Kagame intensifies campaign for United States of Africa

By Charles Kazooba

The campaign by African political leaders to integrate the 52 small African states into a United States of Africa has gained steam with Rwanda President Paul Kagame calling for an urgent response to the quest for one government for the world’s second largest continent.

President Kagame while opening the 5^th meeting of the 1st session of the 3rd Assembly at the Parliament of Rwanda in Kigali, Rwanda said continental unity and integration would insure, “against denial of our ability to play our rightful role in the world.”

“Africa presents us with immense opportunities for further economic growth and a stronger voice in the international arena,” he emphasized on Tuesday 16.

Ever since the cold murder of Libya President Muammar Qaddafi, the lead architect of the USA project, many African leaders today appreciate the integration of Africans.

In fact, in January this year, talked of the ‘president of Africa’ even though no agreement has been reached to consolidate the different blocs in Africa into one state let alone the put forwards how governance structures would appear.

The Zimbabwean president claimed a continental bloc united under one figurehead was needed to move Africa into global superleague.

"Get them to get out of the regional shell and get into one continental shell," he reportedly said in January.

"The continent of Africa: this is what we must become. And there, we must also have an African head. He was talking of the president of Africa. Yes, we need one. We are not yet there. This is what we must go and discuss, but we must also discuss the issues that divide us."

At the time Muammar Qaddafi traversed the continent pushing for his idea of one Africa one government many of his peers rubbished his idea as a populist gimmick intended to keep him in political power and act as leverage to balance international politics.

Actually, his campaign later put him on a collision course with emerging leaders on the continent causing most times a diplomatic rift between his government and other African entities.

For instance, the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni requested American protection for fear that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi would shoot down his plane, after a deep disagreement between the two heavy weights of Africa, according to a leaked US embassy cable has revealed.

The two leaders disagreed over the political and economic future of Africa. President Museveni said he and former South African leader Thabo Mbeki, whom he blames for not offering an alternative to Libya’s approach, were then working together to counter the union proposal.

It is also believed Gaddafi’s worked for the downfall of Mbeki. However, some leaders supported the Gaddafi’s idea but others urged the slow development of different economic communities and allegiances.  

But Kagame has argued that since Africa remains the most economically viable and vibrant continent it is important to tap the resources under one government.

“Africa is the only region where GDP has been growing at an average of 5% per year for the last few years. We have the world’s largest reserve of natural resources. Our population is youthful and increasingly has more money to spend.

“These are opportunities that we cannot permit others to benefit from more than us.  However, to get maximum benefits from this situation demands that we increase the level of intra-African trade and investment and extend integration across the continent – starting, of course, as we have done at regional level,” he said.

He added that in order to get the most out of regional and continental integration, it was crucial to address concerns like commitments on the free movement of people, labour and services, which have not been fully or evenly implemented across the region.

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