IS AFRICA BRACING FOR RECOLONIZATION?

By Stanislaus Kigosi, Kibaha

While sympathisers of the West are still reluctant to believe that the centre of power is no longer the West, it has to be acknowledged that since the end of the Second World War, the world was divided into two sharp contrasting ideologies: Socialism and Capitalism. The two ideologies propounded by the Eastern bloc and the Western bloc respectively sought to influence Africa.

Africa’s embrace of the Eastern bloc was a great threat to the West. Indeed, during late 1980s, the world witnessed the triumph of the Western bloc in the Cold War. The end of the Cold War brought a number of changes in the international politics; leaving the West as the sole determiner of the global affairs. It was during this time that Africa was left in a state of confusion, not knowing exactly which path to follow. Africa had to go and incline to the altar of their former oppressors.

The Eastern bloc started to slowly reorganise for the purpose of taking over the world as Africa stayed behind waiting for the giants to determine her fate. While Russia, the then leading nation in the Eastern bloc was trying to gather the strength and reclaim her position, China in her position also worked hard to penetrate in Africa as a true friend who had been with Africa since the times for struggle for independence, a true friend who helped to construct the post colonial Africa and a true friend who would provide aid to Africa at the time when she had severe economic crises after the cold war.

Today China is the global giant economically and technologically. Since the 15th century (c.1441) for any nation to be regarded as the most powerful nation, reflection was made on the nation’s ability to control and dominate the world economically through Africa. It has to be remembered that during the 15th century, the world witnessed the massive exportation of Africans to the new world (the Americas). Dominating Africans means dominating the global economy. Since the advent of capitalism, Africa had been playing a vital role in the global economy. That is why global hegemonies struggle to capture the prize- Africa and plunder its wealth. 

Traditionally, it used to be known that communist countries were atheists in general. No religion was allowed in those countries especially Christianity. It was understood that religion was the tool of class subjugation, oppression and suppression of the majority poor by the few who owned the major means of production. As a result, communism and religion never saw each other eye to eye.

While in socialist countries religion and freedom of worship were legally banned, religion (particularly Christianity) joined hands with capitalism to make sure that in the end of the day, communism collapsed. At the end of the day, religion and capitalism “triumphed” over communism. The late Blessed Pope Paul II is allegedly said to be one of the significant figures who ensured that communists did not emerge as victors in the Cold War. Today, China, once a staunch follower of communism is training and releasing religious leaders to become missionaries in Africa. Is this paving the way for another colonization?

The author stanislaussenior@yahoo.com is a teacher at Nyumbu Secondary School in Tanzania, holding a B.A. Ed (Hons) UDSM, PGD Economic Diplomacy (CFR) and currently pursuing the LLB degree at the Open University of Tanzania.