical injustices and question of nationality of millions of people in DRC Congo , Uganda, Rwanda , Burundi , Tanzania and recent addition to this problem is new state of Southern Sudan which has made its intention to join the East africa community with its history of civil and refugee, Most of the Great lake region crisis is due to colonial boundaries and false constructed political identities by imperialism and the africa ruling elite that continue to fuel tension and poverty in the region which is endowed with great natural resources of minerals, like Coltan Cobalt, timber, diamonds gold, and rich agricultural land with underground oil fields , fresh water lakes , and permanent rivers that flow to the great River Nile the livelihood of great Egypt that can be harnessed to bring social development in the region and humanize the millions of African peoples in this region from the history of exploitation and death from poverty linked diseases , political violence and civil war for many years.
The Umuganda the communal clean up in Republic of Rwanda dates back to the historical customs of the Banyarwanda people and the ideas of developmental states that was championed by africa independence movements, The developmental state in africa nationalist movement had fused the custom and the culture, with colonial inherited states structures during independence in creating the state as centre of politics and as instrument of social development, and hence the history of Umuganda a form of Africa socialism that was borrowed from custom and africa cultural values of solidarity with the family and the community, that in africa village a peasant who was in need of house and shelter he was required by customs to prepare the traditional brew and food and thereafter make an invitation to the community members in the village in for communal work to build the house and cerebrate the opening of the house with food and traditional brew what Mwalimu Nyerere called Ujamaa, or Harambee in Kenya that was abused by new Africa ruling elite.
On this date of 30th July 2011 in Rwanda President Paul Kagame had invited Uganda president Yoweri Museveni on four days state visit to which both participated in communal work in community clean up and construction of schools buildings in Kigali , what the two described as modern day Umuganda to advance social development and integration in East Africa region, a Visit that was politically pregnant in cementing their historical political relationship since the souring of the diplomatic ties between the two President who are authors of second liberation guerrillas and Pan-Africanist alternative politics in the region , that removed the regime of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997 of former Zaire today the Democratic Republic of Congo by supporting the rebel movement in Eastern DRC Congo lead by Prof. Wamba Ndia Wamba and Laurent Desire Kabila senior in 1996-1997 who struggle with Mobutu regime dated back to the days of the first Prime minister Patrice Lumumba, this political intervention that overthrow dictator Mobutu who was USA Protégé for 30 years in power during the era of cold war, was hailed by Mwalimu Nyerere as an Africa intervention in africa problem as he did himself with Uganda Idi Amin regime , It is during this time of joint political intervention by Uganda and Rwanda army in DRC Congo in 2000 when tension erupted between the two armies due to conflict of interest in DRC Congo natural resources that lead the infighting of the Rwanda and Uganda Army in DRC Congo soil , which planted the seeds of mistrust between Kagame and Museveni that slowed down their political friendship, and undermined Pan-Africanism political ideology for East Africa integration.
The Rwanda monthly communal work , manifested in the Kigali capital the clean and secure beautiful city in africa today carry with itself the redemption cross with wounds, and painful historical memory of the Rwanda genocide, as symbolized by Kigali genocide memorial centre, where in reflection during the 1994 genocide Umuganda custom of communual work was invoked by Hutu youth militia Interahamwe as call to invite the Hutu to participate in communal work to massacre Tutsi and moderate Hutu who had refused to participate in the Massacre of the Tutsi , as Prof. Mamdani Books writes in his book When the victims became killers , Colonialism, Nativism and the Genocide in Rwanda, page in page 194 that local official were instructed to kill Tutsi as part of their communal work obligation, where killings came to be referred to Umugunda ‘’ during the prelude to the 1994 genocide. not only the customs and culture were used during the killings even the shared historical ecology of water system rivers was invoked to drive hate, and destruction of life , as one leading genocide ideologue a Canadian educated linguistic named Leon Mugesera had called the elimination of Tutsi as final solution to retain the Hutu elite power and advised that the Tutsi be returned to Ethiopia , from where they had come from, “invoking a colonially produced native history that was created by Belgium, catholic missionaries and Germans imperialist Anthropologist about Banyarwanda people who had common history and identity of several clans and hence constructed the Tutsi and Hutu as different political colonial Identity and nationalities in divide and rule tactics “ during scramble of africa in 1884 in Berlin conference . In 1994 genocide the Tutsi were said to be returned from their colonially created original home dead through River Nyabarongo , which feeds into the great River Nile , As we visited Nyamata church genocide memorial site where 45000 people are buried, A long the way back as we left Nyamata trading centre I inquired from the students of senior 5 of Nyamata high school who had joined us in the bus after the end school term the name of the river as we passed through, Which they readily answered to me that it was called River Nyabarogo, the river has well cultivated farms around the river banks of Bananas, cassava, and fresh vegetables ,which is giving hope, of Rwanda healing from the wounds of 1994 Rwanda genocide hopes that the life manifesting mother Earth clothed by rivers, forest and fresh water lakes of region that is shared by Africa people in Rwanda is giving life back to humanity that was visited by hate of politically constructed colonial identities and boundaries by Belgium imperialism the origin of Hutu and Tutsi false political identities that divided the Banyarwanda peoples who had common language , culture and history the colonial boundaries that defined the Germans and Belgium imperial powers and their sphere of influence which divided africa people and communities from their cultural and ecological heritage and planted seeds of self-destruction, that has brought the region in this social upheavals through divide and rule tactics during the scramble of africa in Berlin conference 1884 when German East africa took Rwanada –Burundi as their colony and there after the Belgium took over from German when they were defeated in the first world war. The colonial division and boundaries in africa today continue to fuel citizenship crisis of refuge in the Great lakes region, which continue to undermine the quest East africa community integration, and social development , for peaceful existence, which can only be healed by Pan-Africanism vision that advocate for africa unity and liberation of the masses, from neo-colonial poverty and boundaries, that divide our people.
