The sun rises on Africa as we mark the 57th anniversary of the OAU

Tomorrow marks the 57th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

In May of 1963, 30 heads of African states and governments that had attained liberation not long before assembled in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where they endorsed what was to be the OAU Charter, one of whose objectives was to coordinate and intensify efforts to achieve a better life for the people of Africa.

Granted, it was through its lobbying efforts and pressure that the granting of independence to those countries still under colonial rule picked up pace, including in South Africa’s case.

Not only was the organisation missing in action where it was expected to have been involved, for example, ensuring that there were minimal instances of the removal of governments by the army and that there were no unnecessary killings and maiming of innocent people, but there were several instances where the very annual summits of the organisation provided opportunities for disgruntled opposition members (and the army) of member states to stage coups against their governments back home when the head of state was away at the OAU meeting.

The extent of failure by African governments to provide for the needs of their people is illustrated by the trend of the political elite’s choosing to go abroad for medical attention, rather than using their local medical facilities.

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