PLO ON HAITI & WHY KENYA FORCE IS NOT PAN-AFRICAN

Pan-African scholar and lawyer PLO Lumumba shared his views with African Stream on the announced deployment of Kenyan cops to Haiti. Heralded as a humanitarian, Pan-African initiative, he says the fact that it’s happening at Washington’s behest completely undermines it - as the US is one of the main destabilising forces on the island, alongside the likes of France. It was after a Kenya-Canada meeting that Kenya’s Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua made the announcement, with the US pledging to foot the bill - up to $200 million.

Haiti has been deemed in need of urgent intervention due to a security crisis driven by mounting gang violence.

Continued….However, given that the US itself faces similar problems, while the likes of Jamaica have been under a state of emergency for a significant part of the year, it’s unclear why Haiti should get special treatment.

If stability in Haiti were the noble cause the West pretends it is perusing, why has it at every turn sabotaged Haiti’s development? France made Haiti pay slave owners and the US robbed Haiti’s gold. It also propped up the dictatorship of François Duvalier and orchestrated the overthrow of the popular leader Jean Aristide.

With a Kenyan court halting the deployment of Kenyan officers to the island for now, PLO Lumumba says it should be a time for reflection. By all means, let Africa help its brother nation in the Caribbean - but it must be a homegrown initiative, not one pushed down Haiti’s throat by the West. Why should Kenya be the ‘Black face’ of American imperialism?

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FALLACIES OF AFRICAN HEADS OF STATE

We’ve all heard them talk, charming words, excellent cadence, captivating delivery..... but do they have anything to offer us beyond fiery speeches? Well it turns out that the only thing they have to bring to the table is neo-colonialism. Do you agree with us or did we miss the mark?

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THE REAL LION KING

We all grew up on the Lion King but what if we told you it’s not really about Mufasa, Scar, Simba and Naila. It’s actually about West African royalty. Specifically, Sundiata Keita, the founder of the great Mali Empire. The REAL Lion King! Ahmed Ghoneim flies through the history behind the Disney classic.

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MALEMA EXPOSES FRENCH COLONIAL TAX

Watch how Julius Malema, president of South African Pan-Africanist party Economic Freedom Fighters, exposed the French colonial tax several African states pay because they are required to place their reserves in French banks and use the CFA franc as their currency. CFA stands for 'Communauté Financière Africaine,' or African Financial Community.

Ultimately, this means certain African countries don't control their economies, nor their resources, to which Western powers often have first dibs.

As several of France's colonies, such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Guinea, cut ties with French institutions, a grassroots thrust has emerged to create African economies and pan-African policies that have been weakening France's neocolonial influence across the continent.

Let us know what you think of Malema's remarks during this 2016 lecture at the Oxford Union in England.

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MALCOLM X: UNITED AFRICANS IN THE AMERICAS

Malcolm X, a legendary human-rights advocate and Pan-Africanist, was in a constant pursuit of African unity in the Western Hemisphere. In this excerpt, he explains how Africans across the Americas need to unite against colonialism, domestically and abroad. He also criticised the absence of an organisation to pursue this form of unity and coordination between Africans, from Canada to the United States, and from Cuba to Brazil.

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MISLEADING MYTHS AND MUGABE’S LAND REFORM

Mugabe and his land reform have a pretty bad rep. Here we Afri-x-plain what its real failures and successes were, and bust some common myths.

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PUSHING BACK THE SAHARA

The world’s largest hot desert is growing. But an ambitious plan to grow an 8,000km long, 15km wide Great Green Wall of Africa across the entire width of the continent - designed to trap the sands of the Sahara, slow and even reverse the spread of the desert - is underway.

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MLK ON WHY AMERICA OWES AFRICANS

Martin Luther King Jr. is known for his leadership in the civil rights movement and his advocacy for racial equality and social justice. In this video, he illustrates the need for economic and social justice for Africans in America. It slightly predates the great March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where he delivered his iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.