The president of Uganda who had four days visit in Rwanda, to cement the historical relationship between Rwanda and Uganda, although they did not unpackaged their joint press communiqué on the agenda of first tracking the East africa community and the question of community political federation there are number of challenges facing the East africa community which today population is about 120 million people within five members states that make the community this being Rwanda , Burundi, Kenya ,Ugandan and united republic of Tanzania, the challenge of building democratic institution and culture of rule of law within the region is paramount which can guaranteed participatory democracy, social development in the East africa community . The President of Uganda and his comrade Paul Kagame have their political friendship dating back to the history of colonial constructed boundaries and the regional refugee crisis of Great lakes region , When Paul Kagame at the age of 3 years old and other thousands of Banyarwanda peoples were forced into refugees in Uganda from the Rwandan post- colonial crisis of 1959 that overthrew the Tutsi despotic feudal monarchy that were used by Belgium colonialism to exploit and plunder Rwanda territory and divide the people.
The political relationship of the two president was forged and strengthened by the founding father of East africa community and great Pan-Africanist Mwalimu Julias Kabarage Nyerere , Where the president of Uganda and Rwanda and many political and intellectuals leaders in East Africa become beneficiary of Mwalimu Nyerere social- economic infrastructure of (Ujamaa) and Pan-Africanism contact in Africa and the region that helped to incubated, Africa liberation independence and intellectual movements in Africa. Dar es Salaam University laid formative stages and development of National Resistance Movement (NRM) which was a peasant guerrilla movement (NRM) that removed the fascism regime of Idi Amin in Uganda through support from Tanzania Army under the President of Tanzania the Late. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, later the Uganda comrades under Yoweri Museveni government and NRM after taking power in Uganda in 1986 they supported Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) That was lead by Mojor Paul Kagame and the Late Fred Rwigyema a guerilla Pan-africanist in Africa and many Rwandase national who were in political exiled and refugee in Uganda and a number of them had participated in Ugandan liberation movement with (NRM) which helped them to launch a liberation movement in Rwanda, in 1990,that resulted to Rwanda Arusha accord agreement of power sharing in 1993 between RPF and the Rwandan government of late President Juvenel Habyarimana who was assassinated in 1994 with the President of Burundi when their plane was brought down in Kigali by Hutu Extremist that were opposing the power sharing with RPF in the Arusha Accord , this lead the wave of genocidal killings where 800,000 peoples and more were killed, and later the crisis of refugee in Eastern Congo that subsequent lead a civil war in Democratic republic of Congo (DRC) that was still under Mobutu Dictatorship.
A generation which fails to build a society which its children are proud of to inherit is a failed generation , and duty of our youthful generation in East africa community as Pan-Africanist is to hand over to future generation a better East africa community to inherit without hate, poverty , colonial boundaries and destruction of life that has been hall mark of East africa community in the last few decades, and it is very sad to understand that before the Kenya-post election violence where a thousand and more people were killed in 2007 a number of high level delegation of political class and human rights organization had made visit Rwanda genocide memorial centre’s to warn themselves about the politics of hate and divide and rule ethnic chauvinism ideology that continue to shape Kenya politics even today even after the crisis of 2007/2008 that ended up with imperialism intervention in the name of international criminal court( ICC) in Hague where six suspect named Ocampo six are appearing on various charges of crime against humanity in 2007 Kenya Post-election violence , which expose the East Africa Community as nothing but a tool for neo-liberal free market forces that cant intervene in the question of political , social and criminal justice issues that affect the community, this also is shown by Kenya state failure to support the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda which is based in Arusha Tanzania to deliver Felician Kabuga one of the Rwanda genocide criminal who financed genocide propaganda in 1994 believed to be hiding in Kenya and protected by the political ruling class that are in complicit partners in Business interests , this even after the tribunal in Arusha requesting Kenya state to honor its obligation in international law and corporate with tribunal.
The dream of original East Africa community was inspired by Mwalimu Nyerere, and its founding vision in 1967 was of Pan-Africanism , ant-imperialist and nationalist in its political character and ideology . The Treaty of establishment of East africa community that was signed in 1999 by the original three partner states of Kenya , Uganda and Republic of Tanzania, to revive the community was inspired mostly by neo-liberal free market economy and anchored on selfish-interest of chauvinism nationalism between the states and greed of market forces in the name of competitiveness which continue to boil tension with the five states while undermining the original dream of East africa community that was grounded social justice anti- imperialist Pan-Africanism and solidarity of our people, most of the project within the East Africa community today are petty and mostly donor funded that even the East africa community secretariat operate through charity from Imperialist donors, which is a great shame to the leaders in the region. The original East africa community was united by strategic public investment which were community flagship that advance social development in the region, and created contact between the people of East Africa, among this was the East Africa Railway and Harbours that connected , Nairobi , Kampala, and Dar es Saalam , the East Africa Post and Telecommunications and the East Africa Airways, Makarere and Nairobi University which Mwalimu Nyerere was one its Chancellor in East africa and Dar es Saalam University the intellectual hill that was ideological centre of Pan- Africanism movement and political hot bed of africa liberation movements struggle that helped to forge and incubate a new generation of Pan- Africanist political leader and progressive intellectual before the community collapsed in 1977 due created political instability in Uganda by British imperialism economic interest in the region, that had created Kenya as its outpost of western interest, to undermine the Pan-Africanism dream the history of mistrust that continue to fog the community intergration
Mwai Kibaki . Yoweri Museveni Jakaya Kikwet , and Paul Kagame all are beneficiary of original East Africa community social-economic and higher of education infrastructure and they have failed to live that dream of Pan- Africanism movement integration for and improved livelihoods, healthcare, education for all and free from hunger for people of the region as Mwalimu Nyerere envisioned today the region is prone with famine , refugee, poverty related diseases , Nairobi , Kampala and Dar es Salaam are capital cities clothed by slums of poverty , garbage, street families and darkness due to luck of electricity connection that is slowing the industrial and social development in the region while community unity continue to be in danger due to tension of territorial fanaticism of colonial boundaries like Migingo Island in Lake Victoria, between Uganda and Kenya due to failure of a political leadership in the region to think beyond their colonially constructed boundaries and greed of neo-liberal commercial interest and political elite in the region that continue to undermine Pan-Africanism political movement dream that can be the seed of community integration and development, Uganda and Kenya continue to waste resource in surveying and mapping the waters of Lake. Victoria to affirm the colonial boundaries while stationing the paramilitary police brigades in the in the small islands in the largest fresh water lake in Africa that continue to waste resources and intimate small fisherman who cross the colonial boundaries while fishing , in the same time the leaders in East Africa continue to speak about East Africa Common market and single custom union and political federation, for Multinational companies in East Africa.
