This year, the African continent witnessed a series of uniquely African Internationalist African Liberation Day (ALD) events. Branches of the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM) in four countries organized community-based commemorations that included political training, culture and advancing programs necessary for the development of the people.
The uniqueness of what InPDUM did is in how many other organizations gathered everywhere for ALD celebrations to reminisce on a nostalgic and bygone Africa. For many years, the African People’s Socialist Party-USA (APSP-USA) has organized ALDs with the distinct feature of a revolutionary organization meeting to solve the problems of the revolution. In fact, the APSP was born through the process of organizing the ALD in the state of Florida, which brought together three anti-colonial organizations of the time.
Indeed, the APSP is the vanguard of the international African Revolution. On the contrary, many Pan-Africanist leaning organizations observe the 25th of May in a celebratory mode, which suggests that African people have somehow acquired our liberation. The Uhuru Movement on our African continent has picked up from the Party’s tradition of using whatever event we commemorate to serve the ongoing African Revolution. The comrades on the motherland understand that without organization and the development of revolutionary leadership, there will not be an African Revolution or a liberated Africa.
The Southern Africa region was led by Director Tafarie Mugeri, whose report read as follows: “We successfully pulled together ALD events in three different locations within South Africa (Occupied Azania). Unfortunately, our plan to have similar commemorations take place in Zambia and Namibia could not happen due to some contextual factors. However, the comrades in those countries remain strong and steadfast in the course of the African Revolution.
“The three branches in Azania used this day to showcase and advance the practical work we are doing in our respective branches. In Evaton, the comrades met to discuss their waste management initiative that is helping community members to create backyard furnaces for burning papers and plastics, since the municipality has not been collecting waste for many years now. In Fochville, comrades did political and ideological training on questions such as ‘What is the African Nation’ and ‘The African Revolution in the 21st Century,’ which included a salutation to the forces of the Alliance of the Sahel States. The Kokosi ALD also called for volunteers to our community programs, such as the carwash and the Steve Biko Children’s Program.
“Our highlight of the weekend was in the eastern regional province of Mpumalanga under the leadership of Zakhele Mkhonza where they launched the Project Thuthukani Community Garden. In his words, President Zakhele expressed that ‘the experience greatly exposed African workers to the political life of Black Power and showed the work we are doing through practical projects.’”
The report from the West Africa Chairperson, Morlai Conteh, read as follows: “I want to start my report with a salute from Comrades in West Africa to the leadership of the African People’s Socialist Party and the entire Uhuru Movement. Comrades, this philosophical ideology that led us to organize such an event emanated from the leadership of Chairman Omali Yeshitela who came up with the theory of Africa Internationalism and the disciplines of the working class revolution. We salute you, Chairman Omali Yeshitela and Deputy Chair Ona Zené Yeshitela.
“We take pride and honor in the leadership of Director Tafarie for building our confidence not only in raising positive revolutionary awareness in our people but also in making the administrative work of the Party very important.
“Comrades, the event marking the celebration of Africa Liberation Day (ALD) in West Africa took place in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Both countries were involved with community outreach before the day, which inspired more people to participate in celebrating ALD in their respective branches. Our Comrades in Liberia send a message of continuous cooperation in the movement and how we should stand and fight with our Comrades in Burkina Faso. This will tell the colonizers that their days are over in the Continent.
“Chairman Weh emphasized his commitment to leading his people out of the bondage of colonialism. Sierra Leone, in the other part of the region, had a wonderful event that left a benchmark for more recruitment and the best community cooperation. Stakeholders and community youths, including children, send revolutionary messages and willingness to participate or be recruited into our movement. Several potential members from each of these countries are presently working on their membership process with the InPDUM leadership in their locations.
“As we celebrate ALD, it also goes with struggles, as we don’t have ALD organized in Ghana and Nigeria. We have had a presence in Ghana for a while now and we have not organized any event or done any political, social or economic activity there. Comrade Afua needs organizational assistance so she can be able to organize and build a strong movement in Ghana. Like Ghana, we have a Party member in Nigeria whose dedication has helped us navigate through Nigeria. There is all it takes to build a massive InPDUM force in Nigeria through the leadership of Secretary General Finbar. Our comrade in Nigeria would have done more to organize ALD had he received the resources in time.
“This situation shows the challenges involved in economic transactions within the region. It also signals the challenges we need to overcome with our economic and financial director and the need for all branches to recruit a comrade in this department. Above all challenges, we were able to have a powerful ALD event.
“Despite the challenge with the Nigeria front hosting the ALD on May 25, they eventually did on June 8. This is evidence of the resilience and determination of the forces in the West African region.
“The Uhuru Movement in Africa is at the point of no return. We are climbing greater heights and there is no turning back until we erect the Red, Black and Green flag on the tip of the Kilimanjaro.”
Uhuru!
