1. UNION OF AFRICA HAS BEEN FAILED BY THE WESTERN INTERFERENCE by
Activist Without Borders-Godfrey Mfiti
Throughout its five decades of existence, the Organization of African Unity was criticized
for its unwavering commitment to state sovereignty, regardless of the actions taken by
ruthless dictators like Uganda’s Idi Amin and Zaire’s Mobutu Sese Seko among the few
dictators who have butchered their own citizens.
Upon efforts to prove unity the organisation attempted to form the United States of Africa
with a single head of state in 2002.A proposal was made to have a supreme law for all
African states.The significance of the Constitutive Act as the supreme law of the
Continent, approved by all parliaments of the people of Africa, in meeting the challenges
facing Africa today was emphasised at the public launch of the AU.
" This Act represented a moment of hope for our Continent and its peoples, an
unequivocal commitment to African Unity."Thambo Mbeko-Fomer President of South
Africa wrote on his website.
Indeed if the African Union was to adopt a supreme law,respected by all its member
states and ratified in their respective parliaments a dream would be realised.However,in
their respective states,African member governments have failed to respect their own
constitutions and the rule of law.
As the African Union celebrates its 50th anniversary ,Mugabe, 88, warned that Africans
are not as united as was expected by the founders of the AU's predecessor, the
Organisation of African Unity, half a century ago.To echo his words,Pan-Africanism is
crucial for our development on the continent and for the restoration of the dignity of
Africa.
The founding father of the AU,Kwame Nkrumah said: "as long as we are divided by
nation states, we will be faced with internal conflicts, we will be threatened with
economic marginalisation as we are now, and most importantly we will be threatened
with lack of self-confidence and belief, and lack of the ability to solve our own problems."
In 1963, expounding his vision regarding the Organisation of African Unity Kwame
Nkrumah declared, “Independence is only the prelude to a new and more involved
struggle for the right to conduct our own economic and social affairs; to construct our
society according to our aspirations, unhampered by crushing and humiliating neo-
colonial controls and interference".
Kwame Nkrumah had a vision of a United Africa,self reliant,independent from any
western or eastern influence into its internal affairs.As we cerebrate the Golden Jubelee
let us take stock of the developements in the last five decades.Some observers think the
interference of western countries into African affairs is failing the Union of Africa.
President Mugabe,a veteran leader of Zimbabwe argues that:"We really have not
become integrated as an African people into a real union," he said. "And this is the worry,
which my brother has, and the worry I have; the worry perhaps others also have. That
we are not yet at that stage which was foretold by our fathers when they created this
organisation."
Imagine a United States of Africa (USA)spanning Cape Town and Cairo as was
proposed by Gaddafi in 1999 as a way of ending the continent's conflicts and defying the
west.The idea failed to secure enough support from his African counterparts. Colonnel
Gaddafi had a dream of a single railway line from Capetown to Cairo where African
citizens would travel without a passport inot any African country using a single currency
backed by gold.

2. One wonders whether,western powers were happy with this proposed unification of
African states.Colonnel Gaddafi invested in Africa more than any other leader in the
recent history of Africa's coming into political independence.This angered Americans
and Europeans who need access to the mineral resources in Africa for them to remain
viable powers in the 21st century.Observers say implementing that vision would change
the world power equation and threaten Western hegemony. In response, the United
States and its NATO partners determined “Gadhafi must go,” and assumed the role of
judge, jury and executioner.
In February,2009,Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi vowed to pursue his vision of a
United States of Africa, in his inaugural address as the new chairman of the African
Union.
Col Gaddafi was elected by the heads of state of the 53-member union behind closed
doors at a summit in Ethiopia.Wearing a golden brocade robe and cap, Col Gaddafi sat
with the traditional African leaders who accompanied him at the front of the room, rather
than in the seat for the Libyan delegate.
"I shall continue to insist that our sovereign countries work to achieve the United States
of Africa," he said in his inaugural speech.
The AU normally relies on consensus in reaching decisions, but Col Gaddafi introduced
what he described as the Islamic concept that "silence is approval,"Under this principle,
at least two-thirds of AU leaders would have to actively oppose Col Gaddafi's proposals,
rather than simply ignoring his ideas.
On 29th August,2008,prior to the summit he had invited a group of 200 traditional
leaders name him the "king of kings" of Africa.
This notion of Gaddafi towards the leadership of the African Union became a threat to
other African leaders who later opposed the idea of unification of Africa.South Africa
made it clear that formation of United States of Africa was not their focus whereas
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe could not bear having a supreme authority over
his territory.
Efforts by Colonnel Gaddafi to form the United States of Africa dates back to 1999.The
fact that between 1999 and 2002 the Constitutive Act of the African Union was written
and ratified is now history, and Gaddafi deserves credit for his leadership on this.
Upon his death,the AU lost its most avid financial backer. It is estimated that roughly 15
percent of the AU operating budget provided by member states came from Libya, in
addition to Tripoli’s covering of dues for a number of smaller African countries in arrears.
However, serving as chairman of the African Union, Gaddafi contravened the African
Commission on Human and People’s Rights. There was the execution of African
migrants in Libya, and putting many on death row in Libya. Indeed, Gaddafi’s tenure as
chair of the AU represented a low period for African progressives. His rambling and
undisciplined presentation at the United Nations in 2009 was a poor reflection on Africa.
But his presence in the USA was a result of a new alliance between the oil barons in the
USA and the Libyan government. After the French government mooted the
establishment of the Mediterranean Union to counter the United States in Africa,
sections of the US ruling circles started to court Gaddafi. Since the visit of Condoleezza
Rice to Tripoli, Gaddafi had been silent in his opposition to AFRICOM. In May 2006 Time
Magazine said that George W. Bush and Gaddafi see ‘eye to eye'.
Some observers argue that Colonnel Gaddafi failed the progression of the African Union
while others think the term of office for leadership of the African Union is too short to

