When Westerners came to Africa, they were called missionaries and explorers. They came and “discovered” mountains and lakes as if African eyes would edit the scenery to only see the savannah. However, when people of colour try to access better opportunities, they are quickly called illegal immigrants, criminals, terrorists or more recently MS13.
It is clear to me that the world doesn’t have a migrant crisis. It is simply racism. Forget that vast native populations in Africa, Australia and the Americas were wiped out by white immigrants by the millions, and further the continued plunder of resources that flow West as if natives have no use for them.
We see in the news how hundreds of African lives are lost trying to cross over into Europe. We see European NGOs rescue Africans while European governments fight to change migrant laws to keep Africans out. It is interesting to note that the wars in the Balkans that led to many immigrants into the same countries was not considered an illegal immigrant crisis.
Tribal fiefdoms
I wonder daily why there is no African country that would send its idle navy ships to rescue fellow Africans. Why wouldn’t the mighty South Africa help? Or Kenya or Namibia? The answer, my friends, is woefully simple: there is no country for Africans. South Africa is reeling from the effects of its dalliance with grand corruption and greed, it can do nothing but watch. We must also remember that xenophobia is a very real spectre in that nation.
Kenya on the other hand has opened its borders for every African. A move which I highly support, but Kenya too has its fair share of issues to deal with, chief of which is corruption and this is why there is no country for Africans - because most of Africa is the beneficiary of inherited theft and pillaging of resources to satisfy the elite and their European masters.
The fact is that when the West left Africa, they didn’t leave us in peace; they left us in pieces - and on purpose. They left us as tribal fiefdoms which would fight each other for years to come as we have. They left us with laws and infrastructure that pointed all our resources to flow to the West. (It is no coincidence that the train tracks lead to the coast).
Instead of governments, they handed us puppet regimes that would never stand up to the West, instead they would join in the plunder of the state. The poverty and wars that are leading to the migration of Africans into Europe are the Europeans’ fault. An unstable Africa is good for business and the more corrupt our leaders are, the better access to our resources.
The West is always quick to broker peace in Africa, so that the installed leaders are in their debt. Their only concern is the flow of resources to the West. It is in protecting these interests that they intervene in Africa. My friends, have you noticed the silence from our diplomatic friends since the handshake? Have you noticed they have not offered billions of dollars and advisers to help us fight corruption?
Have you noticed there is silence about the fight against contraband goods? They are silent and I will tell you why; the steps we are taking will finally make a country for Africans. Kenya will change and we will have all we ever dreamt of out of a nation, it is only a matter of time and in this, the West stands to lose.
Migrate within
They are instead content with grading our corruption annually and enjoying the fact that a corrupt Africa is good for them. We must turn the tide. The tide is turned by Africans deciding to build an African for Africans. Let these immigrants migrate within. We are not afraid of our brothers but we must begin to build states that our brothers can come to learn, develop and later do the same for their states.
If you drive across Kenya you will not find a single factory or industry donated by the people of such and such Western country. It is on purpose that they only “donate” schools and hospitals to make us think they care while they really want a better workforce to supply them with our resources unprocessed and cheap. A corrupt country means bad coffee prices for the farmer, it also means no coffee factory, it also means we import the same coffee back to our country.
My friends, as our brothers die on the high seas, let us not forget their plight, we owe it to them and future generations to build an Africa which none of its sons want to leave. An Africa where the ravages of corruption are gone.
An Africa at peace, an Africa with industries that employ her people and an Africa with proper health and housing. This is Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term. It is the Big Four agenda, it is the handshake and it is the fight against corruption. It is the chance for one more woman to be stopped from going to Saudi Arabia to be abused, it is the chance for one more young man to live long enough to see his children grow up. It is Africa’s chance!
Which is why I find it sickening that politicians are playing politics with the fight against corruption. It is sad that a leader can come out against the lifestyle audit or to defend illegal sugar. It is a shame and a show of the poor judgement that clouds their minds.
We are saving our future, dear MPs you and your petty politics can take a long walk off a short pier. We are not interested in your 2022 predictions and power deals. We are about the end of corruption, the Big Four agenda and peace. Anything else is an unwanted annoyance. We will not wait for you and neither will we wait for the West, we will build Kenya with our bare hands.
Mr Bichachi is a Communication Consultant.bichachi@gmail.com
