With no effective unity, Africa will remain balkanised

Editor, President yoweri Museveni’s speech at EALA was excellent. Yes, it’s true that “fragmenting the hinterland from the sea coast is another big disadvantage created by the present balkanization and is fraught with potential problems”. In the interim as the EAC political federation is still being negotiated, one thing should be done to reduce on the balkanisation bottlenecks:The major highways connecting the East African countries, e.g. the Northern Corridor, should be upgraded to international highway status, under the jurisdiction of the EAC. This way, no single country should claim ownership, monopoly and abuse over the highway especially during chaotic times like those that occurred in Nairobi in 2007.Anthony, Kampala, Uganda******************President Museveni’s analysis of what ails Africa is, as often, spot on. But was I to have to choose the most critical factor keeping us in our extreme state of vulnerability vis-à-vis the rest of the world, I would settle on political disorganisation-cum-cultural disorientation as the root of all the rest.And until we have a political leadership selflessly dedicated to the single objective of mobilising all African energies towards effective unity, we will remain balkanised and at the mercy of foreigners bent on keeping us subordinated to their own interests.What is more, such balkanisation-based weakness provides foreign exploiters with local agents with whom to ally to fight those Africans who are ready to fight off foreign domination.Mwene Kalinda, Kigali,RwandaReactions to “President Museveni’s speech at EALA session in Kigali”, (The New Times, April 25)

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With no effective unity, Africa will remain balkanised