Three Reasons Why Africa is Wailing.

Africa as a continent has had a fair share of problems ranging from political, economical and spiritual. Today, we are going to major on the political and economical woes of many African countries; their causes and possible solutions with pointed out case studies. The continent has had myriad challenges when it comes to running its affairs. The political systems in most African countries have been the major cause of delayed economic growth in these countries. I wouldn't hesitate to mention how corruption has dealt a big blow in this development journey. Let's see how, where and when.

A few weeks ago, in Kenya, the government in its quest to reinstate sanity in the country on how public money is spent, launched a report popularly known as the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report that was a suggestion of how to better the political systems in the country which would in return improve the economic sector. Also see: https://kenyayote.com/bbi-report-pdf-and-summary-building-bridges-initiative-kenya/ for more details on BBI. The factors that attracted the need of the country's two main protagonists in matters elections, H.E President of Kenya, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta and the retired Prime Minister, Mr. Raila Odinga, to come together and build a peaceful environment for development, were among others, massive corruption in public sectors and election incredibility that has in the recent past thrown the once peaceful country into post election turmoils. This act of building bridges in Kenya has attracted the implementation of actions that were previously not imagined could happen in the country. A number of high profile leaders have been arrested and arraigned in courts to answer to graft charges.The most recent being the governor of the country's capital city, one Mr. Mike Mbuvi Sonko.

Kenya being a case study in this scenario, a lot other African countries have started revolutionizing their systems and bad leaders being thrown out such as was the case with the late former president of Zimbabwe Mr. Mugabe, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak and Mohamed Morsi of Egypt among others. See: https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/africa/ousted-African-leaders-since-2010/4552902-5263234-ph0b2c/index.html for details.

Africa's population growth has been on a record high for centuries now. Latest reports indicate that Africa is leading the continents in population growth rates with a stunning 2.52% growth rate followed closely by Oceania at 1.34%. As shown in the table below.

This high population growth rate in Africa has negatively impacted in economic development since the large population is scrambling for the scarce resources available hence diluting the quality of service received. There has been a rise in the number of slums and sub standard homes for many families of Africa.Congestion and overpopulation in specific regions has also been on the rise as everyone struggles to fit in.

Reproductive health education has been incorporated in most countries and mostly in the remote parts of the same to enlighten the citizens on the need to practice family planning in an effort to curb rapid population growth

A lot of resources are lying undetected and those that are detected are under-utilized in Africa. Africa is one of the richest continents priding itself in wildlife, natural resources such as petroleum, copper, gold, salt sugar among many others. Greed and disorganization among countries has made it impossible for the continent to rise in one voice and market its products in standardized fair prices and with great value coming home to benefit the member states rather than being enjoyed by purchasing continents.

Africa can grow to one of the richest continents if its leaders would put greed aside and think of uniting to form a formal African state. One African leader from Egypt, Muammar Al-Gaddafi the late, once suggested of United States of Africa and even proposed single military force, single currency and single passport for Africans to move freely around the continent. Gaddafi was the then chairman of the 53 nations African Union. This proposal by Gaddafi is maybe what Africa needs to set itself free from post colonial degradation by former colonial masters and this will be achievable if greed was kicked out of most African leaders.

Yes, Africa has a plethora of challenges, as Guinea's president, Alpha Conde, rightly states. However the root cause of all these issues can directly be traced to greed, corruption and uncontrollably large population. Africa ought to look into these matters with a heavy heart.

A lot of other issues are killing the African continent. But if these three issues are resolved Africa can be sure to rise from it's sick bed and rank high among other able continents.