Africa is the confused antelope that consumes what she does not produce and produce what she does not consume
Africans need to ask what globalisation means to them. We need to figure out what we need most and go for it. Technology is good but Africans need food and other basic services more than smart cities, which will take quite some time to realise. Smart cities might even not be achieved because we lack instrumentation and systems to accommodate this huge investment.
It was Ali Mazrui who said, “Africa is the confused antelope that consumes what she does not produce and produce what she does not consume”. Our markets are the dumping sites for rejected products from Western countries. We produce nothing to benefit us and our people. The resources that we are endowed with still benefit the European markets while we live in abject poverty.
Africa is a victim of huge external debts which she is still struggling to offset, her economy is not worth talking about. Kenya’s debt, for instance, is more than Sh7 trillion. Which would her citizens rather have, a smart city or a green, clean crime-free environment and proper waste disposal?
Instead of smart cities, Africa needs smart governments. Governments that are policy-driven and initiate projects that are realistic and achievable. Governments that do not entertain corruption.
This is a vast continent that is endowed with numerous resources that are underutilised due to lack of technology and manpower. It is difficult for southern nations to delink from the north (developed countries) because their systems are still not grounded due to long periods of colonisation and overexploitation.
Our products face stiff competition in major markets while efforts to enhance south-south relations has failed due to diplomatic issues, ideological differences and currency power. A United States of Africa with one currency would stimulate development and unity.
We have not achieved sustainable development goals. The unemployment rate is still high, many are living in poverty, our industries are floundering. We import nearly everything, does a smart city then make sense to Africans?.
Communication and media technology student, Maseno University
