In his 1965 publication titled “Neo-Colonialism, the Last Stage of imperialism,” former Ghanaian president and hero of African independence, Kwame Nkrumah, warned Africa of the implications of neocolonialism.
Barely 60 years after independence, the proof of neocolonialism and Imperialism have gotten extra actual than ever with every passing day. Yet, once we relate with the phrases by their widespread definitions, one can argue that they’re synonyms for governance – as we all know it, within the African continent.
Neither neocolonialism nor Imperialism will be doable with the assistance of African leaders who’ve surrendered themselves as comprador bourgeoisie who’re ever prepared to hold out the biddings of their colonial masters.
Neocolonialism is the usage of financial, political, cultural, or different means to regulate or affect different international locations, particularly former dependencies. Like Nkrumah rightly predicted, that is the goal of colonial powers as a way of extending the chilly arms of colonialism.
Through comprador bourgeoisies, the erstwhile colonial masters have created insurance policies in Africa that reach their energy and affect via no matter means doable.
Decades after decade, there has continued to be a powerful presence of leaders within the African continent who’ve continued to assist their colonial masters fulfill their biddings. This article highlights 8 present African leaders who’ve taken actions that exhibit colonial footprints that don’t promote pan-Africanism and improvement for his or her particular person international locations.
In no specific order, listed below are 8 African leaders who’ve exhibited traits that show they’re brokers of Neo-Colonialism.
1. Teodoro Obiang Nguema, President of Equatorial Guinea
The president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, is at the moment the world’s longest-serving president. He has been in workplace for 41 years. He got here into energy in 1979 after he toppled his uncle.
His son, Teodorin Nguema Obiang, is the nation’s vice-president in control of safety and protection.
2. Paul Biya, President of Cameroon
The 85-year-old president has been governing the French West African nation since 1982. He was re-elected in 2018 for seven-year tenure, taking his reign to 38 years as of 2021. The Cameroonian president is sometimes called a ‘digital president’ as a result of he’s at all times in France or within the prime ground suite of the luxurious Intercontinental Hotel, Geneva, Switzerland, the place he spends months on a stretch.
3. Denis Sassou, President of Congo-Brazzaville
He is the president of Congo-Brazzaville. President Sassou Nguesso has spent 36 years in workplace thus far. He first served from 1979 to 1992 and returned in 1997 on the finish of a civil battle. He was re-elected once more in March 2016, and he lately gained re-election in 2021, which can take his reign to over 40 years in energy.
During the 2021 marketing campaign, Sassou ordered web providers to be shut down for nearly every week, together with on Election Day. In addition, world Witness alleged in April 2019 that his different daughter Claudia Sassou Nguesso, who’s an MP and the president’s Head Of Communications, acquired nearly $20m (£15m) to purchase a luxurious flat in Trump Tower, New York.
4. Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has been in energy since 1986, that means he has been in energy for 34 thus far. He bought into energy after he gained the battle that ousted Idi Amin Dada. He was elected for a sixth time period in January 2021.
It is stunning how Museveni has turned from a liberator right into a dictator who clampdown on the opposition with an iron fist. His main opposition, Bobi Wine has been on the receiving finish of many arrests and human rights abuses.
5. Isaias Afwerki, President of Eritrea
The solely president, Eritreans, have identified since independence is Isaias Afwerki. He has been in energy since independence in April 1993. He has thus far ruled for 27 years. Another liberator-turned-dictator, President Afwerki, guidelines Eritrea with an iron fist and is at the moment has quite a few human rights allegations circumstances. Many locals pray for an finish to his reign, however his clampdown on opposition has prevented this for a few years.
6. King Mswati III, King of eSwatini
Africa’s final supreme monarch guidelines over a nation (kingdom). Despite being very wealthy in pure sources, eSwatini is a poor nation, and the common life expectancy is the bottom on this planet at 33 years. Seventy % of individuals dwell on lower than $1 a day, and 40 % are jobless.
Despite the struggling of the individuals of eSwatini, King Mswati has hardly proven concern or curiosity in fixing their issues. Instead, he lives extravagantly, utilizing his kingdom’s property to finance his pricey affections for German vehicles, first-class leisure excursions all over the world, and his fixed style for lovely youthful girls.
7. Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria
Muhammadu Buhari GCFR is a Nigerian politician who has been president of Nigeria since 2015. Buhari is a retired Nigerian Army Major General and has served as army head of state in Nigeria between 1983 to 1985, after taking energy in a army coup d’état.
Despite his re-election as a civilian president, Buhari has not repented from his previous sins, which have seen him flaunt courtroom orders numerous occasions. There is a present ban on Twitter all through the nation on his orders after the social media platform tagged his feedback as hate speech. He has additionally abused the powers of the Judiciary, which has develop into inexistent underneath his authorities.
8. Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe
The hand-pick successor of Robert Mugabe has finished little or no to elevate the burdens and struggling of his individuals, however surprisingly, he stays a sweetheart of international leaders. A latest report by Aljazeera described the president as one whose authorities has “deepened Zimbabwe’s economic struggles, enabled endemic corruption, fuelled instability, and targeted opposition figures, rights activists and journalists to strike fear into a restive population.”
What are your ideas? Which chief(s) would you prefer to see on the checklist?
https://www.africanexponent.com/8-african-leaders-who-are-agents-of-neo-colonialism/
