MARKING 50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

Tanzania last week marked 50 years of Independence. Next year, it is Uganda’s turn to mark the golden jubilee and the year after, it will be Kenya’s.

When a people have been in charge of their own destiny for half a century, after inheriting an efficient administration and decent infrastructure, it is time to take stock of what they have attained and project where their nation will be 50 years later.

I don’t know what the balance sheet will look like for Tanzania this week, Uganda in ten months’ time and Kenya shortly after. But we can look at a few other countries that turned 50 in recent years.

The state of Israel turned 50 just over a decade ago. They started off with nothing but a patch of desert, no oil but with hostile neighbours. Most of their budget still goes to defence but by the time Israel made 50, they had created the world’s most efficient agriculture sector and an impressive construction industry.

India also got its Independence around the same time, starting off as an oppressed people fighting for basic freedoms. For five decades, they worked on their productive capacity. Actually, older male Indians are said to have very tough cheeks because for decades, they used rough, India-made razor blades to shave. Fifty years later, India’s industry had matured. Today India makes the best electric cars and many European scientists now prefer to take their inventions to Tata.

Africans are good with excuses, and can list a hundred reasons why they cant do what India and Israel did in 50 years. But African children won’t eat our excuses, however clever and convincing they sound.


And anyway, Ghana did their 50 years recently amid relief from all over the world for they have managed to break out of the general lack of seriousness often associated with Africa. Ghana now has a working democracy and there is no fear that the revenue from their newfound oil will go to the dogs.

The DR Congo, described as the biggest prize on earth, turned 50 last year, and has everything needed to create a paradise for its citizens. I hope they are thinking about it. But my favourite country is Nigeria. At 50, they are already making it, in their own way. They taught us about Ibo culture through Chinua Achebe’s pen and now in the digital age, they have created Africa’s movie industry. Their films are lousy and lovely at the same time, but they are available for everyone on the continent. They have had corrupt rulers and chaotic systems but the private sector is unstoppable.

Next year, the Republic of South Sudan will be celebrating its first birthday! South Sudan is worse off even than East African countries were at Independence.

The Juba government has not found in place any infrastructure or proper public service like Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya had 50 years ago. I doubt if there are even 10 female South Sudanese medical doctors in the whole world.

Most South Sudanese still live a “natural” existence and the development indicator statistics are simply shocking. The interesting challenge for East African countries will be to remain better off than South Sudan when it turns five as we turn 55 in five years’ time.

Joachim Buwembo is a Knight International fellow for development journalism. E-mail: buwembo@gmail.com