Editor,

Refer to Allan Brian Ssenyonga’s article, "Is the life of an African of no value in this day and age?” (The New Times, April 19).

We Africans (I leave out South Africans from this general category since many of them, from President Jacob Zuma down to the lowest shanty town dweller putting a burning tyre on an African neighbour have told us repeatedly they do not consider themselves to be) are to blame. We allow ourselves to be abused and do nothing about it.

They did exactly the same in 2008 and our response was muted. Like all bullies or abusive spouses, you always need to respond firmly from the very beginning. If not, they assume they have a license to mistreat you, and it gets ever worse the next time around till they kill you.

Africa has the means to bring the South Africans (or whatever they wish to be called) to their senses. Our united front did a much more powerful and better organized South African regime under apartheid through our collective determination to boycott them and isolate them.

We can similarly bring down the successor regime that seems to only have changed in the colour of those in power but has fully adopted the same mentality in its contemptuous view of Africa and Africans north of the Limpopo.

Yes, we have the means. South African businesses have spread all over the continent since the end of apartheid, once we opened our borders to them. But they provide us with nothing that competitors from elsewhere would not be happy to provide.

The only question is, do we have the will? Or would we prefer to continue to take ever escalating abuse from these people? If we go with the latter, then we should stop whining about it. Like the spouse in an abusive relationship, it is our choice to respond decisively to the mistreatment or to remain and shut up.

Mwene Kalinda