As poems , traditional songs, dance, night comedies , and theatre artists, played in Rwanda Revenue Authority theatre Hall from 4th august 6th 2011 from different countries , that were attending a three days centre by centre theatre and artist annual festival in Rwanda that was organized by Ishyo arts community centre and Interdisciplinary Genocide studies centre the question of many young people Artist , theatre performance and dancers who were attending the annual theatre festival from Congo DRC , Rwanda Burundi and Uganda Kenya was who is nurturing the future Pan- Africanism leaders of the East africa, and healing the wounds of civil war , plunder and pillage of africa naturals resources, notable on this was the performance, by a dance group named Inshoza Dance troupe from student of Rwanda – Butare national university who said poems on Pan- Africanism and songs about africa culture passed from generation to generation through dance steps, Where it invites all Africans to regain the ownership of their culture and thus build their continent that has been facing all sorts of neo-colonial division and violence.
The effect of neo-liberal dictatorship on political, economic and academic sphere in East Africa community that preach liberalization of trade , privatization of national resources and assets and comodifications of social services e.g education and healthcare , has left East africa community exposed to greed of market forces and exploitation , in the region that has left the masses boiling with anger. Today in Kenya the question of maize and maize flour that is staple food for the majority rural poor and urban proletariat has invited street demonstration and picketing in government offices to demand reduction of the price of essential commodities that has skyrocketed to100% which three millers and cartel control this food industry in Kenya which is connected to the political ruling class , the same situation is being experienced in Kampala and Kigali where there is shortage of sugar and other essential commodities today Tanzania and Kenya are country in drowning in darkness with no electricity because of corruption and following blindly IMF and World Bank neoliberal policies that advices on power generation to being left to private sector who motivation only is profit and not strategic investment for social development, with long term impact. As I was writing this article, millions of people are starving and dying because of famine , in East africa and especially in Kenya which has dubious distinction in the region of being economic house of East Africa. This has promoted the private sector in kenya lead by Multinational companies like Barclays Bank and Safaricom, in partnership of Kenya Red cross and tokens from political ruling class which all are beneficiary of disaster capitalism in the neoliberal economy that rake billions in profit annually, Have launched a charity drive dubbed Kenyans for Kenya to contribute to the famine, which exposes their greed and ignorance on their role in creating conditions that bring food insecurity i.e. famine and hunger to the people of East africa as Prof. Yash Tandon has questioned the Political and economic power elite in his writing on globalization in Nordic Africa Institute that hunger and famine today in africa is brought by the neoliberal policies that africa government have being following for the last 25-35 years. The same question of hunger and famine in East africa community was also put to President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni on 1st August 2011 during his joint press conference with Paul Kagame in Urugwiro village in Kigali on his four days visit in Rwanda on East Africa community leadership sense of responsibility, it is sad this head of states skirted the question without concretely addressing the root cause of the problem, Where the President invited charity from those who had accumulated what they called in their own language ( Amafaranga) to assist in the famine and hunger in the horn of africa, the corporate sector and International community who benefit from disaster capitalism and political chaos have responded well in the space and role of East Africa community governments in the name of charity as invited by Museveni.
Lastly is some inspiring words to Pan-Africanist youth in East Africa of the first Prime Minister of Democratic Republic of Congo ,Patrice Lumumba he wrote in a letter to his wife Pauline Lumumba before he was killed by Belgium and CIA imperialist in acquiesced with today United Nations as he pledged in the name of mother africa for total liberation that “ The day will come when history will speak, But it will not be the history , which will be taught in Brussels, Paris ,Washington or the United Nations , it will be the history that will be taught in the countries , which have won freedom from neo-colonialism and its puppets and Africa will write its own history of glory and dignity”
Aluta continua.
Notes.
