WITH AN EAGLE'S EYE:Mugabe’s call to Africa spy chiefs invaluable
In Summary
It was in March 2001 when Zimbabwean authorities apprehended a plane full
of mercenaries on their way to depose the government of Equatorial Guinea,
currently the world’s thirty-second richest nation based on per capita
income criterion
Swahili elders have a saying, “Uzee dawa”, which literally translates as
“Old age is medicine,” and precisely that is what Zimbabwean President
Robert Mugabe demonstrated on Sunday in Harare when he told the
intelligence chiefs of African countries, that, it’s time to take aim at
those who intend to rob the continent’s wealth.
Mugabe, at 89 years of age the eldest statesman on the continent, and the
third longest-serving leader in Africa after 33 years in power, did a big
service to Africa by providing such counsel. Did his experience help?
Definitely!
The most hated African leader by the Western powers was opening the tenth
annual convention of the 49-nation Committee of Intelligence and Security
Services of Africa (CISSA), which brought together the continent’s
intelligence and security chiefs. The four-day meeting ended on Wednesday.
Bearing in mind that the convention’s theme was, “The Nexus Between
Africa’s Natural Resources, Development and Security,” this was the best
opportunity for such a message, and no doubt Mugabe delivered it. For
strategic reasons, CISSA invited the spy chiefs of China and Italy.
“Our erstwhile colonisers continue to manipulate international institutions
and conventions to justify unilateral military interventions in African
states with the objectives of extracting and unfairly exploiting our
resources,” Mugabe said. As reported by the South African Press Association
(SAPA), Mugabe noted that Africa’s vast reserves of untapped resources and
world-wide recession have triggered a new scramble for control of its “raw
wealth”.
Mugabe urged the intelligence and security chiefs to confront increasing
human and drug trafficking, money laundering and cyber-terrorism. The
freedom fighter could have added more issues such as the emergence of
religious radicalism, international terrorism, spread of small arms, and
chronic insurgency.
Mugabe expounded that armed conflicts are what expose the continent to the
global powers under the pretext of interventions, while on the sidelines,
another freedom fighter, South African President Jacob Zuma, told the press
that the conflict in the Central African Republic was a foreign ploy aiming
at taking over that country, and then proceeding to Chad and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo for the same mission.
These leaders were not exaggerating anything as this has been the case
since time immemorial if one looks at the continent’s history. In fact,
CISSA was created to prevent the overthrow of African governments by
foreign agents.
It was in March 2001 when Zimbabwean authorities apprehended a plane full
of mercenaries on their way to depose the government of Equatorial Guinea,
currently the world’s thirty-second richest nation based on per capita
income criterion.
After some consultations and meetings, CISSA was officially launched in
August 2004 in Abuja, Nigeria. Thereafter, the African Union summit granted
it full recognition in January 2005. No other continent has achieved this!
But the new task given to intelligence gurus may be easier said than done
as African politicians can be a stumbling block especially when money is
involved. As known, foreign looters always carry bags of monies with their
governments backing them fully - Westerners, Chinese, Brazilians, Russians
and the Indians as well, all don’t harbour concern about poor Africans.
*The point is: *Africa needs to benefit as well in this crazy business, and
not to be turned into a huge Congo, a war-ravaged country that sits on
about $24 trillion worth of minerals, 150 percent of America’s economy.
Africa is losing a lot because its insatiable politicians, either corruptly
or out of ignorance, signed awful deals.
Thus, intelligence chiefs have to start the battle at home, and that can be
an uphill task because politicians, presidents in particular, are the ones
that appoint them. Now, how do you reprimand your boss? It’s not possible
even in America; may be resigning but is that feasible?
This could be the reason why intelligence chiefs are confined to security
matters of protecting the governments of the day against real enemies like
coup plotters as well as imaginary ones like any opponent of a challenger,
leaving aside economic intelligence. Truly, in an increasingly globalised
world, no country can thrive without robust economic intelligence.
The complexity of governance and democracy building in Africa, when mixed
with politics and security issues, leaves the continent widely exposed to
what Mugabe is urging the secret agents to fight against. But are African
politicians prepared to listen to their secret advisors when an investor is
knocking at the door with a bag of money and a powerful foreign leader is
on the phone threatening to freeze aid?
I think Mugabe’s call needs serious attention if Africa is to protect what
is its. Without the synergy between politicians and intelligence chiefs
nothing can be accomplished in this area.
Modern colonisers are shrewd; they don’t have to come with guns if money
can talk, and with greedy leaders Africans are bound to lose big time!
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Received on Mon May 13 2013 - 10:22:23 EDT
