Can Africa Develop Africa?

A former US ambassador to Tanzania once noted that the late former Malawi President Mbingu Wa Mutharika was “unwavering in his commitment to improve the plight of Malawi’s poor”

On this note I cross the borders for an inspiration or two.

Have you ever taken some few minutes from your rest hours to think about why some Presidents in Africa begin their presidency on a very high note, only to end up being scorned during their quest for reelection?

In 2004 for example the Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate in Malawi, the late Mbingu Wa Mutharika, become the President of a country most Kenyans reading this article would relate with because of her fame in maize production.

Mbingu Wa Mutharika, a man who had a reputable background on development and economics, must have had a visible vision for the people of Malawi and Africa in extension.

He must have possessed the unique ability to sell this vision to Malawians, who voted for him overwhelmingly when he sought for their votes twice.

I would stand to be corrected as has always been the case, but Mbingu Wa Mutharika had a success story in presiding over economic reforms which delivered a high rate of agricultural production and food security.

Back to my question on why Presidents in Africa begin their presidency on a very high note, only to end up being scorned during their quest for reelection.

During his Presidency the Late Mbingu Wa Mutharika of blessed memories, made a call to “Africa to develop Africa” Trust my opinion that this kind of a call will never and can never go well with some elements  in Africa and others outside Africa, who have never and might never want to see a fast developing or developed Africa Continent.

The call for sure pained agents of doom for Africa and to add salt to the already paining wound, Mbingu Wa Mutharika went on to inspire those with Africa at heart to believe that “Africa is not poor, but Africa populations are poor”

You may choose to agree with his inspiration or disagree with it, but that is your problem.

Haters of a united, peaceful, food secure and developed Africa, will never stomach a leader who has a determination to fast track Africa’s journey to the Promised Land. Africa  where people will live happily together as one, remain peaceful, produce enough for their country men, women and children, as they work and rest under the cool shadows of a successful independent Africa Economy. A successful independent African Economy will translate to a wealthy Africa population.

The former President of Malawi, Mutharika is said to have proposed new partnerships with other African Nations and the same time proposed a similar approach to Africa.

It is believed that some Western Governments hold strong reservations against subsidizing Agriculture in Africa, but why? They know their reasons but I as a son of Africa do strongly agree with those who have confidence in the ability of a strong and rich Africa food basket.

I have been gradually getting unable to believe that Mbingu Wa Mutharika’s exit from this world was not in some way accelerated by pressure from the haters of a successful Africa.

This should not in any way be understood to imply that I have taken off from the belief that angles live in heaven and that they once in while visit the earth on very special assignments. He may have not been an angel on earth and much of the negatives you might have heard about him, could have been calculated to erase the dream he had shared with many about Africa’s potential and the strength of her people.

I refuse to be a prophet of doom, so please don’t dare to think that am about to become one any time soon, but my dear reader it would be interesting to hear about Malawi’s economy form analysts with regard to her food security in a few years from now.

I must have by now filled your mind with a lot of staff about Malawi… back home (in Kenya) where in 2002 the drum beats for a paradigm shift silenced all the other beats during the run up to an election that saw President Emilio Mwai Kibaki become the third President of Kenya to succeed the long serving Daniel Toroitich Moi.

Once again because I know the kind of political affiliations we have in Kenya and how they interpret political staff be warned that this is my perspective. I am simply writing about the third president of the Republic of Kenya because he will remain to be the only third President of Kenya.

President Mwai Kibaki, just like other Presidents who have had the interest of their countries at heart and on the same wavelength, the interest of Africa at heart might have also been a victim of what I called previously haters of a successful united Africa.

I hear he is one of the Presidents who managed during their reign to plant optimism in the hearts, bodies, souls and minds of those who are well educated to believe that “Africa is not poor but Africa populations are poor.

Reasons may have been given by those who are good at doing it, on what may have inspired some people to exercise their democratic right against President Kibaki’s second term presidential bid, but to date for some very personal way of looking at things, I have never been convinced by their reasons, unless they voted only for the sake of some political balance.

There are so many projects that were realized during his first and second term. Most important to me, is that under his leadership Kenya is able to take care of her national budget… economic freedom is the best of all the gifts an adult let a lone a country can ever have.

Although all credit would not go to him, I can’t help smiling when I without fear of contradicting myself note that it is during his two terms that a lot of developmental initiatives were intrinsic compared to the past regimes.

Once again there must have been challenges here and there but what to do, especially when sometimes the amplification by the aggrieved opportunistic investors attempts to make the mid day sun light shed rain drops instead of rays?

My dear reader, please forget much of all that I have said so far, but do not dare ignore the fact that “Africa is not poor, but Africa populations are poor” and that it is only Africa that will honestly develop Africa”

Before I thank you for taking your time to read this article thus far…. If you are a Kenyan voter, a voter in one of the Africa countries, be wise and kind enough to make sure that we have in place leaders and policies that agree with the fact that “Africa can develop herself”

Such leaders and policies may not have a place in the hearts of the agents of an ailing Africa, but we have to bite the bullet and stick to our guns towards a fully developed Africa.

Forgive me for lack of a much better way to conclude this article but truth be told, economic freedom as well as freedom from a mild or arrogant rape of intelligence and ability, is the best that a human being can have among other internationally recognized freedoms. Thank you and look you next time!