BOKO HARAM A THREAT TO AFRICAN POLITICAL STABILITY

As I issued a statement today at the Nigerian Embassy on the abducted girls, I realized from the emotions of the delegates how trivious the subject of terrorism is, especially to innocent souls such that of school girls under the detention of the extremist terrorist group - Boko Haram.

Misheck Gondo

The young girls, who were reported to be taking exams at a secondary school in the remote northeastern village of Chibok on April 14 when gunmen from Boko Haram surrounded it, loaded them on to trucks and disappeared.

The movement which had adopted extremism that does not have any place in Muslim religion is a shame to humanity. The movement is said to be divided into three factions. 

In 2011, Boko Haram was said to be responsible for at least 450 killings in Nigeria. It was also reported that they had been responsible for over 620 deaths over the first 6 months of 2009. In the first few years of operations 10,000 people are reported to have died.

The group became known internationally following sectarian violence in Nigeria in July 2009, which left over 1000 people dead. They do not have a clear structure or evident chain of command.

The group has adopted its official name to be The Group of Al-Sunna for Preaching and Jihad, which is the English translation of Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad and there are anti- western ideologists.

Africa should join hands to fight such extremism as the group is now being claimed to be linked to AL QUEDA, any African state is at risk as the group might fund potential radical opposition to spearhead their unfounded ideology.

Bring back the girls!!!

Let’s wait and see!

Misheck Gondo is an International Relations Expert with the University of Zimbabwe

Egypt‘s transition; a case of democracy or return to dictatorship

The new wave of political dispensation from the African side in form of revolutions is receiving a great introspection after the sole called civic revolutionary agenda has failed to provide much needed stability in case countries, though the concerns behind the revolutions remain relevant and  a sign of discontent by oppressed many around the world.

Misheck Gondo 

Egypt has been under military rule for the past sixty years, its political terrain has been epitomized by authoritarian type of governance that was far away from guaranteeing basic human dignity. Some analysts are predicting the gimmicks of 1954 in which Egypt invoked a millitarian style that limited civilian space to make decisions; the only difference with the contemporary is that women are allowed to vote.

The year 2011 saw the a long time leader, the fourth President 0f Egypt from 1981 Muhammad Hosni El Sayed Mubarak deposed by a people‘s revolution in anticipation of a democratic rule that values the developmental faculties of all human aspirations, with Abdul Fattah al-Sisi being the army chief of the Mubarak era, he migrated with a newly democratically elected government in 2012 led by the Muslim Brotherhood anchor Mohammed Morsi who by other schools of thoughts described as an extremist.

In discontent, the mass re-invented their strategy of revolution to sideline the Islamist ‘extremism’, which created a leadership vacuum that was later filled by the army after a military coup.  

Today Egypt goes to the polls; with two contenders to the posts; former army chief Sisi battling against the long time politician, left-wing candidate Hamdeen Sabahi. Though Sisi is expected to win the election with a larger margin there are many questions that need answers: Is Egypt going to have political freedom, To what extent democracy will win the day in Egypt, What does democracy really mean in Egypt, Is it a case of democracy or stability?

The expected winner Sisi is behind the April 6 Coup that deposed Morsi, Egypt stands suspended from African Union because of this coup, with western countries hiding behind their diplomacy simply because they had less favors with Morsi extremist policies that favors radical strategies.

The big question which needs attention is weather the military will demilitarize the Egyptian economy, with mass death sentences that are being offered by civilian courts while the sole called international community is watching.  How democratic is an election that is sidelining almost 42 percent of the voting population that supports Muslim Brotherhood that has been since declared a terrorist organization in Egypt and not taking part in the election.

Even on the day of election, mass protests are being done across the nation, with Jihadist Movement intensifying its effort to discredit military rule, students also complimenting the efforts and Journalist being detained without trial.

The state of Egyptian people is complicated, the military might have taken advantage of people‘s despair, reverse the revolutionary gains that was centered on democracy and promise security.

Instead of a radical strategy by the military, an inclusive approach was a better means to bring stability to Egypt with the inclusion of all parties in Islam, Secular politicians, Christians among other. 

It will be through a very consolidated strategy by new Egyptian President if the country spend another year without another revolution, another bloodshed in Pharaoh‘s land, a sad story for Africa.

