President Ruto’s speech at the 3rd Pan -African Parliamentarians Summit on Climate Policy and Equity in South Africa is a continuation of African Renaissance. African Renaissance is the concept and ideology which holds that one day, the African people shall overcome current challenges that impede their growth and development, and thereby achieve the much needed cultural, scientific and economic revival and growth. The need for African continent to rise and take it rightful place on the world stage has been on the cards for a while since the Senegalese scholar, Cheikh Anta Diop wrote a series of essays on the subject matter between 1940’s and 1960’s.
The scholar also wrote a book entitled “Towards the African Renaissance” to popularize the idea of the African renaissance and capacity to rise. A Kenyan Washington Aggrey Jalango Okumu later wrote a book titled “The African Renaissance” which was a follow up on how Africa can be a great giant. The African renaissance dream was further taken up by the likes of Nelson Mandela, former South African president and President Thabo Mbeki who gave the speech of “I am an African”. These efforts led to the establishment of African Renaissance Institute in Pretoria, South Africa.
African renaissance is part of the International Decade for People of African descent that commenced in 2015 and will run up to 2024. President Ruto should therefore be seen as advancing the idea of African Renaissance by calling for the respect of the African continent and its people. African renaissance supported by three major factors and reasons. One is the size of the continent compared to the major economic drivers of the world today – USA, China and Europe. Africa’s 30.32 million km2 land mass is bigger than Europe (10.53 million km2), China (9.597 million km2) and USA (9.834 million km2) combined.
Secondly, Africa holds 90 percent of all available global raw materials reserves, 40 percent of global gold reserve, 33 percent of diamond reserve, 80 percent of Coltan reserve for electronics and telephone manufacturing, 60 percent of Cobalt reserve for battery manufacturing, and is rich in oil, natural gas, Iron ore, Manganese and wood and Kenya has these resources in huge quantities. Thirdly, the African population, 1.432 billion, is made of young people, which will hit 2.5 billion young people by 2050, hence the future is Africa and it should take advantage of the African Renaissance to tap onto these advantages among others Dr. Mutegi Giti, Urban management, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) & Environment Specialist. mutegigiti@gmail.com, @DanielGiti.
Dr. Daniel Mutegi Giti 