1. Congo wars Conflict Myth and Reality book by
Thomas Turner
2. Intellectuals at The Hill (Essays and Talks 1969-1993), book Issa G. Shivji
3. When Victims Became Killers Colonialism Nativism and Genocide In Rwanda
Prof.Mamdani
4. Rwanda Business Daily News paper August 5th -12 2011
5. Yash Tandon, The Nordic Africa Institute report 2009
Although it took our courage to join the clean up as visitors in the area as we were inspired and encouraged by the beauty of Kigali one of the clean and safest capital city to walk even at night in East africa community and the new social development that is shaping social change and reconciliation in Rwanda from the history of genocide that has left the horrible scar in Africa and the world in the 21 centaury. I and my colleague fellows with Fahamu Pan-African fellowship program in East africa placement in Rwanda attached to Ishyo community Arts and cultural centre , a community centre that was started by Rwandese women to support youth in culture and arts for social justice , On our arrival that day at venue of community communal clean up exercise at around 9.30 am, although we were late, as the clean up had started an hour ago, we were welcomed and encouraged by a student and a resident of Kyciru area a place that 4000 Tutsi were massacred in 1994 genocide and today bubbling with middle class and tourist guest houses sandwiched in between by low income houses that remind you of growing inequality in the new Rwanda . To welcome us was Mr. Innocent Rukundo and his younger brother who we found at the end of clean-up line and later helped us to interpret some of the discussion that were being conducted in Kinyarwanda, and sometimes in Kiswahili, after the clean-up exercise where organic debates and discussion take place on reconciliation and social development in reflection of the history of genocide and developments plans a form of participatory dialogue that anchored on the communal work,Our friends and the residents of Kyciru area who we spoke to were very happy and encouraged in our spirit to join them that day in the communal clean up as it was not usual to see visitors coming from their guest houses and joining the communal clean-up that is done monthly nation-wide in Rwanda as symbol of reconciliation and healing from the history of the genocide.
Rwanda and Burundi are the new members of the East africa community from the Great lakes region which bring in to the community another tortured history of genocide in Rwanda , Civil war in Burundi and in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and complex crisis of refugee with unresolved historical injustices and question of nationality of millions of people in DRC Congo , Uganda, Rwanda , Burundi , Tanzania and recent addition to this problem is new state of Southern Sudan which has made its intention to join the East africa community with its history of civil and refugee, Most of the Great lake region crisis is due to colonial boundaries and false constructed political identities by imperialism and the africa ruling elite that continue to fuel tension and poverty in the region which is endowed with great natural resources of minerals, like Coltan Cobalt, timber, diamonds gold, and rich agricultural land with underground oil fields , fresh water lakes , and permanent rivers that flow to the great River Nile the livelihood of great Egypt that can be harnessed to bring social development in the region and humanize the millions of African peoples in this region from the history of exploitation and death from poverty linked diseases , political violence and civil war for many years.
The Umuganda the communal clean up in Republic of Rwanda dates back to the historical customs of the Banyarwanda people and the ideas of developmental states that was championed by africa independence movements, The developmental state in africa nationalist movement had fused the custom and the culture, with colonial inherited states structures during independence in creating the state as centre of politics and as instrument of social development, and hence the history of Umuganda a form of Africa socialism that was borrowed from custom and africa cultural values of solidarity with the family and the community, that in africa village a peasant who was in need of house and shelter he was required by customs to prepare the traditional brew and food and thereafter make an invitation to the community members in the village in for communal work to build the house and cerebrate the opening of the house with food and traditional brew what Mwalimu Nyerere called Ujamaa, or Harambee in Kenya that was abused by new Africa ruling elite.
On this date of 30th July 2011 in Rwanda President Paul Kagame had invited Uganda president Yoweri Museveni on four days state visit to which both participated in communal work in community clean up and construction of schools buildings in Kigali , what the two described as modern day Umuganda to advance social development and integration in East Africa region, a Visit that was politically pregnant in cementing their historical political relationship since the souring of the diplomatic ties between the two President who are authors of second liberation guerrillas and Pan-Africanist alternative politics in the region , that removed the regime of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997 of former Zaire today the Democratic Republic of Congo by supporting the rebel movement in Eastern DRC Congo lead by Prof. Wamba Ndia Wamba and Laurent Desire Kabila senior in 1996-1997 who struggle with Mobutu regime dated back to the days of the first Prime minister Patrice Lumumba, this political intervention that overthrow dictator Mobutu who was USA Protégé for 30 years in power during the era of cold war, was hailed by Mwalimu Nyerere as an Africa intervention in africa problem as he did himself with Uganda Idi Amin regime , It is during this time of joint political intervention by Uganda and Rwanda army in DRC Congo in 2000 when tension erupted between the two armies due to conflict of interest in DRC Congo natural resources that lead the infighting of the Rwanda and Uganda Army in DRC Congo soil , which planted the seeds of mistrust between Kagame and Museveni that slowed down their political friendship, and undermined Pan-Africanism political ideology for East Africa integration.
