2017: A TRIBUTE 2018: A FOCUS
2017 has seen a shift for some African states, from the cape at the south to the canal at the north. It has seen the exit of Yahya Jammeh after 22 years of rule in Gambia after pressure and continuous efforts from friends to coax him to cede power; it has seen the sun set on the 38-year rule of Dos Santos in Angola; and the curiosity of Zimbabwe in their ouster of Robert Mugabe after a 37 year rule.
It has also seen the seeds of regime entrenchment in Paul Kagame’s Rwanda, the scrapping of the presidential age limit in Yoweri Museveni’s Uganda and the exit of Pierre Nkurunzinza’s Burundi from the ICC. It saw the first nullification of a presidential election by an African Supreme Court in Kenya, the first prosecution of a former child soldier as victim and offender at the ICC in the case of Dominic Ongwen of Uganda and certain crises that called on the nations to come together such as the mudslides of Sierra Leone and DRC and the slave trade in Libya. Whether such help was availed is a matter of perspective.
2018 holds her secrets. Looking forward we see Togo continuing the march against the rule of Faure Gnassingbe, with Liberia greeting the new year with the rule of George Weah while giving a handing over salute to the first female head of an African state Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Further anticipating what the push against Joseph Kabila will bring in DRC. 2018 will see the effect of the exit of AMISOM troops from Somalia and the continuing crisis of South Sudan with president Salva Kiir and Riek Machar forces in limbo. It serves as the year that will make or break Cyril Ramaphosa’s bid for presidency, having succeeded Jacob Zuma as head of ANC in South Africa. It is simply politics, it has its peaks.
There are certain countries which will attract focus in 2018.
Egypt: facing internal mixed feelings, having taken part in Saudi Arabia’s push against Qatar in the matter of purportedly supporting ISIS, she finds herself in a position to support the Palestinians in the latest onslaught by Israel, and yet she owes some allegiance to the USA.
Nigeria: whether it is the fuel crisis, or the recurrent Boko Haram upsurges or the fact of her intended participation in the World Cup 2018, she will maintain her stake in continental news makers
Kenya: with the characteristic relationship of the media, security forces and state powers playing themselves out, she will find herself in a precarious position, trying to balance out expectations from a gruelling election period with maintaining her relative strength in the East African region.
DRC: Joseph Kabila remains adamant about his position as president, having initially offset presidential elections following the end of his term in 2016, the year promises an increase in activities to push him out, with the international community taking sides on his stay. Meanwhile internal instability continues to render the socioeconomic space of the nation as weak
Somalia: the first test of the nation’s ability to hold her own will come after the mass of AMISOM troops pull out in 2018. Coming from a sustained period of conflict, her nationals are optimistic that she will be able to stand on her own two feet. Some, however, express worry following the truck bomb that claimed the lives of over 300 in October.
South Africa: Zuma having survived the eighth vote of no confidence, with xenophobic unrest having been witnessed earlier in the year, the nation is set to turn another chapter in her march towards a unified South Africa.
The continent expects a rousing 2018, with the challenges mentioned in her respective national anthems serving as a reminder of the desires of her people. The path ahead will require decisive steps. And as we prepare to take them, God bless Africa.