Published by the government of Zimbabwe
James Shikwati
7 November 2009
opinion
Harare — CHINA has helped redefine the "international community" for Africa. For over a century, the international community has been framed by mostly Europe and United States of America. Africa's relation with its old European allies has little changed the continent in terms of transforming its economies from "nature" driven to "knowledge" driven.
China's trade with Africa jumped from US$10,5 billion in the year 2000 to a record US$106,8 billion in 2008. Will Africa engage China differently?
I visited Elang'ata-wuas, a small trading centre deep in the sinuses of Kajiado district in Kenya. Elang'ata-wuas trading centre seats as if at the bottom of a soup bowl, surrounded by hills on all sides.
It is here that I met a young Masaai gentleman who has covered over 1 000 kilometres on foot in both Kenya and Tanzania, in search for pasture for his cattle.
The story of the trekking Maasai people is not different from Africans who despite the abundance in natural resources, remain at the mercy of nature.
Elang'ata-wuas, popularly referred to as "Mile 46", is a sleepy trading centre that wakes up only on Saturday -- the market day. It brings together all sheds of Maasai communities from East Africa; one can mistake them for students in uniform -- because all people turn up clad in the traditional Maasai red and blue shukas.
"Can you imagine I had over 670 heads of cattle, but now I have less than 24," my good friend points out. Before I come up with my empathetic words, his colleagues interrupt, "Where is it raining now?" they ask.
He looks up the horizon, pauses and then says, "It is now raining heavily on the tarmac near Isinya." He looks up another direction. "It must be drizzling in Ngong!"
Curious, I seek to find out how he is able to triangulate to near accuracy where it is raining.
I gather that herding cattle hundreds of miles across Kenya and Tanzania somehow enables one to develop some kind of mental "Google map".
The Maasai knowledge is very similar to that of ancient sailors who exploited knowledge of Monsoon winds to sail across East African coasts.
As we continue to sip our warm drinks under a tree, raindrops pushed over by the wind from the hillside hit us. Whereas I expect everyone to dash for cover Nairobi style; I see happy faces and no movement. "You have brought rain, you must keep visiting!" they say.
And sure enough, as if in celebration, we stay put, and do not feel any wetness, but joy!
The sharp rain detection skills exhibited by my friend and his ability to triangulate through the wilderness to get pasture for his cattle are amazing. What type of school system can turn such a person into an economically competitive member of society?
Clearly, the Maasai and by extension other Kenyan/African communities do not necessarily require an education to turn them into civil servants and or employees of multinational corporations. We need an education that can respond to and leverage on our indigenous economies to make them globally competitive.
The challenges facing the Maasai are not only water and pasture, but also how to integrate their system into the global one. For example, the Maasai traditionally save in cattle; the global system saves in banks and other financial institutions.
The Maasai have a "photographic memory", the global system surrendered this chore to technology -- one has to simply retrieve records.
The Maasai has to rely on the rains -- nature -- to power his economy; the global economy is driven by human ingenuity.
Suppose we designed a system that can make the Maasai learn in 30 minutes what it takes him/her to grasp after a 1 000km trek; what would be the outcome? Maasai ranches!
Africa is very much in the Maasai pastoralist predicament at the moment.
For long, Africa has been suffocated by the Western world view. China now offers a breather, that fresh breeze that first raindrop after a long spell of drought.
But like the Maasai friends who enjoyed the first drops of rain, unless the African people consciously push to take control of their economic and cultural destiny, the celebration will remain just that -- a celebration.
Nature will stare us in the face, the re-organised international community will continue to exploit the continent and turn Africans into mere labourers.
Ancient sailors were freed from reliance on Monsoon winds by technology, to engine powered ships that sail all seasons all directions.
We cannot realise the dream of African-mind powered economies if we simply replace rains for donors.
Our African leaders look at the horizon and see "aid clouds" from China, European Union, USA and the Arab world among others.
In so doing, they ignore the power of promoting a culture of innovation and human ingenuity.
Yes, China has knocked on the African door in such a firm way, Africans must respond with a well thought out tact.
We must move Africa from "rain-powered" economies to knowledge-powered economies! Africans need not fear China.
They should simply engage it using lessons drawn from old allies: Europe and the United States of America.
James Shikwati is Director of Inter Region Economic Network.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2009 The Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
ABSOLUTELY !!!! But a new world view that is/are beneficials to ALL "Africans" in ALL aspects that's or are: be it Medical, Educations, Housings, Roads, Family Intergration, Unity or Cooperations, Good Standard of Living, Agriculture, etc, etc, Nothing but POSITIVITIVE for African People - Period. The days of cronic suffering of our people MUST come to an end. Please let's stop the colonial thinking and inhenrit the culture of cooperation for the betterness and development of all - Africans. God Bless Africa.
IS AFRICA FOR SALE ? 1) I’ve heard that one African country made a 99-year deal with an Asian country to lease a part of their land. 2) How can anyone make a deal for the next generation ? 3) What can we do about it ? 4) Organize and get those crooks out of office or any position of power.
5) Pray to God For insight and divine intervention.
6) Africa Is being targeted by many who are not respecting Africa.
7) We must stop selling ourselves and respect ourselves, our families and God.
Daniel 11:44 But NEWS OUT OF THE EAST (CHINA?) AND OUT OF THE NORTH ( RUSSIA ?) shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forward with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many Revelations 16:12 And the 6th angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water of it was dried up, that the way of the KINGS OF THE EAST might be prepared.
[Daniel 11:14 ]] And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south(AMERICA / BABYLON ): ALSO the ROBBERS OF OUR PEOPLE shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; BUT THEY SHALL FALL !
WAKE UP ! STAY UP MY BROTHERS & SISTERS !
[ www.libradio.net]
[gcnlive.com]
- Life Is a Game. Have Fun. [ Luke 18:17 / Isaiah 11:6 ]