Rhetoric posits that Africa is rising. Africa has been rising for more than a decade now, but there does not seem to be real tangible benefits out of this rise. Sure, the rising is producing a lot of millionaires, but these are more of the same kind of cannibalistic kind; there is no real benefit to the African populace. Real and concrete benefits of Africa rising will only be felt once some key issues have been resolved.
Education, learning and leadership
Our current system of education in Kenya and the wider African continent is producing a lot of graduates ready to occupy offices. But there are no offices; Africa is not at that level of development. The education is predicated on the existent of a middle to high income economy. These unemployed and frustrated youth are turning to the next lucrative activity; tenderpreneuring and thieving. It is no wonder corruption has become such a major challenge on the continent.
Corruption is virtually breeding on the grounds of our ill-conceived education. I don't think there is any dignity in spending time cramming young brains with formula developed by dead people meant for a Western audience. Let's teach ourselves how to grow food, fix our water problems, sanitation, build bridges, railways. We cannot continue to depend on China and the West to dump their technologies on the continent, when we have bright minds. We need to fix our education system as a matter of urgency.
Agriculture, food security
Africa does not have a shortage of arable and fertile land. However, we use it to grow "useless" crops that cannot feed us. We grow tea, coffee, flowers and vegetables that we then export to Europe for dollars. All the while, our people are hungry. Ghana sends cocoa, Kenya sends tea and flowers, Ethiopia sends coffee, Malawi sends tobacco. And who bears all the externalized costs that come with degrading of land, health effects of chemical use, poisoning waters and so on? Our African countries of course.
A people that cannot ensure sufficient and nutritious food for its people cannot survive. We must go back to the use of our land primarily for feeding our people. That means every single person; it is pathetic that we must put profit ahead of the dignity of our own people.
Energy access
Africa needs clean and equitable energy access to industrialize. Why must we industrialize? We must add value to our natural resources and reimagine human life. This does not necessarily mean living in cities, although this may seem like the obvious way to go. However, I think energy gives people the freedom to carry on with business, power their worlds and develop things that we have not imagined.
Providing power to the entire Africa will mean using new models, like mini-grid solar systems that do not necessarily require people to wait for the central system to reach them. With 60% of our continent still lacking basic access to electricity, this area cannot be overemphasized.
Trade
African countries do not exist in isolation from one another, or from the world. It is a pity that we do so little trade with one another, therefore, and save all the trade with China and western nations. We must understand that energy and industrialization will drive trade one way or the other. Nigeria produces oil, Congo produces Uranium and gold, Kenya produces tea and vegetables, Zimbabwe produces diamonds and so on.
We must begin doing more with what we have. The African Union must act as a galvanizing force for our continent, putting in place platforms to increase complementary, intra-Africa trade. This will also ensure we use our unity for good, to defend our nations against common enemies, vide Libya.
Africa will continue rising, to mediocrity and building shopping malls, or to greater equity for all the people of the continent; I pray that it be to the latter.
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