3. measure meaningful impact of success.
Later ,Gaddafi exposed himself very clearly when he called for the division of Nigeria
along religious lines. Progressive Pan-Africanists condemned this statement and joined
with the Nigerian people who reject this call for division. Nigerian youths and
progressives will work to end religious, regional and ethnic manipulations. Religion,
ethnicity and regional ideologies are not in themselves political factors. They become so
in circumstances where the people’s forces are weakened. The call by Gaddafi is for the
weakening of the people’s forces in Nigeria at precisely a moment when Nigeria should
be building unity, peace and reconstruction was a serious set-back.
Such kind of behaviour from Colonnel Gaddafi showed loss of direction in the African
Union,since westerners and most African states regarded him as a confusionist.
Africa is noted for its respect of notorious leaders,Gaddafi's defiance dates back more
than three decades back when he became the friend of the worst dictators. His
relationship with Idi Amin, whose regime murdered more than 300,000, stands out in
this regard. The Libyan Arab Bank financed the ventures of Idi Amin’s henchmen and the
Libyan army fought alongside Idi Amin’s army when Amin invaded Tanzania in 1978.
This attack on Tanzania was an effort by Amin to divert attention from the struggle
against apartheid and colonialism in Rhodesia and South Africa.
Some commentators belive Gaddafi is not to blame for the failure of progress in the
formation of United States of Africa but western powers failed Africa.
On 31 January 2010, Ngwazi Dr.Bingu wa Mutharika replaced Muammar al-Gaddafi as
chairperson of the African Union after Gaddafi's attempt to run as the African Union
chairperson for an additional year failed. Mutharika was Malawi's first head of state to
assume the position of chairperson. In his acceptance speech he said that "Africa is not
a poor continent, but the African population are poor" and called for "Africa to develop
Africa".
He shared his vision for the African Food Basket Initiative by making food security a
priority in his agenda.
If the term of office at AU was longer some quarters believe that such leaders like
Mutharika would have transformed and progressed the African Union's agenda.The
American government was happy to see Gaddafi out of the leadership of the African
Union.
In congratulating the election of Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika as Chairperson of the
African Union the USA government released a statement which in part reads:
"The United States will continue to work with the African Union to confront ongoing
stability challenges in Guinea, Niger, and Madagascar and to further peace and
reconciliation in Somalia, Darfur, Zimbabwe and the eastern Democratic Republic of the
Congo. We also hope to work closely with our African partners to confront the scourge of
sexual and gender-based violence on the continent and ensure the full participation of
Africa’s women in its socio-economic development." Philip J. Crowley,Assistant
Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs (February,2010).
However,President Bingu wa Mutharika failed to meet the expectations of United States
of America when he linked up with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir who is wanted
by the International Criminal Court on suspicion of war crimes in Darfur.
Malawi planned to host Mr Bashir in October,2012 in defiance of an International
Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for him on charges of genocide in Darfur.The plan
failed after the death of Mutharika in April of the same year,such that his
successor,President of Joyce Banda refused to host Al Bashir in Malawi after being
inflenced by the west.The AU summit was then shifted to Addis Ababa,Ethiopia.
Wa Mutharika also mantained close ties with his ally Zimbabwe’s President Robert

4. Mugabe who is on sanctions including a travel ban to the United States of America and
Europe.
Some observers,therefore argue that a true African Union Leader would not be
respected by member states if he becomes a puppet of the west.
On the other hand conflicts in African countries are not caused by brotherly hatred but
the support from external influence from the East and West who supply ammunition in
exchange of mineral resources.
This would mean that western countries supporting war in Africa do not want to see it
free and self reliant.They believe aid attached with conditions is vital to have Africa a
permanent dependant fo the west
For instance in 2012,upon succesfully mediating for peace in the oil rich horn of Africa in
a conflict of Sudan and South Sudan,Former South African President Thabo Mbeki
highlighted the need for African sovereignity.
In his words,former South African President Thabo Mbeki said that Africans can solve
the numerous problems affecting the continent without giving room for external
interference which usually comes with interests."With what we have done in Sudan, we
have demonstrated that it is possible for us to solve our problems. If we allow others to
come in they will come with their own interest and provide solutions that will serve their
own interest," he said.President Mbeki noted that of all internal African efforts to solve
problems of the continent, the one in Sudan has attracted respect for African
leadership."Now even the UN security council cannot take any decision on this matter
without asking the opinion of the African Union. It therefore demonstrates that we have
the capacity as Africans to take charge of our own destiny; to refuse to be marginalised
or be dictated to," he added.
As we cerebrate the fifty decades of the African Union,our leaders meeting in Addis
Ababa-Ethiopia should reflect on the dream of our founding fathers.
The time has come when the Union of Africa can have a meaning when we see peace in
DR Congo,peace in Somalia and all other African troubled states.
One Africa,one destiny is possible and indeed the Union of Africa is slowly getting to its
fit by its ability to solve internal conflicts without external interference.
.