Towards a people's progressive movement

In our age of dumbed-down sound-bites passing for informed commentary and information, a corporate monopolised media that has no more than a passing and sensationalised interest in the lives and struggles of the majority of humanity, and a dominant political culture marked by insatiable greed and cynicism, the continued survival and indeed flourishing of any progressive project should be embraced and celebrated. Pambazuka News is such a project and its tenth anniversary and 500th issue milestone is all the more remarkable given its location in, and key focus on, the most marginalised and exploited of any part of our world: the African continent.

No doubt, there were many ten years back who would have opined that an internet-reliant undertaking such as Pambazuka News was simply a non-starter given the general dearth of electronic access amongst Africa’s population. Would it not simply reinforce the already elitist nature of most of Africa’s intellectual endeavour and further embed the NGO-isation of the myriad yet constantly vulnerable grassroots activisms across our continent? Well, it certainly could have but it didn’t, even if there might have been earlier moments when the doubters were licking their lips in anticipation of the ‘inevitable’.

There are two key reasons – one objective and the other subjective – why the Pambazuka project did not, and has not, succumbed to such an ‘inevitable’. Objectively, the last ten years has seen a popular flowering of internet access and use across the width and breadth of Africa. While it is axiomatic that such access and use still remains woefully restricted, especially in rural areas, the fact is that whether it is a run-down road-side stall in Bobo-Dioulasso or a swish café in Cape Town, the number of Africans able to hook into the internet has grown almost as fast as the creepers in the jungles of the DRC.

Subjectively, the Pambazuka pioneers understood that the project’s underlying principle of building a progressive movement committed to freedom and justice could only be realised if there was a truly Pan-African and internationalist foundation. Similarly, there was, and continues to be, an underlying commitment to provide an open forum encompassing a variety of forms on a wide range of issues and struggles – in other words, the antithesis of a privatising and niche-ing of intellectual and activist endeavour.

Combined, this has ensured that Pambazuka has been able to act as: a continental and international arena for lively debate-discussion-opinion; provide an open online portal for the sharing of news, information and activist struggles; and act as an important antidote to the geographical and political-ideological limitations of nationally-located media, knowledge generation and activist networking/strategizing.

As with any successful endeavour though, resting on one’s laurels is never a good thing. There remain some key challenges for Pambazuka.

There still remains too little coverage of, and participation by, African social movements and community organisations. More need to be sought out and actively encouraged to be part of the Pambazuka project. In this respect, it would be both useful and important for Pambazuka to undertake an audit of such progressive movements and organisations across the continent and provide a database of contact and basic organisational information.

Although somewhat understandable given their levels of political, economic and social development and location, South Africa and Kenya continue to hog too much of the continental limelight. A more dedicated focus on, and contributions from, the more ‘marginal’ states/areas in Africa can only strengthen Pambazuka’s foundational mission and principles and indeed, the knowledge and information about the rest of the continent by African progressives.

Given its continental (and international) social and politico-ideological importance and role, alongside its growing influence and impact on both state governance, social relations and the concomitant struggles of the majority poor, religion needs to take on a more central focus for Pambazuka.

There is no doubt that those on the left of the political spectrum need to more easily embrace comedy and satire, especially when we look in the mirror. Pambazuka can better provide such an outlet – both for the practitioners and receivers – by pro-actively encouraging and carrying out a great deal more political and social satire, cartoons and artwork.

In celebration and affirmation of Pambazuka’s ten years let us all build on the firm foundation already laid by continuing to write, critique and struggle about and through where we have come from, where we are and where we want to be.

VIVA PAMBAZUKA! FORWARD TO ANOTHER TEN YEARS!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS

* Dr Dale McKinley is an independent writer, researcher, lecturer and activist in Johannesburg, South Africa.
* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.