British PM, David Cameron’s warning that his country will not give aid to African countries that don’t favour homosexuality has generated heat amongst Africa countries. According to Zambia, Ghana and Tanzania, this stand is an abuse of high order. In Tanzania, people in rural areas have mistaken the pro-gay edict to mean that Britain wants Africans to embark on homosexuality so as to be given money by donors!
Africans have themselves to blame for this high handed dealing by Britain. African countries have turned donors into a cure-all remedy for their problems, real and unreal. Tired of Africa’s dependence and begging, they have opted for such stupid conditions to cause us thinking on how to emancipate ourselves by utilizing our resources and brains for our good future.
A beggar is a beggar even if he is in a suit or is President. While I do not defend homosexuality, we need to trace the genesis of such unacceptable conditions. When the donors forced us to change our economies for their benefit by embarking on Paris-New-York-London-made deceptive policies that ended up failing, they discovered that we can take any order from them. They thus decided to take us for a ride.
In Tanzania for example, under Structural Adjustment Programs, the government sold all public investment at a throw-away price, worsening the economy. Former president Benjamin Mkapa’s promise that Structural Adjustment Programs would create a modern economy was never realized in Tanzania.
Why should a country like Tanzania that mines gold in tons go cup in hand begging from the same guys it threw gold away to? This is worse than homosexuality so to speak. This is the reason why donors are telling us to do stupid things. They know we are somewhat stupid. They want us to learn. But do we learn?
Begging and dependence has become the means of survival of most African countries. Currently, Tanzania’s budget is 40% dependent on donor aid. Even when we think of unifying East Africa, we still sheepishly go to the donors to fund the venture, the very donors who are afraid that the unity will weaken their influence. We have enough resources to realize the East African Community dream but our lopsided policies, short term thinking and corruption are our undoing.
If we do not put our act together, we have not seen anything yet from our so called ‘development partners.’ The British government must respect Africa and avoid using human rights as a pretext to impose its values on Africa. Why be vocal on pro-gay laws but be silent about other human rights such as worthy education, nutrition, democracy and economic wellbeing that the majority of Africans lack?
Africa ought to know that Western countries are looking for a pretext to stop supporting African countries due to the fact that they have their own burdens at home- the Eurozone crisis. Refer to economic turmoils going on in Greece and Iceland and soon or later Italy.
Africa must urgently identify and address vices that curtail its development. Donors are not smarter than we think. What has brought power to them is nothing but accountability. If Africa embarks on true accountability for whatever governments do, it won’t take time for her to forge ahead and do away with begging.
By giving us stupid conditions, donors are telling us to use our brains instead of stomachs. So who is to blame for such stupid conditions attached on donor money? Our governments that sit on huge resources which they abuse and use as personal property are to blame.
Source: The African Executive Magazine November 9, 2011.
3 comments:
I rather doubt that UK wants Tanzania to adopt a pro-gay stance, let alone legalize gay marriages; according to the mass hysteria spreading across Tanzania like wild bushfire. UK itself does not recognize gay marriages, although it recognizes some forms of civil unions. I would like to think UK wants recipients of its aid to respect human rights, of which gay rights is just one of them. Personally, I would not lose any sleep over some poofs getting it on, since it is going to happen no matter what a British PM says or doesn't say.
South Africa is one of ten countries in the world recognizing gay marriages and has a close relationship with Tanzania, although you would be hard pressed to find any Tanzanian castigating them for their pro-gay agenda; and South Africans are everywhere in Tanzania these days.
This issue is a red herring. Tanzania government knows UK won't be throwing good money after bad year in year out; what with most of it ending in personal bank accounts. The govt is taking preemptive action by confusing the issue, so that people will be none the wiser when the crap finally hits the fan.
You are dead right Jaribu. It seems that Kikwete's corrupt regime has duped us so that to aim at only one issue while the edict is about a multifacet stuff. I understand we have political homesexuality espeially uchakachuaji. I therefore think Ushonga is not that bad save that we tend to look at things egoistically so to if I may say so.
To me ufisadi is more evil than ushoga.
Two things at glance.
Kitendo cha mtu tu kupeleka 'bakuli' ili kulisha nyumba yake wakati una kila kitu ni usenge tosha na wala huhitaji kuambiwa na Donald Cameroon.
Hii misaada ya hawa wakoloni wa zamani na waandamizi wao mara nyingi huwa inaishia kwao na walamba viatu wao wachache, sasa wakiamua kushukishana ukuta where are we connected?
Prof Anyang' aliwahi kusema 'their money is syphoned back to them in unforgivable proportion'.
By the way, a nice article defending African's human dignity and values!
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