'SAHEL REBIRTH A REVOLUTIONARY PROCESS' - FRED M'MEMBE

The military takeovers in Africa’s Sahel region are not just coups d’état but revolutionary processes that aim to transform the arid area south of the Sahara Desert. That's according to Fred M'membe (@drfredmmembe on X), president of the Socialist Party of Zambia (@spzambia on X). 

He made these remarks in Niamey, Niger, at the 'Conference in Solidarity with the Peoples of the Sahel.’ M'membe argued that many of Africa's so-called elections are, in reality, sham processes devoid of a meaningful agenda other than the acquisition of power by bribing voters. 

He showered praise on the Sahel’s trio of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger for their people-driven overthrow of neocolonialism. For instance, following the overthrow of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum on 26 July 2023, thousands of people took to the streets to demand the exit of French troops and diplomatic personnel, even besieging French installations.

Meanwhile, South Africa's 29 May elections resulted in a unity government that merged the African National Congress (ANC) with the Democratic Alliance (DA), a party representing the interests of apartheid-era ‘old money.' 

Over in the Sahel, on 6 July, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) confederation, an anti-imperialist bloc sharing economic, defence and foreign policies, with an eye on creating a federation and eventually uniting Africa. 

Do you agree with M'membe's assessment?

Video credit: Pan African Television (@panafricantv on X)

Sources:

https://www.voanews.com/a/sahel-military-chiefs-form-confederation-cement-exit-from-west-africa-bloc-/7687790.html

https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/07/02/meet-the-victors-in-africas-coup-belt

https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Revolution

https://issafrica.org/iss-today/five-worrying-signs-of-africa-s-poor-election-quality

https://reliefweb.int/report/world/violence-african-elections

https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/sahel-niger/worrying-new-phase-sahel-crisis

https://www.dw.com/en/west-african-ecowas-bloc-weaker-as-three-sahel-nations-quit/a-68115980

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2023/9/3/photos-huge-protests-in-niger-call-for-french-forces-to-leave