Kenya's Raila Odinga makes his remarks during the launch of his bid for the African Union Commission Chairmanship candidate at State House, Nairobi on August 27, 2024.
Intellectual curiosity overcame an instinctual aversion to watch the African Union Chairperson debate dubbed Mjadala. All three candidates had good stage presence, were well spoken, and dignified.
All three were conversant with the myriad of problems facing Africa. On their part, the moderators were eloquent and gracious. From a presentational point view, Mjadala was efficient and well-choreographed.
But the Mjadala belied a fundamental tragedy. It was akin to the beautiful wreaths on a grave. When the AU was formed in 2002 to take over from the disgraced OAU, it was hyped as an organisation that would preside over an African renaissance.
Ironically, the OAU, formed in 1963 to protect and enhance freedom on the African continent, had presided over the continuation and, quite often worsening, of the colonial police state.
The OAU rationalised, justified and protectedblood thirsty dictators like Mobutu Sese Seko and Idi Amin. The AU, however, has turned out to be a continuation of the OAU, with the same hidden mandate of protecting and rationalising poor governance, plunder, and gross human rights abuses by African governments.
There are endless examples proving this continuity, but a few will suffice. When George Floyd was killed by police, the AU released an angry statement decrying the treatment of African-Americans in America.
At around the same time, Uganda police killed 40 people in one day. There was not even a mousy squeak from the AU. Recently in Kenya, government deployed snipers on rooftops to blow out the brains of unarmed youths protesting high taxation and wanton plunder.
About 61 youth were massacred. Tens were abducted by hooded secret police, held in secret locations and tortured. Others were disappeared. In Nigeria, police killed tens of unarmed people protesting high cost of living and runaway thievery. In both cases, and in numerous others across Africa, the AU kept a studious silence.
The AU is just a mouthpiece for African presidents who head these failing countries. The presidents form the AU Assembly which elects the AUC Chair.
Needless to say, they will not elect someone who will threaten their stranglehold on the African people. Therefore, a cynical process ensured that all three candidates were non-threatening pro-establishment figures.
The candidates spoke of silencing the guns. But they didn’t say that civil wars are a symptom of poor governance. They spoke about creating opportunities to prevent youth from dying in the Mediterranean Sea.
But they said nothing about the mismanagement and plunder which limit opportunities for youth. They spoke of food security but conveniently forgot to say how leaders, distracted by greed and megalomania, have missed opportunities to develop agriculture.
The Mjadala gave the impression of functioning African states ready for transformative policies. The truth, however, is that the root cause of all problems in Africa is the crisis of governance which underpins the crisis of development.
To achieve development, we have to reinvent the African nation-state. An African renaissance and the AU are mutually exclusive.
Tee Ngugi is a Nairobi-based political commentator.
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