The Rwanda monthly communal work , manifested in the Kigali capital the clean and secure beautiful city in africa today carry with itself the redemption cross with wounds, and painful historical memory of the Rwanda genocide, as symbolized by Kigali genocide memorial centre, where in reflection during the 1994 genocide Umuganda custom of communual work was invoked by Hutu youth militia Interahamwe as call to invite the Hutu to participate in communal work to massacre Tutsi and moderate Hutu who had refused to participate in the Massacre of the Tutsi , as Prof. Mamdani Books writes in his book When the victims became killers , Colonialism, Nativism and the Genocide in Rwanda, page in page 194 that local official were instructed to kill Tutsi as part of their communal work obligation, where killings came to be referred to Umugunda ‘’ during the prelude to the 1994 genocide. not only the customs and culture were used during the killings even the shared historical ecology of water system rivers was invoked to drive hate, and destruction of life , as one leading genocide ideologue a Canadian educated linguistic named Leon Mugesera had called the elimination of Tutsi as final solution to retain the Hutu elite power and advised that the Tutsi be returned to Ethiopia , from where they had come from, “invoking a colonially produced native history that was created by Belgium, catholic missionaries and Germans imperialist Anthropologist about Banyarwanda people who had common history and identity of several clans and hence constructed the Tutsi and Hutu as different political colonial Identity and nationalities in divide and rule tactics “ during scramble of africa in 1884 in Berlin conference . In 1994 genocide the Tutsi were said to be returned from their colonially created original home dead through River Nyabarongo , which feeds into the great River Nile , As we visited Nyamata church genocide memorial site where 45000 people are buried, A long the way back as we left Nyamata trading centre I inquired from the students of senior 5 of Nyamata high school who had joined us in the bus after the end school term the name of the river as we passed through, Which they readily answered to me that it was called River Nyabarogo, the river has well cultivated farms around the river banks of Bananas, cassava, and fresh vegetables ,which is giving hope, of Rwanda healing from the wounds of 1994 Rwanda genocide hopes that the life manifesting mother Earth clothed by rivers, forest and fresh water lakes of region that is shared by Africa people in Rwanda is giving life back to humanity that was visited by hate of politically constructed colonial identities and boundaries by Belgium imperialism the origin of Hutu and Tutsi false political identities that divided the Banyarwanda peoples who had common language , culture and history the colonial boundaries that defined the Germans and Belgium imperial powers and their sphere of influence which divided africa people and communities from their cultural and ecological heritage and planted seeds of self-destruction, that has brought the region in this social upheavals through divide and rule tactics during the scramble of africa in Berlin conference 1884 when German East africa took Rwanada –Burundi as their colony and there after the Belgium took over from German when they were defeated in the first world war. The colonial division and boundaries in africa today continue to fuel citizenship crisis of refuge in the Great lakes region, which continue to undermine the quest East africa community integration, and social development , for peaceful existence, which can only be healed by Pan-Africanism vision that advocate for africa unity and liberation of the masses, from neo-colonial poverty and boundaries, that divide our people.
The president of Uganda who had four days visit in Rwanda, to cement the historical relationship between Rwanda and Uganda, although they did not unpackaged their joint press communiqué on the agenda of first tracking the East africa community and the question of community political federation there are number of challenges facing the East africa community which today population is about 120 million people within five members states that make the community this being Rwanda , Burundi, Kenya ,Ugandan and united republic of Tanzania, the challenge of building democratic institution and culture of rule of law within the region is paramount which can guaranteed participatory democracy, social development in the East africa community . The President of Uganda and his comrade Paul Kagame have their political friendship dating back to the history of colonial constructed boundaries and the regional refugee crisis of Great lakes region , When Paul Kagame at the age of 3 years old and other thousands of Banyarwanda peoples were forced into refugees in Uganda from the Rwandan post- colonial crisis of 1959 that overthrew the Tutsi despotic feudal monarchy that were used by Belgium colonialism to exploit and plunder Rwanda territory and divide the people.
The political relationship of the two president was forged and strengthened by the founding father of East africa community and great Pan-Africanist Mwalimu Julias Kabarage Nyerere , Where the president of Uganda and Rwanda and many political and intellectuals leaders in East Africa become beneficiary of Mwalimu Nyerere social- economic infrastructure of (Ujamaa) and Pan-Africanism contact in Africa and the region that helped to incubated, Africa liberation independence and intellectual movements in Africa. Dar es Salaam University laid formative stages and development of National Resistance Movement (NRM) which was a peasant guerrilla movement (NRM) that removed the fascism regime of Idi Amin in Uganda through support from Tanzania Army under the President of Tanzania the Late. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, later the Uganda comrades under Yoweri Museveni government and NRM after taking power in Uganda in 1986 they supported Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) That was lead by Mojor Paul Kagame and the Late Fred Rwigyema a guerilla Pan-africanist in Africa and many Rwandase national who were in political exiled and refugee in Uganda and a number of them had participated in Ugandan liberation movement with (NRM) which helped them to launch a liberation movement in Rwanda, in 1990,that resulted to Rwanda Arusha accord agreement of power sharing in 1993 between RPF and the Rwandan government of late President Juvenel Habyarimana who was assassinated in 1994 with the President of Burundi when their plane was brought down in Kigali by Hutu Extremist that were opposing the power sharing with RPF in the Arusha Accord , this lead the wave of genocidal killings where 800,000 peoples and more were killed, and later the crisis of refugee in Eastern Congo that subsequent lead a civil war in Democratic republic of Congo (DRC) that was still under Mobutu Dictatorship.
A generation which fails to build a society which its children are proud of to inherit is a failed generation , and duty of our youthful generation in East africa community as Pan-Africanist is to hand over to future generation a better East africa community to inherit without hate, poverty , colonial boundaries and destruction of life that has been hall mark of East africa community in the last few decades, and it is very sad to understand that before the Kenya-post election violence where a thousand and more people were killed in 2007 a number of high level delegation of political class and human rights organization had made visit Rwanda genocide memorial centre’s to warn themselves about the politics of hate and divide and rule ethnic chauvinism ideology that continue to shape Kenya politics even today even after the crisis of 2007/2008 that ended up with imperialism intervention in the name of international criminal court( ICC) in Hague where six suspect named Ocampo six are appearing on various charges of crime against humanity in 2007 Kenya Post-election violence , which expose the East Africa Community as nothing but a tool for neo-liberal free market forces that cant intervene in the question of political , social and criminal justice issues that affect the community, this also is shown by Kenya state failure to support the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda which is based in Arusha Tanzania to deliver Felician Kabuga one of the Rwanda genocide criminal who financed genocide propaganda in 1994 believed to be hiding in Kenya and protected by the political ruling class that are in complicit partners in Business interests , this even after the tribunal in Arusha requesting Kenya state to honor its obligation in international law and corporate with tribunal.
