Unlike colonialism of the past, this new manifestation – running riot after the collapse of the USSR – has been tactfully depoliticised. Institutions such as the WB, IMF, WWF, banks, mining giants, telecoms, and many others have surrounded the African continent. Chanting free markets and democracy, they have ruined entire populations – and will resort to deadly violence in the name of democracy.

Prejudices from the West

Dr. Yusuf Serunkuma highlighted ongoing efforts to rectify the misrepresentations of Africa in the Western world, noting that the colonial mindset persists. Drawing on insights from writers like Siba Grovogui, he argued that the colonial powers in African countries were well aware that Africans were human beings. “The Whites knew that Africans had their language, traditions, civilization, and sophistication. Therefore, the decision to dehumanize us was a deliberate decision to colonize the people”, he noted.

He also touched on the complexities of academic publishing and the role of African scholars in representing their narratives, referencing Edward Said’s “Orientalism”. “There have been efforts to encourage Africans to tell their own stories as it is believed that they know their countries or continent better and can comment on issues with authority,” said Dr. Serunkuma. He shared a memory of his experience in Tanzania in 2018, where Taylor and Francis guided them through lessons on best practices for writing articles that meet high publication standards. He noted, however, that this creates tension between advancing one's career through mainstream channels and contributing to decolonization efforts. “It is every scholar’s dream to write for high-impact journals around the world, appear on bigger media platforms, and be recognized, but that is far from decolonization”, he noted.  

Effects of Democracy on Governance

One strong argument Dr. Serunkuma makes in his book is that democracy divides the few elites in a country. He explained that most of Africa’s best brains are branded “opposition” and sidelined in the course of governance just because they lost an election. He said, “The fewer elite who win power are left to run a country, taking decisions and discussing delicate national issues, leaving the other best brains unharnessed.’’ Citing Uganda as an example, he said “Uganda has a small elite, some are best lawyers, economists, academics but most of them are branded as opposition and so in a contract meeting with a foreign investor like Total, such best brains are not invited to the table and eventually African leaders are outsmarted at the negotiation table.”

Dr. Serunkuma, however, pointed out that the situation is different in Western countries. “In other developed countries, like America, for example, the country is governed by technocrats, and so bureaucracies don't change even though leaders change. If you examine the US foreign policy towards Africa is the same from the 1960s to date. However, in Africa, once a new government assumes office, everything changes”, he noted. Dr. Serunkuma urged African elites to unite and develop the continent instead of competing in a winner-takes-all mentality.

How can Africans recognize and understand the subtle forms of colonialism that still exist today? In the book "Surrounded: Democracy, Free Markets, and Other Entrapments of New Colonialism," Dr. Serunkuma suggests a critical decolonial approach. This approach provides tools and initiatives to help individuals see the underlying effects of the struggles associated with refining these globally accepted colonial tendencies.

About The Author

Dr. Yusuf Serunkuma is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at KU Leuven in Belgium. His academic background is in cultural studies, with a focus on nationalism, sentiments, and neo-colonialism. Dr. Serunkuma has conducted research and taught courses in decolonial studies, literature, and political economy. Additionally, he is a columnist for the Ugandan newspaper The Observer and a playwright. His play, ‘‘The Snake Farmers’’, is recommended reading for high schools in Rwanda and Uganda. His latest work, ‘‘The Meat Festival’’, published by Fountain Publishers, is also suggested for high school curricula in Uganda. Dr. Serunkuma frequently contributes articles to ROAPE, The Elephant (a publication in Kenya), and the Pan-African Review in Rwanda.