By K. Chesoli
Africans naively think Democrats in Office are better than Republicans for the continent. The opposite is usually true.
A few years ago I looked at US foreign aid flow to Africa. It usually goes up under a Rep president and falls under a Dem. In other words, Bushes, Trump and Reagan were more generous to Africa than Obama, Clinton and Carter.
Republicans usually generate sustainable programmes and a frameworks of engagement with Africa. Dems do not have anything other than mere words.
Example..AGOA was created by George Bush. Millennium Challenge Accounts (MCA), PEPFAR etc were all successful programs that supported HIV, AIDS, Malaria, TB fight in Africa though funds and technical cooperation. Obama killed most of them without replacing with anything new.
The “Lost Boys Programme” under George W Bush remains one of the most successful program that has made a big difference in the African immigrant diaspora community. Kids that arrived from several refugee camps in Kenya, are now serving in significant political offices, esp in Minnesota.
Tragically, and perhaps the most troubling reality is that Democrats in the white House coincide with brutal armed conflicts in Africa. Its as if Obama, Clinton pour millions of weapons and fund Africans to kill each other. We are familiar with Libya and the killing of Qaddafi and the rise of Boko Haram and other rebel groups in North Africa. These happened under Obama. In 1994, a million Tutsis and Hutus died as President Clinton watched. He flatly denied help to Koffi Anan and the UN. Without the US crucial vote in the council, the UN is nothing. And so people died and bodies flowed down the river into Lake Victoria. I am sure, there are other examples than one can cite if they go down in history.
What am I saying? I think we have been duped to think good is bad and bad is good. We do not engage on reason and facts but prefer political nonsense and lies.
You may not like Trump but Africa has been relatively peaceful the last 4 years. With Biden in office, dig more graves. Sijui but thats what history suggests.
