Stupified South Africans in Xenophobic Stupor

The many of my fellow Africans looked with awe at South Africa as the land of opportunity and haven for tolerance going by the examples of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. But there has always been that cog that is Xenophobic violence that now promises to completely tarnish that image of hope that we so dearly held as Africans in a nation so young and promising yet so far in realizing its own potential. Many Africans are now fleeing South Africa in the fear of being attacked by fellow Africans. South Africans have stooped so low that they have turned against their fellow Africans.

The current numbers of about 3500 immigrants sleeping in crowded camps in search of a quick exit from a country that has decided to hate Africa. About five people have been killed, shops have been looted, homes have been shuttered and in the flames that engulf the dying, so cries Africa on what could have gone so wrong such that Africans could be so mad at Whites during Apartheid and after the illusion that was independence, only turn against their fellow Africans.

It is not lost in the memory of Africans that many nations in the continent, housed and fed many of the South Africans, including freedom fighters during the Apartheid rein. A number of south Africans today hold dual citizenship emanating from the dark days. What could have gone so wrong to elicit the eruption of xenophobic attacks?

Today many Africans are angered and calls for boycotts of all South African Products engulf many social media discourse. If this were to happen, then South Africa would come to realize that she needs the rest of Africa for her survival. It is South African products that dominate many shelves in quite a number of African Countries. It is South African Companies that are making crazy profits in other parts of Africa. Pretty much, South Africa produces more for foreign markets than it produces for its own. It is such an open foreign market that south Africa survives on when it comes to foreign trade. The ground is shifting and if so, South Africa will be the hardest hit.

I join many African brothers and sisters in calling for an end to the stupidity that is being practiced by a few ungrateful south Africans. Why is it that South Africans are attacking Africans and not whites?

Mr. Jacob Tsuma's calls came albeit too late. President Tsuma knows too well and has been witnessing from the comfort of his powerful office as many Africans burn at the flame of his people in Durban. I know for a fact that many white supremacists whose agenda is to celebrate the fall of Africa have been celebrating the current situation in South Africa. The leadership of the country that was so admired is now shaming itself without the fear of what portends their own comfort. President Tsuma needs to rise to the occasion and stop this madness.

The African Union on the other hand has been very silent, as is tradition, waiting on the sidelines as many Africans die only to emerge later when it is too late. 

My biggest worry is to all South Africans, mobilize your fellow country men, encourage them to go to school and stop this stupidity. Earn what you have worked for and regain your place in the continent. Failure of that, is being reduced to a village of hate mongers and a dimming star for a country we so cherished. I no longer want my children and their generation to ever want to grow in such a country. 

Terror on Campus and the Questions we should be interrogating as Citizens

Watching the pain on the faces of the parents and relatives of the students who were massacred in Garissa University leaves a lot of pain in my heart. Reading the stories of the survivors and messages of the departed moments before they were shot in cold blood is heartrending. There can never be justification for such heinous acts of terror meted on innocent souls.

I remember vividly the hope and aspiration among the University administration on the vision they had for the only University in the Northern frontier. All that is now on shaky grounds since it may not be reopened and even if it will be reopened, there will be no students from other parts of the country who would want to go learn there. Garissa University in the place where the G-United​ training programme was conducted. What was once an island of knowledge has now been turned into a ghost town haunted by the souls of the more than 140 students killed in the hands of Terror. Something radical must happen very quickly to wipe off Alshabaab from the face of earth. It requires the concerted efforts of all East Africans.

The stories about radicalization of our youth, need to be interrogated and any family that has a young person unaccounted for should be questioned and made to ensure their sons and daughters are up to good. It is our responsibility to ensure that we are all safe if we love this country and if we have aspiration for our sons and daughters to also grow in a peaceful country. Our security agents should stay in Somalia as long as it takes. We need to strengthen security on our porous borders so that we don't continually have to deal with runaway crime as is the case now.

The leadership of the Northern Frontier need to work together to ensure that they account for each and every member of the families.

The casual treatment of terror tips by the security agents need to be stopped. Whenever there is an imminent attack, it is the responsibility of the Government to advise its citizens on what to expect and what to do in case of an attack. There is nothing as good as a citizenry that is aware of what is happening. If the Government is serious about protecting its citizens, then we all need to know and be given travel advisories.

It will require concerted efforts of the civil society to begin to interrogate its work and engage the citizenry on matters security. Civic Education on security is paramount in this difficult times.

The biggest question that the Government needs to ponder is what kind of information do you need to provide the public in order for them to protect themselves. That responsibility starts with you Mr. President.