Prof Makala Lilemba

Perkins, a former American economic hitman was tasked with the job of implementing policies that promoted the interest of USA corporatocracy, which is a coalition of government, banks and corporations which was deliberately and falsely designed to alleviate poverty of the less developed countries but was in actual fact made to alienate and destroy many nations economically.  

In his book, “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” Perkins details how the USA uses highly trained professionals to cheat countries out of trillions by using fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, entice them to accept enormous loans for infrastructure development. 
The countries, which accept such loans became saddled with huge debts and come under the control of the USA government, World Bank and other USA dominated agencies. 

In the process, the initial debts end up being tripled, the countries fail to pay back the loan and finally become a vicious circle in which the debt is never paid off, and it goes on and on. Countries, which refuse to be enticed and lured, assassins slangy termed as jackals are sought and the political leaders are targeted for elimination. If the worse comes to the worst, the USA military moves in the country and forcefully and militarily remove the leader. 

We have seen that in Panama of Noriega in 1989 and lately with Muammar Gaddafi of Libya. 
Similarly, Africa knows very well the neo-colonial intentions of Europe and the slave trade by America, which was inflicted upon the Africans. 
This deprived Africa of its energetic youth who ultimately ended up working on American plantations. The intentions of China towards Africa is demonstrated and smells of racism and discrimination of the worst kind. To these negative sentiments, add remarks from P.W. Botha’s speech in 1985, where he outlined how he was gradually going to eliminate Africans through poisoning and deliberately sterilized them without their consent.  

Add the news whether fake or not circulating on the social media about the intentions of some individuals owning pharmaceutical companies to eliminate part of the African population, on the grounds that Africans are not economically productive. 
These are fears real or not imbibed by Africans and in the process fail in simply accepting the vaccine without a fight. The coronavirus is now here right at the doorstep of Africa and has taken away some precious lives. This has caused commotion among the people irrespective of their socio-economic status. 

The world over has been on the hunt for a vaccine, except in Africa. Nigeria and South Africa have been heard to join the fray of vaccine seekers without much success. 

Madagascar is rumoured to have manufactured one, forcing it to leave the World Health Organisation on the latter’s rejection of the vaccine. On the other hand, Tanzania has been indifferent and insisted that they can use the traditional cure. 
Whatever the case, it has become increasingly difficult to come up with one reliable vaccine. If the report that 23 Norwegians died from the side effects of the coronavirus vaccine, then it becomes frightening that many Africans are declining to go for the vaccine. What should Africans do in the midst of this confusion? It is not easy to come up with accurate or right decision. Some leaders have been heard declaring that everybody will be given the vaccine even against their will. 

In some quarters, presidents have come up with a Laissez-faire approach. In other cases, the leaders are mute, and the citizenry is ignorant of what to be done. How can Africa leaders convince their people to accept the foreign vaccine? This begs the question and at the same, it is a million-dollar question. Africa should try to do the following:

Set up their medical teams inside Africa to test the vaccines from abroad and see whether they match the world standards in authenticating the medicines. Pharmaceutical companies in Africa should come up with the vaccine, which is manufactured locally and likely to be accepted by the people. 

Africa universities should come together and work out mechanisms in producing the vaccine. African Union through the African governments should commission some agencies to come up with the vaccine in the shortest period possible. 

Allot enough money to the vaccine-manufacturing programme to enable African scientists to conduct research concerning the virus. 
Aggressively educate and inform the local population about the need to be vaccinated against the virus. Above all, encourage people to protect themselves from the virus by wearing masks always, maintain social distance and steaming themselves, eat garlic, and ginger often. 
These measures can be carried out in Africa instead of importing vaccines abroad whose medicinal ingredients may be foreign to Africa. Mere words and threats to force people who are suspicious of the bad intentions of the Western World and China, to take the vaccine may hit against the wall. 

Developing a vaccine in Africa will take a long time, but it is worth the try instead of depending on others. If we consider that the first successful heart transplant was conducted at Groot Schuur Hospital, Cape Town in South Africa in the 1960s by Chris Bernard, surely it is possible to manufacture a vaccine for the coronavirus on the African soil but this calls for political will from the African leaders.