PAUL KAGAME’S UNKNOWN REPORT

Kagame’s report on institutional reform by the AU is refreshingly blunt, writes Okello Oculi

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda fulfilled a mandate entrusted to him on July 16, 2016 by Heads of State of the African Union by presenting a document titled: ‘’Report on the Proposed Recommendations for the Institutional Reform of the African Union’’ dated 29 January 2017. His advisory team consisted of four men and four women, including Nigeria’s Hon. Amina J. Mohammed (as Minister of Environment) and Ms Christina Duarte (former Minister of Finance of Cape Verde).

The report is full of suppressed rage at failures of the African Union because Africa’s Heads of State have failed to implement many of the over 1,500 resolutions they have adopted since the organisation became their platform for pursuing the ‘’dignity and prosperity’’ of their citizens. It is also full of hope and resolution to bring about ‘’dedicated oversight, implementation and change management structures’’ in the affairs of the African Union.

There is a refreshing bluntness in apportioning blame. As an example, the group of African ambassadors resident in Addis Ababa and who constitute the ‘’Permanent Representatives Council’’ are blamed for constituting themselves into overlords above officials who run the African Union Commission, thereby, causing both ‘’inefficiencies’’ and, worse still, delaying and even disregarding ‘’some decisions of Heads of State and Government’’.

In one of the sessions of the November 2013 summit of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, several voices were raised in disgust about ‘’foreign donors’’ contributing over 97 per cent of funds for running programmes of the African Union. Jean Ping, former Chair of the African Union Commission, directly addressed Mo Ibrahim, urging him and other African millionaires, to assume the lead in funding the pan-African organisation. Foreign donors, it was asserted, tended to dictate the priorities of the organisation, often withholding funds from what did not serve their interests. The grip by Euro-American donors, made them ‘’bad-mouth’’ China’s support.

The Kagame Report is angry that in 2016 financial year, only 25 out of a total of 54 African countries paid their contribution in full; 14 paid in part, while 15 countries had ‘’not made any payment’’. Mo Ibrahim had angrily condemned some African countries that pay their membership dues to the United Nations but NOT to the African Union. His Foundation could not be expected to cover up their idiocies. Kagame and his team are most assertive over the matter, telling African leaders that they must ‘’Finance the African Union ourselves and sustainably’’.

To bring an end to the humiliating spectacle of African leaders trotting like school children at drills mounted by China, Japan, India, Turkey and the United States – what the report labels as ‘’External Partners’’ – Africa should be represented by only: the Chairperson of the African Union; the Previous Chairperson of the African Union; the Incoming Chairperson of the African Union (selected one year in advance); the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and Chairperson of the Regional Economic Communities. On the home front, attendance of AU Summits by ‘’External Partners’’ should become ‘’exceptional’’ and ‘’for a specific purpose’’ only. This would confer some aura of dignity to their assemblage; and not be depicted as a chattering hole by natives to which any emissary of ‘’modernity’’ can saunter into with arrogance.

The concern for relevance of the AU to citizens is evident. In the area of legislation, this could suggest direct election by citizens of members of the Pan-African Parliament; with PAP passing laws binding all across Africa. In the area of administration, it is emphasized that women and youth should receive equitable participation. It is also proposed that there should be established a ‘’Youth Volunteer Corps’’.

In the area on ensuring that member states do implement decisions made by the Assembly of Heads of State, there is support for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to monitor and evaluate compliance by member states. There is, however, no mention of the creative way Ghana has taken the APRM to the local government level with so much success that, by 2012 when I interviewed its officials in Accra, they proudly displayed photographs of APRM delegations from countries as far south as Mozambique, Uganda and Rwanda who had visited them to learn from their innovative ways. There is a plea for less ambitious coverage of areas to be ‘’peer reviewed’’ by the experts who cover a country that voluntarily agreed to be x-rayed.

The Report is silent about the role of the African media; a reflection of Kagame’s own unease with journalists. The privately owned media representatives I talked to in Kigali in 2012, complained of being starved of revenues due to government prohibiting carrying advertisements in the private media. Private companies are denied government patronage if they pay for advertisements. The horrendous legacy of the1994 genocide makes officials in Rwanda allergic to encouraging the growth of a private media which can be used to sabotage the policy of jailing people for tagging people either as Tutsi or Hutu.

This, however, should not inhibit the revival and growth of the PAN African NEWS AGENCY (PANA). Africa deserves a news agency that is competitive, creative, and vigorous in investigative journalism. During white racist rule in South Africa, their interest in sabotaging support for the ANC propelled the growth of a trans-African SABC. It should pool with NTA, and Ethiopia’s agency.

THE KAGAME REPORT IS ANGRY THAT IN 2016 FINANCIAL YEAR, ONLY 25 OUT OF A TOTAL OF 54 AFRICAN COUNTRIES PAID THEIR CONTRIBUTION IN FULL; 14 PAID IN PART, WHILE 15 COUNTRIES HAD NOT MADE ANY PAYMENT