As the African continent wraps up Africa Month, calls have been made to Africans across the continent to position Africa as the alternative voice at the time where the Western powers are divided. The election of Donald Trump and the growing right wing parties in Europe has divided the super powers.
The AU anthem reverberated across the continent as Africans on the continent and around the globe celebrated Africa Day. There is a call for Africa to take its rightful place.
“Africa has to say we can build and offer a better world while the west is failing,” says Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani. A notion supported by the former President Thabo Mbeki.
“As Africans we must think for ourselves.” He also weighed in on the current debate on fake news.
“Fake news was a norm during the war in Iraq it was started by the same people who are now complaining. It is because of competition they are not saying its fake news. They now talk alternative news.”
While the continent is still battling to stop pockets of conflicts in countries such as the DRC, South Sudan and Lybia democracy is being entrenched. This year some African countries will go to the polls among them Lesotho and Kenya, an indication that the ballot is the first choice in promoting democracy instead of dictatorship.
This is in line with the AU agenda 2063, a strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the African continent.
Click below for more on the story:
– By Sophie Mokoena