The dream of original East Africa community was inspired by Mwalimu Nyerere, and its founding vision in 1967 was of Pan-Africanism , ant-imperialist and nationalist in its political character and ideology . The Treaty of establishment of East africa community that was signed in 1999 by the original three partner states of Kenya , Uganda and Republic of Tanzania, to revive the community was inspired mostly by neo-liberal free market economy and anchored on selfish-interest of chauvinism nationalism between the states and greed of market forces in the name of competitiveness which continue to boil tension with the five states while undermining the original dream of East africa community that was grounded social justice anti- imperialist Pan-Africanism and solidarity of our people, most of the project within the East Africa community today are petty and mostly donor funded that even the East africa community secretariat operate through charity from Imperialist donors, which is a great shame to the leaders in the region. The original East africa community was united by strategic public investment which were community flagship that advance social development in the region, and created contact between the people of East Africa, among this was the East Africa Railway and Harbours that connected , Nairobi , Kampala, and Dar es Saalam , the East Africa Post and Telecommunications and the East Africa Airways, Makarere and Nairobi University which Mwalimu Nyerere was one its Chancellor in East africa and Dar es Saalam University the intellectual hill that was ideological centre of Pan- Africanism movement and political hot bed of africa liberation movements struggle that helped to forge and incubate a new generation of Pan- Africanist political leader and progressive intellectual before the community collapsed in 1977 due created political instability in Uganda by British imperialism economic interest in the region, that had created Kenya as its outpost of western interest, to undermine the Pan-Africanism dream the history of mistrust that continue to fog the community intergration
Mwai Kibaki . Yoweri Museveni Jakaya Kikwet , and Paul Kagame all are beneficiary of original East Africa community social-economic and higher of education infrastructure and they have failed to live that dream of Pan- Africanism movement integration for and improved livelihoods, healthcare, education for all and free from hunger for people of the region as Mwalimu Nyerere envisioned today the region is prone with famine , refugee, poverty related diseases , Nairobi , Kampala and Dar es Salaam are capital cities clothed by slums of poverty , garbage, street families and darkness due to luck of electricity connection that is slowing the industrial and social development in the region while community unity continue to be in danger due to tension of territorial fanaticism of colonial boundaries like Migingo Island in Lake Victoria, between Uganda and Kenya due to failure of a political leadership in the region to think beyond their colonially constructed boundaries and greed of neo-liberal commercial interest and political elite in the region that continue to undermine Pan-Africanism political movement dream that can be the seed of community integration and development, Uganda and Kenya continue to waste resource in surveying and mapping the waters of Lake. Victoria to affirm the colonial boundaries while stationing the paramilitary police brigades in the in the small islands in the largest fresh water lake in Africa that continue to waste resources and intimate small fisherman who cross the colonial boundaries while fishing , in the same time the leaders in East Africa continue to speak about East Africa Common market and single custom union and political federation, for Multinational companies in East Africa.
As poems , traditional songs, dance, night comedies , and theatre artists, played in Rwanda Revenue Authority theatre Hall from 4th august 6th 2011 from different countries , that were attending a three days centre by centre theatre and artist annual festival in Rwanda that was organized by Ishyo arts community centre and Interdisciplinary Genocide studies centre the question of many young people Artist , theatre performance and dancers who were attending the annual theatre festival from Congo DRC , Rwanda Burundi and Uganda Kenya was who is nurturing the future Pan- Africanism leaders of the East africa, and healing the wounds of civil war , plunder and pillage of africa naturals resources, notable on this was the performance, by a dance group named Inshoza Dance troupe from student of Rwanda – Butare national university who said poems on Pan- Africanism and songs about africa culture passed from generation to generation through dance steps, Where it invites all Africans to regain the ownership of their culture and thus build their continent that has been facing all sorts of neo-colonial division and violence.
The effect of neo-liberal dictatorship on political, economic and academic sphere in East Africa community that preach liberalization of trade , privatization of national resources and assets and comodifications of social services e.g education and healthcare , has left East africa community exposed to greed of market forces and exploitation , in the region that has left the masses boiling with anger. Today in Kenya the question of maize and maize flour that is staple food for the majority rural poor and urban proletariat has invited street demonstration and picketing in government offices to demand reduction of the price of essential commodities that has skyrocketed to100% which three millers and cartel control this food industry in Kenya which is connected to the political ruling class , the same situation is being experienced in Kampala and Kigali where there is shortage of sugar and other essential commodities today Tanzania and Kenya are country in drowning in darkness with no electricity because of corruption and following blindly IMF and World Bank neoliberal policies that advices on power generation to being left to private sector who motivation only is profit and not strategic investment for social development, with long term impact. As I was writing this article, millions of people are starving and dying because of famine , in East africa and especially in Kenya which has dubious distinction in the region of being economic house of East Africa. This has promoted the private sector in kenya lead by Multinational companies like Barclays Bank and Safaricom, in partnership of Kenya Red cross and tokens from political ruling class which all are beneficiary of disaster capitalism in the neoliberal economy that rake billions in profit annually, Have launched a charity drive dubbed Kenyans for Kenya to contribute to the famine, which exposes their greed and ignorance on their role in creating conditions that bring food insecurity i.e. famine and hunger to the people of East africa as Prof. Yash Tandon has questioned the Political and economic power elite in his writing on globalization in Nordic Africa Institute that hunger and famine today in africa is brought by the neoliberal policies that africa government have being following for the last 25-35 years. The same question of hunger and famine in East africa community was also put to President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni on 1st August 2011 during his joint press conference with Paul Kagame in Urugwiro village in Kigali on his four days visit in Rwanda on East Africa community leadership sense of responsibility, it is sad this head of states skirted the question without concretely addressing the root cause of the problem, Where the President invited charity from those who had accumulated what they called in their own language ( Amafaranga) to assist in the famine and hunger in the horn of africa, the corporate sector and International community who benefit from disaster capitalism and political chaos have responded well in the space and role of East Africa community governments in the name of charity as invited by Museveni.
