ADB poll: Africa hoodwinked
By Caesar Zvayi
WHEN something momentous happens, the human mind always remembers the instant
down to the finest details; the way we always remember the first day of school
or any other first.
Like all progressive Zimbabweans, I will long remember the moment I first heard
the news from Abuja, that Dr Simbarashe Makoni, the most qualified of all the
aspiring candidates had "failed" to garner enough votes to secure the African
Development Bank (ADB) presidency.
Prior to tuning into the Zimbabwe Television (ZTv) news on the breakfast
programme, "This Morning" yesterday, I had been listening to the ditty "Africa
Restore Identity" by Mai Olivia Charamba.
The irony struck me immediately, because the sad news from Abuja only confirmed
my worst fears, Africa is still a long way from self-determination.
To the naïve, Dr Makoni lost out in a fair contest but to the discerning, he
lost out in the corridors of White Hall and Capitol Hill.
Abuja was just the venue for the verdict.
The African Development Bank (ADB) is supposedly an African institution, in
which 53 African nations have a 60 percent stake whilst the non-African
members; who include 24 countries from Asia, the Americas and Europe; including
the United States and United Kingdom, hold the other 40 percent.
It is important to note that the ADB is listed in the anti-Zimbabwe sanctions
law romantically called; "the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act"
that was passed by the US Congress in December 2001.
The ADB is identified as one of the multilateral institutions that should only
dispense loans to Zimbabwe; "if President Gorge Bush authorises it."
The Act defines "international financial institutions" as the multilateral
development banks.
The text says: by "multilateral development banks" the Act means: "The World
Bank, the International Development Association, the International Finance
Corporation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank,
the Inter-American Investment Corporation, the African Development Bank, the
African Development Fund, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,
the Multilateral Investment Guaranty Agency."
Thus, Dr Makoni’s ascendancy to the throne of the ADB would have been
tantamount to busting the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, as it would
have scuttled the West’s stranglehold on the country’s lines of credit.
The recently released report for Blair’s Commission for Africa also identfies
the ADB as a key conduit for increased aid, to the continent.
Blair’s opinion of anyone remotely linked to the Zimbabwean Government is
well known — his hand was also behind the anti-Makoni campaign.
Dr Makoni is also on the European Union (EU) travel sanctions list, in his
capacity as a Zanu-PF Politburo member and former Finance Minister.
His candidature was opposed by some of the ADB members in the European bloc on
that basis, yet the ADB job is a multilateral job that has nothing to do with
the illegal sanctions imposed on Harare at the instigation of the Anglo-Saxon
cousins.
The ADB election pitted five candidates — Olabisi Ogunjobi (Nigeria);
Kingsley Amoako (Ghana); Simba Makoni (Zimbabwe); Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda);
Oye-Mba (Gabon) and Theodore Nkodo (Cameroon); from the initial six following
the withdrawal of Egyptian candidate Ismail Hassan before the poll.
None of the five contestants matches Dr Makoni’s resume, even the on-line
anti-Zimbabwe publication, New Zimbabwe.com acknowledges Dr Makoni’s virtues.
How the Western bloc hoodwinked Africa to back candidates with inferior
credentials is one of the ironies of our time.
A regrettable insult to the 42nd Africa Day celebrations, which are just less
than a week away.
Ironically, Africa Day was set aside to commemorate the formation of the
Organisation of African Unity (OAU) — now African Union (AU).
The AU was set up specifically to promote the total independence of a continent
plagued by the scourge of flag independence.
The die was cast in the run-up to the ADB poll, with several analysts pointing
out that Dr Makoni was a clear favourite; who could only fail to land the post
because of Western hegemony.
The ADB election was a test for Africa’s maturity, sadly the continent only
badly let itself down.
Dr Makoni is a well-respected diplomat, business consultant and businessman not
only in Zimbabwe but also in the Sadc region he served so well in various
capacities.
The region and the continent are very aware of his aptitude; and should have
taken a stand.
What is astounding is the fact that the Westerners not only opposed Dr
Makoni’s candidature; but are reported to be pushing the candidature of the
Rwandan Finance Minister; simply because Rwanda is Uncle Sam’s blue-eyed boy.
The Nigerian newspaper, This Day (May 19 2005) reports that most African
delegates are aware that Kaberuka has been anointed by the US, and is playing
the stooge in an essentially African institution.
Western powers reportedly consider the Nigerian candidate, Ogunjobi to be too
independent and pro-Africa for their liking, which is why the US-led
non-regionals are using their influence to either have Kaberuka elected or have
the elections stalemated so that outgoing president Omar Kabbaj would stay on
for another year till a more amenable compromise candidate is found.
This has happened as the ADB elections have been postponed to the weekend of
July 21 - 22, at the bank’s next meeting in Tunis, following a stalemate
between Kaberuka and Ogunjobi after the fifth round.
The tragedy is not only that Africa has been forced to abandon the best man for
the job for political expediency; but that Africa cannot even assert her will
in her own institutions.
We have seen how the AU has been infiltrated through the Western-sponsored
African Commission for Human and People’s Rights (ACPHR), which at times acts
as a de facto arm of the US State Department.
The Pan-African News Agency, which was established without Western funds to
promote editorial independence, was compromised soon after receiving donor
funds in the early 1990s.
So far, Africa has been marginalised from most of the multilateral institutions
such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Even, the much touted reforms of the United Nations Security Council; that have
availed two permanent seats to the continent reek of marginalisation because
Africa will be expected to just rubber stamp the decisions of others since the
seats have no veto powers.
In fact, when one looks at it; the whole debate about the UN seats has been
delegitimised after excluding Zimbabwe; not because the country does not
qualify; but because of political pressure from the West.
No progressive African State can dispute the fact that, Zimbabwe is one of the
biggest economic and military powers on the continent.
The role Zimbabwe played in defending the territorial integrity of Mozambique
and the Democratic Republic of Congo when some of the purported African powers
were looking the other way; and the country’s participation in UN peace
keeping missions says it all.
Zimbabwe appears to have been artificially knocked off this pedestal, but the
West’s fixation with Harare simply confirms the fact.
The ADB poll was not Dr Makoni’s loss; but the defeat of a continent that
should know better.
As long as the West continues to dictate to us even in our own institutions we
shall forever fail to answer the question; that has been punctuated by our
question-mark-shaped continent.
Whither Africa, if your pillagers continue peeing in your face and tell you its
raining?
The Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy"
Groupe de communication Mulindwas
"avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie"
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