Let’s wish Egypt stability after elections, in anticipation of democracy that will come with the release of those arrested; salvation of the politically banned among other pro-democratic norms, a domestic policy that promotes minority and majority aspirations of all and also a foreign policy that is in confines with international law.

A victory for Sisi the former army chief is likely going to be a sad story to the African Presidents in fearing of their army generals, Zimbabwe included.

Let’s wait and see.

Misheck is an International Relations expert with the University of Zimbabwe (U.Z)

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT A CAUSE FOR CONCERN

The subject of unemployment is a sad story to young people in Zimbabwe. Unemployment is universally recognized as a bad condition. While economists and academics make convincing arguments that there is a certain natural level of unemployment that cannot be erased and elevated.

Misheck Gondo

Unemployment rates still continue to nose dive on a daily basis. This has facilitated to a loud cry in the lives of the youth; because young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and almost 73 million youth worldwide are looking for work.

 The International Labor Organization (ILO) has warned countries of a “scarred” generation of youths facing a dangerous mix of high unemployment, increased inactivity and precarious work in developed countries, as well as persistently high working poverty in developing countries.

 Unemployment occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively looked for work. The unemployment rate is a measure of the prevalence of unemployment and it is calculated as a percentage by dividing the number of unemployed individuals by all individuals currently in the labor force.

To better understand the nature of unemployment, policymakers need information on many aspects of it, including the number of unemployed people, the period of time for which they have been unemployed, their skill levels, the trend in unemployment, and regional disparities in unemployment and so on. Once these statistics have been obtained and interpreted, policymakers can use them to make better informed decisions about steering the economy and countering unemployment. 

Zimbabwe is one such country currently romancing with unemployment; in fact the romance has resulted in unwanted pregnancy of gross economic decline and bustard children of poverty. The economic challenges that rocked Zimbabwe for the past decade have not only left youth bruised, but also hopeless. 

 When the youths are unemployed, their skills lose value, while the nation as a whole loses its contribution to the economy in terms of the goods or services that could have been produced.

The situation in Zimbabwe is epitomized by hyper -unemployment estimated to be above 80 percent. The youth in Zimbabwe constitute of about 67 percent of the total population, which generally indicates that, it is youth who are most affected by unemployment.

The government as the major employer has frozen most jobs in the public service, yet at the receiving end there is an innocent young person with the zeal to work, develop, marry and support parents and other siblings.

The industries are closing-down everyday due to economic hardships and unsustainable environment, at the same time the colleges and universities are offloading graduates into the job market that is characterized by high levels of hostility.

It is sad that young graduates have resorted to vending among other general jobs in quest for survival.

In some instances young people have resorted to array of informal trading, stealing, drug dealing and prostitution. Informal trading is much better a surviving strategy and we are mesmerized by government’s intention to formalize the informal. The rest in the former chain negatively affect the future of youth in Zimbabwe.

Media has been at the cape stage reporting on graduates turning to vending, seriously, this must be a clarion call for the ruling government, if not ashamed of such dynamics, and then people are in a serious crisis that needs urgent political intervention.

The hopes of youth hinges with the ruling party, Zanu PF who promised 2 million jobs in its manifesto, currently it looks like a mammoth task for the revolutionary party which still needs to amend its foreign policy. The ZIM-ASSET mantra can not produce any single job unless the Government swallows its pride and make domestic and foreign policy right.

 If the government stops the barbaric indigenization formula, craft a sober one, stops the look east-policy, start the look world policy that includes the east, south, and the west, in doing so, not compromising  national values.

The risk of not containing youth unemployment will back-fire to the ruling party, taking Tunisia as a case study; a youth called Buazizi  burnt himself and died after realizing that he could not stand life without employment and the revolution started.

These are some of the serious levels that are caused by structural violence when the government fails to provide for its citizens.

Government is best when it serves the interests of its citizens and prioritizes youth issues among other critical elements of the economy.

Youth unemployment is a cause for concern, urgent measures need to be put in place, and our government should declare this issue a national crisis, carry an audit of all projects that were purported to be benefiting youth in the name of indigenization, create real employment, at the same time invoking empowerment mechanism that benefit the youth among others.

There is hope in our motherland Zimbabwe.

Let’s wait and see!!

Misheck is an International Relations Expert with the University of Zimbabwe (UZ)

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