Lastly is some inspiring words to Pan-Africanist youth in East Africa of the first Prime Minister of Democratic Republic of Congo ,Patrice Lumumba he wrote in a letter to his wife Pauline Lumumba before he was killed by Belgium and CIA imperialist in acquiesced with today United Nations as he pledged in the name of mother africa for total liberation that “ The day will come when history will speak, But it will not be the history , which will be taught in Brussels, Paris ,Washington or the United Nations , it will be the history that will be taught in the countries , which have won freedom from neo-colonialism and its puppets and Africa will write its own history of glory and dignity”
Aluta continua.
Notes.
1. Congo wars Conflict Myth and Reality book by
Thomas Turner
2. Intellectuals at The Hill (Essays and Talks 1969-1993), book Issa G. Shivji
3. When Victims Became Killers Colonialism Nativism and Genocide In Rwanda
Prof.Mamdani
4. Rwanda Business Daily News paper August 5th -12 2011
5. Yash Tandon, The Nordic Africa Institute report 2009
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Monday, 20 June 2011
Report from Unga Revolution committee visit in, Taita Taveta County on the right to food and Access to National resources on 14/06/2011
Members of the Unga revolution committee in Nairobi received invitation of solidarity from Taita taveta community leaders to visit there area on the violations of their rights to food by increasing number of elephants from Kenya wildlife service that stray from the Tsavo National park during every planting and harvesting seasons and destroying acres of mature crops from the peasants farmers who depend on this farming for their livelihood, this destruction of their livelihood by elephants from KWS has made them to depend on the unaffordable maize flour that is costing Ksh 160 per 2kg ,in the local shops and government relief food that is used by the local political class to manipulate the resident of the Taita Taveta county during election . The systematic destruction of the maize crops during this season has exposed the said peasants farmers in Taveta to food insecurity and hunger this year which is gross violation of the their constitutional right to food that in anchored in the constitution in article 43, on the right to food and protection of livelihood which is part of the Unga revolution countrywide campaign, for the government to implement the its obligation as spelt out in the constitution.
Taita Taveta county is embodiment of neo- colonial poverty, that is obscured by large scale sisal estate plantation and animal Ranch that cover an area of 4,073km and the Tsavo National park which occupies the largest area 10,539 km from 16,975km , with remaining small part being habited by the Taita –Taveta county population people of 300,000 people in the four constituency named Taveta , Wundayi , Mwatate , and Voi., which make Taita –Taveta whole as County.
The history of this exploitation dates to the first and second world war when the British settler soldier were settled in Taita Taveta, then followed by Kenyatta regime , that extended undemocratic controll and exploitation of the land in Taita Taveta and the National Resources , The former MP of the area Basil Criticos and the Kenyatta family own the 70 percent of the Land in Taveta , which was intialialy owned by Colonial settler Col Grogon as retirement package from the British Colonial government in 1930 , But in 1959 the Land was acquired by Basils Criticos father who turned it to sisal estate. When in1971 Kenyatta acquired 24000 of acres adjacent to Basil Criticos estate using the British government Funds, where the Kenyatta family today owns the mines in Taita Taveta, with the local ruling political class.
The economic disempowerment and marginalization of the people of the Taita- Taveta and systematic destruction of their livelihood by Kenya wildlife’s services elephants every year,which undermine their right to food and threat by Coalition government to settle large number of the 2007 post election violence internally displaced people (IDP) in the area, has promoted the community leaders of Taita –Taveta council of elders ( Waghosi wa Isanga ), and the local councilors to seek solidarity with the unga revolution movement in demanding the government and the Magemement of the Kenya Widlifes services to account on the gross violation of human rights to the people of Taita- Taveta, especially the right to food and access to national resources as in the constitution.
The resident of Mwaktau Location, Mwatate Constituency took to the street early June to demand accountability from the Kenya wildilfes service management and number of the villagers were injured by the Kenya police at Voi- Taveta road, in violations of their constitutional rights to assemble, picket and petition authorities , this happened on 3rd June 2011 while conducting a non-violent protest action of the sit-in at Voi –Taveta road to pressure the government and the KWs to take action on the systematic destruction of their livelihoods.
Mr Alfan Mborioa community leader and Waghosi wa Isaga council of elders who hosted the Unga revolution committee from Nairobi, in assessing the impact and damage caused by the elephants informed the team the school attendance in Mwakitau and Mwashuma areas classes were affected because of the fear of the pupils being attached by the said elephants while going to the schools in the morning and the evening while going back home. Which also is compounded by hunger.
Action that was to be taken by the Unga Revolution committee in Nairobi and Taita Taveta Community leaders local CouncillorsWaghosi Wa Isanga elders and the peasants farmers in the area.
- Documentation of the destruction of the crops and affected people and the number of plots in all areas within Taita taveta county , that border the Tsavo national park.
- Community participatory in social audit on the
- Instituting a classic legal action case against the
- That the government should not settle 2007 post election victims (IDP) in the area because it amount to gross human rights violations and historicsal injustice to the people of Taita- Taveta who were originally displaced and rendered landless in the Taita-Taveta area by Britist colonial govermemt and subsequent government of Kenyatta Moi and Kibaki regime.
Unga Revolution team with residents and teachers of Mwakitau Secondary school
- Petition the government and Kenya Wildlife service under the Article 37 of the constitution to compensate and pay damages on the said victims of right to food, and respect the constitutional right to food as anchored in the constitution of
- Participation of the affected people in the decision making processes, in order to identify the real needs of the right to food are responded to effectively and all victims of the right to food affected are compensated.
