Kampala — Egyptian police shot and wounded a Sudanese nab to prevent him from crossing the border illegally to Israel (Daily Monitor May 20 Pg. 6). South Africa: Ugandans are getting increasingly caught up in the wave of anti-foreigner violence that has rocked South Africa in recent days. At least 30 people (foreigners) had been killed by Monday evening.

Uganda: Army, police evict Balaalo (New Vision May 19 Pg.1). The three stories and the many that have been reported previously or never reported paint an ever gloomy picture of a continent which remains the most under-developed, with the worst living conditions for its people yet with some of the longest serving leaders (read rulers).

The anti-foreigner sentiment in South Africa presents a wake up call for African leaders to look beyond the confines imposed by their own lifestyles in fortified presidential palaces, long presidential convoys, barricaded streets, private jets and brigades of soldiers but no leadership at all to the people they are supposed to lead. Holding onto small fiefdoms the African leaders who also top as the longest serving on the globe have fallen deeply out of touch with their populations leaving them to devour each other as they blame one another for their dire economic woes. We witnessed this in Kenya in January though the cause here was a stolen opportunity for people to make their verdict. We have witnessed Zimbabwe sink ever deeper into anarchy, Sudan is devouring its own in the Darfur region as it has done for decades to the people of the South.

Food riots in Cameroon recently all paint to an absence of leadership on the continent. Where is the leadership from President Thabo Mbeki or Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal--the champions of Nepad? What about the other initiatives that see our leaders shake hands while the continent wallows and bleeds? It is understandably hard to try to read the frustrations that help whip up such nonsensical emotion that results in cold blood murders against innocent people.

Hard economic conditions at home are pushing many Africans to leave their communities in search of better fortunes elsewhere. Their new communities are attacking them to justify their own economic misery.

The continental leadership needs to re-evaluate itself, the African Union, Nepad, regional groupings like Comesa, Ecowas, East African Community etc must stand up to the challenge.