During the Presidential campaigns of 2000, the Republican candidate George Bush was asked about his African policy. His reply was short and crisp: "Africa does not matter." He said his administration would focus on Latin America to the South and Asia. A year later, after the September 11 attacks in the US the then President Bush had another perspective, or awakening. Suddenly, Africa mattered.
In his efforts to deal with terrorism brought about by Al Qaida, the United States realized that they needed friends worldwide. President George Bush went on to state, "either you are with us or you are against us."
It is with this backdrop that we now look at President Obama's second trip to Africa. On his first trip, Obama chose Ghana, the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence. Ghana had gone through military coups but eventually democratic institutions were instituted with free elections that saw the demise of the military regime of Jerry Rawlings. It was in Ghana where President Obama enunciated his vision of a new relationship between the United States and Africa. It was in Ghana where Obama spoke against one man rule in Africa:
"Africa does not need strong men, it needs strong institutions," he said. Obama went on to tell Africa that the United States will increase assistance for responsible individual and responsible institutions and focus on supporting good governance…."on parliaments which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard; on the rule of law and equal administration of justice."
It is no accident that this time Obama's first trip will be Senegal, another young democratic nation that 95% of its population is Muslim. Ever since it embarked on fighting Al Qaeda, the United States government has been at pains to remind the world that it is not fighting against Moslems. The United States has made points to show that it has good relationships with Moslem countries. Senegal is one such country.
Senegal has made transitions that have helped strengthen its democracy. Abdullaye Wade, who was in opposition for 30 years, eventually won and led the country for 12 years. In the recent election Macky Sall won by 65% and he is the current President.
South Africa is another success story. After apartheid was abolished, Nelson Mandela lead the nation to independence in 1994 and since then the democratic institutions seems to be working fine. South Africa is also an economic giant.
Tanzania, the third stop and last on this trip has a long history of peace. But Tanzania's democracy is still a façade. True, Tanzania has had 4 presidents since independence and there are term limits, but after every four years Tanzania has chosen a president from the same party. There are opposition parties in Tanzania, but until the election of 2010 these parties were what President Kikwete calls (vyama vya msimu (seasonal parties.) That was until Chadema sprung out and proved itself to be a party of all seasons. The reaction within the ruling party has been xenophobic and ruthless. This is the first time Tanzania is facing a true test of how democratic it really is. In Kikwete's own admission, the government has been using the police, to contain Chadema, in favour of the ruling party. The real test of how true democratic Tanzania is will be when the ruling party loses and agrees to cede power to the opposition without bloodshed.
But Tanzania has another attraction to the outside world, its democratic inadequacies notwithstanding. Tanzania is rich in minerals and the outside world has been taking notice. Apart from gold and diamond and coal, Tanzania has uranium and natural gas. Tanzania also has power woes. Symbion, an American company with ties to the CIA, is playing a big role in Tanzania's energy sector.
In announcing this trip, the White House statement said that "the trip will underscore the president's commitment to broaden and deepen cooperation between the United States and the people of sub-Saharan Africa to advance regional and global peace and prosperity."
There is another element of cooperation between the United States and Tanzania that is little talked about. Since Kikwete came to office, Tanzania has broadened its military cooperation with the United States. Tanzania has a military attaché at its embassy in Washington while the United States has the same in Dar-es-Salaam. According to Wikileaks, the United States had been seeking a closer military relationship but former President Mkapa turned them down. It is reported that then Defence Minister Kapuya told the US ambassador that his government was waiting for the retirement of General Waitara, who was also opposed to this military relationship.
Details of this relationship is known only to a few in the Kikwete government, but it is illustrated in the ongoing construction of a concrete boat ramp by the US naval Seabeas at Kigamboni. According to reports obtained in the US the 26 specially trained Seabees have been working on the 52-by 223 foot boat ramp since March. According to the reports the project is intended to improve the Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF) and provide a facility that will allow for increased use and maintenance of the patrol boats. The question that begs is "whose patrol boats will be using this ramp? TPDF's or Africom?
The Heritage Foundation, the American conservative think tank, writes that President Obama has been reluctant to share the successes of the US Military Africa Command (AFRICOM) in developing security partnerships on the continent. It is urging a change on the president's part and calls on him to publicize on this trip "Africom's role in in developing military to military partnerships for professionalization and capacity training, as well as a myriad of humanitarian projects." The Foundation calls on President Obama to "communicate to African leaders and African citizens that the US takes its security cooperation with African nations seriously, and enumerate the significant shared benefits of this cooperation in establishing a safer and more secure environment for development."
Suddenly, Africa matters.
Hii makala ilikuwa ichapishwe na The Citizen sijui kama imetoka. NImeshindwa kucopy na paste kwa wale wanaotumia simu.
em
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