Dr. Kaela B Mulenga
Dr. Kaela B Mulenga
The interview of Dambisa Moyo, author of ‘Dead Aid’ by Rick Westhead (Toronto Star, July 29, 2012) was headlined: “Anti-Bono Zambian Economist”. In some of our eyes, the rubric could have as well read – “anti-African or “Pro-West/Chinese” economist.
It bogs ones mind that – an African can’t appreciate the crusade that Bono undertook to fundraise to save the starving millions in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere in many parts of Africa. In Ethiopia alone over 4 million people faced starvation.
It is also strange that Dambisa Moyo has failed to appreciate the fact that – the bulk of misery Africans are going through has been caused by decades of colonization and exploitation. The West left no infrastructure to talk of or capable of adding value to raw materials, as an example. And worse still, the West perpetuated the habit of paying minimum prices for our commodities. With low revenues, how could Africans have the capacity to produce consumer goods to stave off Chinese dumping?
Also the Africans should not be blamed for the ineffective public policies Moyo is talking about. Theft and corruption she so much detests, is also driven by the donors themselves or the providers of financial aid be it from West or China. To get favors and good concessions – even Chinese are dishing out lots of cash to bribe officials.
Dambisa Moyo - doing it for herself!
As regards to her newly found friend – China: Dambisa Moyo is not clear as to whether the tendencies of China becoming a “monopolist” in resource and commodity markets is good or bad. The monopolistic power – the behavior of being a price-setter, which China clearly aims for in the resource markets, is nothing but for the sake of dominance and blocking entry for rivals (the West). Yet Dambisa as a believer in the sovereignty of markets is ignoring the harm the monopolistic structure can do to global economy.
Therefore, while the objective of growing the economy to reduce poverty of the masses is noble, fears concerning the Chinese expansionism are real. Hence, no matter how sweet the carrot might be, the Africans should remain skeptical. And indeed, it is expected that the cautious ones will be called names by people like Moyo.
Fwaka and WanyaWanya, since you are arm chair economists please provide your thesis to Dr Kaela on the points you don’t agree with instead being immature.
lol……i wouldnt be surprised if you were one of the people lying to the masses about a ‘man of action’
I wont waste too much time on your type.
‘Africans should not be blamed for ineffective public policy’. Doc! Are you sure? Who designs policies in Africa if not African governments themselves? There’s so much rhetoric about ‘African solutions to African problems’. If the assumption is that foreigners are designing policies fro Africans, the problem is certainly not with foreigners, but African governments that allow it. Stop blaming foreigners. Africa should craft its own destiny.
Iwe Mwana Mubotu – you should understand that who ever controls the purse controls the policy. Africans may design policies but they are always vetoed by the West and now by the Chinese. Africans control nothing. I doubt if the Chinese will give them more powers as many people assume..
When I raise points on DMoyo’s views, I stick to economic logic and not emotions. OK! Dambisa as an an economist knows what I am talking about. Thanks!
Doc, the Chinese have a ‘no strings attached’ policy when it comes to Africa. So I don’t agree that they are have joined in controlling African policy making. In fact, the reason the West are worried about China’s engagement with Africa is because of the approach of the Chinese – of not being concerned with the internal politics and governance of their partners. The Chinese want resources, Africa is looking for money and markets, which the Chinese are providing in copious quantity. That is how far the relationship goes. Last month’s China-Africa Summit in Beijing reaffirmed that.
Secondly, the question is not whether or not the West have the purses to control policy making in Africa. The question is why should Africans surrender their destiny in the hands of foreigners? This is not a question of emotion. It’s a question of morality that calls for self-examination. Foreigners can only control and dominate you if you allow it.
I do not agree with your attempt to exonerate African leaders from providing leadership and blaming it on outsiders. It is true colonialism derailed Africa. But there must be a limit to which we can blame colonialism. Africa has now been independent for half a century. Should we still be blaming the colonisers for our failure to build modern roads, bridges, schools and hospitals?
I am shocked you expected the West to leave infrastructure. Which oppressor makes the oppressed comfortable?
“Dambisa Moyo Anti-African or “Pro-West/Chinese” economist” uhm not emotional? i think your whole article is steeped in emotion. You don’t argue the economics until later and even then your arguments don’t hold much weight. You’ve tried to convince your reader that Dr. Dambisa Moyo is anti-african and even refer to China as her so-called friend when all she does in the new book is blatantly list the work that the Chinese are doing be it good or bad the facts are listed and so are their reasons. It is up to the African govts to make a decision on whether they would like to be involved with China and from where i stand it seems majority of them do. What it sounds like to me is that you are sitting in the privileged position of bringing up the woes of yesterday because you haven’t been around to see the successes of today. Africa is growing and we are slowly becoming a force to reckon with, and believe it or not one of the reasons is China.
You are a doctor of what. You seem to be another kolwestan supporting bu chimbwi no plan. Hater! You are even substantiating corruption, atase. Very stupid article. Dambisa has been hitting it on the spot.
You are a doctor of what. You seem to be another kolwestan supporting bu chimbwi no plan. Hater! You are even substantiating corruptiona
, atase. Very stupid article. Dambisa has been hitting it on the spot.
I will SIMPLIFY for Kaela.
Please tell us why donations are good when you say donors ‘drive theft and corruption’ ?
Kaela misses the point as usual!
Dambisa talks about the SOLUTIONS to african poverty, so your arguments against her should not be centred on the CAUSES of it or your accusations of lack of APPRECIATION on her part.
‘Africans should not be blamed for ineffective public policy’ really? ‘shift the blame on donors’ really?
Then turn around and support donations, really?
Examine your thinking sir before you put things to pen.Lets hear your solutions if you are a fully baked economist.