SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CHALLENGES IN AFRICA IN GENERAL
Political challenges that have faced African countries since independence
a) The political systems inherited from colonial governments seemed unworkable in many independent African states.
b) Sharp ideological differences arose among the pioneer leaders of African states. Such differences internally exploded into civil strife in countries like Mozambique, Angola, and DRC.
c) The Cold War had devastating effects on Africa. It left many African nations divided and locked in border conflicts that continue to date.
d) Political instability was common in African states. Coups d’état and military takeovers were witnessed in Somalia, Zaire, Nigeria, Chad, and others. Human rights were violated with the rise of dictatorship.
e) There were strained relations between African leaders caused by personal and ideological differences. Some ended in border closures, which greatly undermined international cooperation.
f) Many national interests in African countries have conflicted with global and continental interests. Nigeria and Zimbabwe, for example, were expelled from the Commonwealth of Nations for alleged disregard of human rights and personal property.
g) Neo-colonialism: Most countries retain colonial parliamentary structures, although they have difficulties sustaining them. Multinational peacekeeping forces are still common in Africa. Many African leaders inherited the divide and rule colonial strategy that precipitates anarchy.
h) The existence of different ethnic groups has contributed to ethnic wars as witnessed in Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Nigeria, and Kenya.
i) Most African governments seemed ill-prepared and inexperienced in administration. This resulted in the rise of rebel movements, as was the case in Mozambique and Angola.
Economic challenges facing independent African states today
a) Unemployment and socio-economic inequalities both among individuals and between regions are common in many African nations.
b) Overdependence on primary exports: The African economy is extractive rather than manufacturing-based. Many countries depend on agriculture and foreign nations for manufactured goods.
c) World trade terms are unfair for African nations. African countries often trade with former colonial powers that give low prices for raw materials from Africa and charge high prices for manufactured goods.
d) Unfavourable climatic conditions have curtailed food production, particularly among agricultural communities.
e) Population pressure has led to overstretching of social services. There is a high dependency ratio since the population is largely youthful and unemployed.
f) Poor economic planning: Some economic policies have destabilized economies, such as the Ujamaa policy in Tanzania, the expelling of foreign investors in Uganda, and the massive printing of money in Zaire.
g) Tough conditions imposed by donor agencies have sometimes led to deterioration of social welfare. Retrenchment, for example, was a key prescription of the Structural Adjustment Programme.
h) Corruption and embezzlement of public funds are common in African countries. There is also a general lack of transparency among many leaders.
Social challenges that have faced African states since independence
a) Inaccessibility to clean water by the majority of the people. Most African peoples rely on water fetched from sometimes contaminated streams across long distances.
b) The challenge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This has taken a toll on productive members of society.
c) Poor housing facilities: In urban areas, the majority of the population live in slums without sanitation facilities.
d) The challenge of high population growth rate. This affects the quality of services provided by governments.
e) Language problems: Language development and use have been challenges in Africa. In many countries, conflict tends to arise over which language to adopt—local or inherited.
f) Religious differences: This challenge was the main cause of the splitting of the once largest country in Africa—Sudan in 2011. The predominantly Christian southern Sudan became the youngest African state due to religious differences.
g) Absence of practical education systems: Many countries rely on theoretical education with little emphasis on technical skills.
