The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Scramble for Africa jitters
But not everyone is enthusiastic about the new “scramble for Africa.” Social justice commentators are fiercely debating the nature of China’s role on the continent. Some argue that while GDPs have soared to new heights in this unprecedented boom, the stark reality is a growing inequality between the continent’s majority and African ruling classes, many of whom are enthusiastic partners with global capital.
Africa Kiiza, the programme officer in charge of trade policy and negotiations at SEATINI says the US-China rivalry has already come to the region.
He told The Independent that the U.S wants to negotiate a trade agreement with the East African region like the EU (EPAs) while China has already entrenched herself in East Africa. “If you just consider the trade deficit the EAC has with China, that is quite instructive,” Kiiza says.
However, according to Goobi, much as the battle will play out in the region, he sees one “winner” as the U.S appears to have ceded so much ground to China over the past decade.
“It will be a very long battle because African leaders are so far quite happy with China and remember China has excess capital; the U.S does not have it,” he says, “China has taken over Africa and there is no way back for the U.S or the West.”
Goobi adds that the only way America could claw back some ground is if it does what China is doing—pursuing business at all costs including “turning a blind eye” to African politics. He says the American people would never allow the American government to do what China is doing.
“China can bring money here and finance a dictatorship without much farce back home.”
Dr. Fred Muhumuza, an economist based at Makerere University also told The Independent that in terms of trade he doubts the U.S can dislodge China from this region.
“They do not have that muscle (that China) seems to have. China has foot soldiers on the ground which America does not.”
The foot soldiers Muhumuza is referring to are the hundreds of Chinese companies, actors, and individuals with direct linkages with the governments.
“The Americans may have similar engagements with the governments but they are donor-development in nature; these are different,” he says, “But America has strategic interests to stay in this region. I see them trying to protect their small interests including their pharmaceutical business.”
Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba, a consultant at Reeve Consult International says the rivalry could end up being beneficial to the region as it will bring about competitiveness, boost investments and lower the cost of borrowing.
The usual nonsensical drama of preying on Africa – as Africans watch or wait to be ‘eaten’ by the big cats.
East Africa – as big and as fairly-well resourced as it is: why should it not seek unity of purpose and use their own people and currencies to develop technologies that they can afford? Very confused chaps: they would rather quarrel or hold suspicions among themselves to ensure they remain divided (or even create new political divisions) than seek to form one political unit of 170-180 Million people (half of US population and just over 10% of China’s). We Africans do not seem to learn: Our home land was parcelled out in the 19th century to the big cats of the times mainly because we were busy keeping ourselves to tribal chiefdoms and fighting or wishing our neighbours ill-luck. When we were taught about modern states, and were doled with some fake form of ‘freedom’, we opted to maintain the fragmentation done by the cats – and this time, superimposed inter ‘state’ rivalries on our old tribal ones. Crazy people , we must be!!
Now, barely two centuries after initial parceling, the new big cats are here again. Watch us – how some of us will start preferring being eaten by China and others by US. Do you see why Trump regards us as sh–? (But now he seems to want that ‘sh–‘ on his dinner table! Very funny world —- Hi?