- The residents affected were to make a delegation to
- The team were to advance the Saba saba(7/7/2011) commemoration in the respect to right to food by petitioning authorities in picketing , organizing sit in and rallies in the governments offices to demand accountability and respect of our rights as stipulated in the new constitution.
Reports By Unga Revolution Committee.
- Francis Sakwa, Unga Revolution Mathare Committee
- James Kamau (Jemu ) Unga Revolution Mukuru Committee
- Vincent Madegwa Kidaha Unga Revolution Kibera Committee
- Cidi Otieno - Convener Unga Revolution
- Gacheke Gachihi Convener Bunge La Mwananchi social movement
Email, ungarevolution@gmail.com
Twitter. ungarevolution
Cellphone. +254721609699
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Gacheke Gachihi: Homage to the late Comrade Jacob Odipo, a grassroo...
Gacheke Gachihi: Homage to the late Comrade Jacob Odipo, a grassroo...: "Homage to the late Comrade Jacob Odipo, a grassroots community organizer and memberBunge La Mwananchi movement . On Saturday 13 th /11/2..."
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Wednesday, 4 May 2011
REPORT FOR PARALLEL LABOUR DAY BY UNGA REVOLUTION HELD ON 1ST MAY 2011AT KAMUKUNJI GARDENS
Introduction
As a response to the ever rising prices of basic commodities Bunge la Mwananchi in conjunction with Poverty Transition Initiative and other Community and Faith Based organization formed the Unga Revolution whose main aim is to push the government to enforce Article 43 which guarantees social security to all Kenyans who cannot afford the high prices of the commodities.
It must be noted that the Unga Revolution Steering Committee which had been meeting prior to the day resolved that the struggle to have all Kenyans access basic needs should not be anchored on funding from the well endowed Civil Society Organization and instead relied on contribution from steering committee members.
As a mobilization strategy the steering committee members combed Kamukunji, distributed leaflets and mobilized members of the public to attend. The Unga Revolution Steering committee thanks all those who attended the parallel celebrations in Kamukunji and eventually marched with us to Uhuru Park without pay where we managed to highlight the issue of rising commodity prices and brought it back to the national agenda.
We also thank members of the public who sided with us as we entered Uhuru Park preventing the police and security guards who wanted to arrest us. THANKS A LOT.
Kamukunji
Members of the Unga Revolution Steering Committee met at Jeevanjee Park Gardens and marched peacefully to Kamukunji grounds where they were received by locals who were waiting for them.
At Kamukunji the following were agreed upon:
- That the Unga Revolution’s main objective does not start and end with the calls to have the prices go down per se but to force the government to honor Article 43 by ensuring social security to the poor Kenyans through subsidies.
- That the government should increase the acreage under farming to ensure food security
- That the government should desist from investing on misplaced priorities like shuttle diplomacy and instead invest on the welfare of Kenyans
- That just like government offices never misses tea and snacks due to treasuries allocation the same should happen to all households in Kenya. IF THE GOVERNMENT ENSURES THAT TEA NEVER MISSES IN GOVERNMENT OFFICES, IT SHOULD ENSURE THAT ALL KENYANS HOUSEHOD HAVE FOODON THE TABLE.
- That Education, employment, security, housing, clean water and food are rights enshrined in the Article 43 of the Kenyan Constitution and are even supported by Articles 3, 25 and 26 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights hence the government has no option but to take responsibility of social, political and economic of the downtrodden.
- That Labor Day is not about the employed alone but also about those who have accumulated Labor through training but which has not been harnessed by the state hence it is not their failure but state’s. The government should then take responsibility of their welfare.
- That claims by the government that the consumers shall bear the cost of any salary increment is not only misplaced but an act of conman ship, oppression and modern day slavery. The Unga Revolution CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT TO BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH SUBSIDIES
- That a small section of well paid Civil Society Organizations who met the Energy Minister and claimed that Kenyans are now comfortable due to KShs. 7 decrement of prices are sellouts and reminiscent to the home guards during the colonial days.
- That the decision of the Government to put only 2000 people on welfare is drop in the ocean and all Kenyans who can’t afford the high cost of life should be included in the program.
- That the whole team is to march peacefully to the main Labor Day celebrations at Uhuru Park in order to highlight the plight of the majority of Kenyans who are starving.
- That Basic need is a human right and the Unga Revolution shall push the KNCHR to state what they are doing to have the rights met by the state.
The whole team then marched from Kamukunji to Uhuru Park receiving heroic reception whenever they passed on their way to Uhuru Park
Uhuru Park
We reached Uhuru Park shortly before 1300 hours where the public who attended joined us in calling on the government to ensure the price of Unga and other basic commodities go down. The public who were present prevented the police from arresting us and we managed to bring the issue back to the national agenda.
Way Forward
As a way forward the Unga Revolution resolved the following:
- THAT UNGA PROTESTS SHALL CONTINUE UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS TO SUBSIDIZE THE DOWNTRODDEN
- THAT WE SHALL VISIT ALL THE CONSTITUENCIES OF NAIROBI STARING WITH MABATINI SLUMS IN MATHARE THIS WEEKEND. THESE VISITS ARE AIMED AT EDUCATING KENYANS ON THEIR RIGHTS AS ENSHRINED IN ARTICLE 43.
- THAT A PROGRAM SHALL BE RELEASED SOON WHICH SHALL CULMINATE INTO A MASSIVE TWO DAYS PROTEST ON 31ST MAY AND 1ST JUNE 2011
UNGA REVOLUTION STEERING COMMITTEE
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