FindAfrica Blog

An earlier recent report about China giving secret scholarships to the children of top officials in Namibia is yet another indication why Africans must remain vigilant, keeping a watchful eye for signs of corruption involving foreign governments and theirs. China has moved quickly in recent years to build relationships with countries in Africa. These relationships have included not only the sale of goods but the purchasing of rights to mineral resources by China. Now, there is nothing necessarily wrong with this. But in too may of these types of cases we see corruption rear its ugly head because somewhere along the way someone decides it’s necessary or desirable to move forward. 

In the Namibian scholarships case, China awarded secret scholarships for up to 5 years to children of the president, the inspector general of the Namibian police, the justice minister, the defense minister, whose agency buys weapons from China, and the home affairs and immigration minister, whose agency is responsible for approving residence and work permits for Chinese workers whose companies have won contracts to do work in Namibia. According to the New York Times, the disclosure of these scholarships has “unleashed a wave of fury from the nation’s civil society groups and youth organizations.” 

Corruption is a huge problem in many countries in Africa. Indeed, in some African countries bribes are essentially factored into the cost of doing business. However this is no reason to relent, especially when new forms of corruption threaten to make Africa an even more corrupt place. Corruption involving other countries is concerning because it has to potential to subject citizens of one country to the will of the government of another without due process.

The revelation of these secret scholarships should serve as a reminder to African to keep a watchful eye on their government’s interaction with other countries, whether it’s China, Germany or America.

News of pirate activity off the East African coast, specifically off the Somali coast, has become commonplace. Most individuals who follow world news will be familiar with the numerous Somali pirate incidents, some high-profile, other not, which have from time to time dominated the airwaves. 

But pirate attacks are not limited to waters off the Somali coast. Indeed outside Africa, there are significant piracy problems in parts of Asia. But even within Africa, the problem of piracy extends beyond eastern Africa. 

Recently, the Ghanaian navy captured and returned a Nigerian oil tanker that had been hijacked off the Nigerian coast, near Lagos. According to the International Maritime Bureau, there were some 100 pirate attacks in West Africa last year. This is bad news for West Africa, and ultimately like Somali piracy, bad news for all of Africa. 

Countries in Africa must do everything within their powers to ensure that the growing piracy problem is arrested and ultimately eliminated as soon as possible. A significant piracy threat to commerce will make development on the continent nearly impossible because so much of global merchandise is transported by shipping. It is imperative that the piracy problem is attacked now while it is small. The last think Africa needs is another huge problem to add the big issues of governance, corruption, human rights, etc. The list is already too long. Let’s not add piracy to the list.

According to reports, Islamist insurgents who control large parts of southern Somalia have told the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) to stop importing goods into the country. They claim that imports have devastated local agriculture. But why would they do this? Apparently, the insurgents are hoping to boost their support in farming areas.

Helping local farmers is a worthy goal. Limiting imports to spur local production is also not necessarily a bad idea. But like so many ideas inflicted on Africa by Africans and non-Africans alike, the devil is in the details and implementation. Essentially, Somali farmers, at their current rate of production, are incapable of providing enough food for their people. This means Somalia (or here, the WFP) must import food into the country or people will go hungry. But don’t tell that to the insurgents. They have an idea are they are willing to run with it, the facts be damned.

Here is another idea: rather than demanding that the WFP stop importing goods into the country, the Islamists could demand that the WFP buy the excess of all locally produced goods. Depending on the facts on the ground and how such a program is implemented, this could spur even more Somalis to engage in farming considering there is a ready buyer. It could also cut costs for the WFP because the WFP won’t have to pay for transportation of the goods it buys in Somalia. And happier, more numerous farmers just might support the Islamists. Who knows, perhaps some day if enough Somalis engage in farming, they may produce enough food to feed their country. In other words, there is a potential win, win, win, scenario lurking around the corner.

Unfortunately, knowing my Africa, it will be a loose, loose, loose scenario. The Islamists will delay some WFP shipments causing some Somalis to go hungry. The WFP will spend unnecessary funds to restore the imports. The farmers will see no significant increase in sales if any increase at all. And the Islamists will see no increase support from the farmers.

Sigh.

I recently read, and was move by, stories about Magodonga Mahlangu, Jennifer Williams and the women of Women of Zimbabwe Arise. This movement of as many as 75,000 women engages in non-violent protests on social justice issues, including food, education and health care. These women catalog their struggle on their website at http://wozazimbabwe.org/. As a result of their campaigns, the organization received the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award on November 24 at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House form President Obama.

These women seek no political power. Their concerns are issues of education, justice, food, and gender violence, among others. Yet they are met with beatings, arrests, and prosecution.

Unfortunately, Women of Zimbabwe Arise is but one group in Africa fighting for social justice. There are many other. Sadly, all too often these groups are met with violence and intimidation. As people interested in Africa and African issues, we must all do what we can to arrest this ugly reality. African leaders, for their part, must recognize that such groups have important concerns that deserve to be heard and responded to appropriately.

Today, we have good news out of Switzerland. According to the BBC, a Swiss court has ordered the seizure of $350 million in assets from the son of Nigeria’s former military ruler, General Sani Abacha. General Abacha ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998. Swiss authorities have been investigating laundering of Nigerian state funds, up to as much as $2.2 billion, since 1999. This $350 million is on top of $700 million that Swiss authorities have already returned to Nigeria. Abba Abacha, Sani Abacha, was also given a suspended custodial sentence.

The outcome in this case is good news for two reasons. The first reason this is good news is that it allows Nigeria to put these financial resources to better use. Granted, Nigeria continues to have problems with corruption. But surely some of these funds will find their way to appropriate governmental use. No?

The second, perhaps even more important reason this is good news is that it sends a signal to African dictators, thieves and embezzlers: steal and the money could be taken away from you. For too long theft of national funds by African rulers were aided by western countries. Western countries asked no questions when these rules deposited millions and in the case of General Sani Abacha, billions, knowing these funds could only have been acquired by illegal means. As a result, African rulers were encouraged, knowing that all they had to do was get the funds into a private western bank. At that point, even if they died or were overthrown, their family could access and use the funds.

No doubt, many of these rulers calculated and perhaps still calculate that becoming the ruler of an African country is a desirable goal only because it enables one to loot the national treasury. Indeed, the probably calculate as much even knowing that a disproportionate number of African rulers, compared to other parts of the world, are overthrown. To them, it is a worthy sacrifice to loot the national coffers if the reward is millions and potentially billions of dollars provided their families can keep the loot.

That is why this case is important. It sends the message that being an African ruler is no longer a guaranteed way to becoming a millionaire or a sure way to set up your children as millionaires. Even after you’re dead, the authorities may be willing to come after you family, including your children, to retrieve looted state funds. Hopefully, that message will discourage at least some would be thieves.