Where are Rich men of Africa, the black Americans who lie?

Totally a different front. I have been reflecting on some of social issues tha engulf Africa and the role of different people that claim that they love Africa. I will not today talk of the snail pace of trying to establish the African Healthcare Journalists network though it seems the tobacco control activist promise more support than what we have tried to get from other health sectors in the past one year. Today is the story of our own rich men and women in all Africa.
Philanthropists from USA, UK and others in the name of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Hunter are driving many causes to the global agenda using their self made wealth not the ones stolen from Governments.
Africa has had 206 Presidents, Kings and Rulers, yet very few than 10 schools, hospitals or any other public causes bears their signature and pocket money label as having come from them.
The richest people on the continent are mainly Presidents who led bandits masquedering as politicians looting the already poor state coffers. Angola, DRC, Sudan and Nigeria can provide reference point so too Sierra Leone.
My problem is what after stealing the money from the poor do our millionaires Presidents, Ministers and others do with the money?
They purchase apartments, hide billions in Swizterland and continue to plunder with impunity state coffers.
Bakili Muluzi at his peak of presidency had the audacity to accuse Malawians of being jealousy when he opened Keza House. He shouted on top of his voice that he is yet to open a radio, TV, shopping mall and many more. Simple he was telling the 65 percent of the many poor Malawians that he had money, actually more money than anyone else.
Bingu recently has been emphasising that this is 'my personal' money while Kamuzu simply onwed 30-percent of the economy through the Press Corporation. Thanks to politics now it is a public trust.
Mugabe is filfthy rich so too places I have been to see that belong to Reserve Bank Governor Gedion Gono while an average Zimbabwean cannot afford a decent meal a day.
Elsewhere the story is the same and we continue with Mobutu Seseko, Yoweri Museveni and even Libyan leader Muammar Ghaddafi all these are very rich and extra ordinarily rich leaders.
But simple they cant give back to their poor citizens. In this case I mean alot, why should Clinton build a hospital when Bakili can afford the K40 million car enough to build four wards at one of our district hospital.
Something is entirely wrong with our rich people. The keep buying properties to increase their value and stash the rest in European Banks while the rich men of the west contribute to assist poor Africans.
Wake up it is time more African billionaires including all leaders to join Mo Ibrahim of Celtel now Zain fame. I am sure the rich Presidents will have time to contribute to my cause to build ten youth centres which will focus on good health, leadership development and creating self spaces for youth and children.
Finally this to the many America stars that have pretended to love Africa. Yes I am talking to Oprah Winfrey, Usher, Micheal Jackson and all the Governments that I wrote to in 2007 under the African 2000 generation project.
This was a pan african concept to develop and mobilise positive attitudes in African youth to ensure that they look forward to a productive than a life of a misery. Check in your intrays, some responded from George Bush, Tony Blair to Gemarn and Netherlands leaders. Yes Norway and Denmark too. None of the African American superstars responded and Jacko's was kindly returned to the sender by SONY.
It was an experiment to examine the attitudes of the influential people towards African initiatives. i
I am very happy, none doesnt give a damn if no publicity is involved.
My simple message is you no longer have the privilage of using Africa to get tax holiday's by pretending to donate to charity at the same time we are working to really examine some of the funny donations that have been made so far.
Finally only Madonna continues to raise funds to support more than 3000 opharns in Malawi, the highest reach out number for any celebrity on the continent.
Stop lying of your love for Africa.
On our own, yes we can and we will be able to claim our rightful roles in global community. Not today, but definately socio, economic and political freedom emanciption is nigh. I see it if Africa's new generation of young people!!!

Comments

RME said…
It is a challenge to critique the actions of celebrities, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the host of other organisations and individuals who are pouring money into Africa because to any critical review of their actions or agenda in Africa is countered by their argument that they are simply 'trying to save lives'.

To keep it short, I will simply quote from a review of William Easterly's lastest book Reinventing Foreign Aid "The urgency of reducing poverty in the developing world has been the subject of a public campaign by such unlikely policy experts as George Clooney, Alicia Keyes, Elton John, Angelina Jolie, and Bono. And yet accompanying the call for more foreign aid is an almost universal discontent with the effectiveness of the existing aid system."
December 8, 2008 at 12:55 AM
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