JK blames colonial legacy for Africa 's conflicts

PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has
slammed policies of former colonial
masters for most of present internal
and cross -border conflicts in Africa,
noting , however that the continent is
better -off at present than it was in
the past two decades .
"Boundaries drawn by the colonialists
between African countries and policies
such as divide and rule have resulted
into quarrels along tribal , ethnic and
religious lines ," Mr Kikwete said in Dar
es Salaam yesterday.
The president made the remarks in
his address to the 368 th African Union
(AU) ministerial meeting on the Peace
and Security Council held to discuss
the political situation in Madagascar ,
ahead of elections slated for that
country in July.
"There are people of same culture and
background but still kill one another
because of trivial matters and this is
because they were divided by the
colonialists," Mr Kikwete noted with
concern. He also blamed what he
described as a class of politicians in
Africa who because of greed for power
and wealth , collaborated with the
former colonialists to fuel conflicts on
the continent .
Mr Kikwete was bitter that the class of
politicians was willing to sell their
people for power and wealth and
subject the population in their
respective countries to sufferings .
Nevertheless , the president was
happy that almost all conflicts in the
continent are either under resolution
or being managed at various levels .
"Africa is better today than it was over
the past two - decades, military coups
that were the order of the day during
that time as well as unconstitutional
and undemocratic change of power
are at present not tolerated ," he
noted.
At the same occasion , the AU
Commissioner for Peace and Security ,
Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra , hailed
Tanzania for its contribution to the
liberation struggle . "Equally, Tanzania
still plays an active role in the solving
and resolution of conflicts in Africa.
I would also like to commend
President Kikwete for his commitment
to solving conflicts in the continent ,"
Ambassador Lamamra said. He cited
the clashes in which President
Kikwete had a role in solving as the
post -election violence in Kenya after
the 2007 General Election in that
country as well as unrests in the
Comoros and Ivory Coast , among
others.
And as the AU is set to mark the 50th
Anniversary next month , Amb .
Lamamra said the Golden Jubilee
should be used to consolidate peace
and manage ongoing conflicts in Africa .
The predecessor of AU, the then
Organisation of African Union ( OAU )
was formed in 1963 . Regarding
Madagascar , he said all stakeholders
have been engaged in mediation ,
noting , however , that despite progress
which has been attained there are still
challenges which need to be
addressed .
Speaking earlier, Foreign Affairs
Minister , Mr Bernard Membe , who is
also the current Chair of the AU Peace
and Security Council , said the meeting
was among interventions by the AU to
finding a lasting solution to political
stalemate in Madagascar . The meeting
will be briefed by former Mozambican
President Joaquim Chissano on the
progress of ending disputes among
conflicting parties in that country.
Chissano has been a mediator in the
conflict under the Southern African
Development Community ( SADC).
Established in the year 2004, the
council is charged with prevention,
resolution and management of
conflicts in the African continent .