King called for an end to racial segregation and discrimination and for equality in all aspects of American society, including economic opportunities, which were heavily skewed in favour of the White population. King believed that economic disparities and systemic inequalities were major obstacles to racial equality. He argued that Africans in America had been historically disadvantaged and that they deserved equal access to economic opportunities and resources.

Continued…He criticised the capitalist slogan of ‘pulling yourself up by the bootstraps’ and pointed out how its staunchest adherents benefited from government intervention.

His message still bears relevance today. In the context of Global South development, the West - through its financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund - prescribes austerity measures as a condition for funding. This has meant less public and social expenditure, including the stripping of subsidies that contribute to improved living standards for many. Meanwhile, big business in the ‘imperial core’ is subsidised, ranging from agriculture to big banks.

And even within America, many would argue the system is still rigged against Africans, as King argued it was back then. Do his words still ring true to you?

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BLACK HAIR COMPARISON: LONDON VS NAIROBI

The African diaspora faces many challenges and getting a haircut is one of them. There’s simply a lack of expertise outside the continent when it comes to cutting Black hair. And if you do find a stylist you like, it can cost a small fortune. In fact, it can cost ten times more than in the motherland!

Don’t believe it? Watch us follow two girls getting their hair braided in London and Nairobi. And the price difference is enough to make your hair stand on end! Talk about getting rinsed; black women in the UK also fork out three times as much as White females when it comes to hair care.

If you need one more reason to return home to the continent, this could be it) Miss Phyll cuts to the chase.

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NGO IMPERIALISM: TOOLS OF REGIME CHANGE

Aid organisations are generally thought of as good things. Humanity in action, as it were. But dig a little deeper, and it soon becomes clear that the primary purpose of some of the NGOs and humanitarian groups operating around the world today is not helping people - rather, it’s political: they are tools of regime change and Western-interest protection.

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LUMUMBA: DECOLONISE DRESS CODES

What kind of clothing befits African members of parliament?

According to Kenya’s speaker of the Senate, only Western-style attire is allowed within its walls. Pan-Africanist scholar PLO Lumumba thinks such a rule demonstrates ongoing colonisation of the mind. He says Africans should be proud of our culture and not allow colonial dominance.

So, go on and proudly rock that kente, kanzu, djellaba, boubou, dashiki or kitenge!

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BUSTING MYTH ABOUT AFRICAN FATHERS

Whether it’s right-wing politicians, the media or structural racism in the United States, the stereotype of the absent Black father is simply a lie! African Stream journalist Salifu Mack sets the facts straight about Black fathers in the United States today.

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THE FULANI PEOPLE!

The Fulani people are one of the largest and most widely dispersed ethnic groups. Their historical migration across vast terrains has seen them settle in various countries, spanning from Senegal and Guinea, to Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, and beyond.

Despite facing challenges from modernisation and changing landscapes, the Fulani have managed to preserve their cultural heritage, adapting it to contemporary times while safeguarding its essence. Their resilience and adaptability contribute significantly to the broader cultural mosaic of Africa.

African Stream’s Brenda Mwai tells the story of the Fulani people. Hands up in the comments if you hail from the Fulani tribe!

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BONGO BEAT GOES VIRAL

In an eventful year, here’s another banger from the archives. After the pre-dawn coup of Gabon’s President Ali Bongo on August 30th, the man took to social media on his allies to pressure the military to reinstate him. The internet, being the internet,turned his plea into a catchy theme.

The military takeover ended the Bongo family’s five-decade reign over the country. Although Brice Clothaire Oligui Nguema, the new transitional president, is the cousin to Bongo and has already met with the French government to underscore Gabon’s commitment to the French presence in is country, so expect to stay the same from the previous dynasty.

This meme video maybe the only good thing to come out of that debacle. So enjoy.

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BOD’ MOD’ AFRICAN STYLE

Lip plates, body paint and flowers - the perfect combination for a stunning look. Welcome to the world of African body modification.

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