Africa day 2025

Africa Day is commemorated every year on the 25th May and is an opportunity to reflect on progress and successes in Africa’s fight against the legacy of colonialism and unfair discrimination.  It is also an opportunity for African states to reflect on the common challenges they face in today’s rapidly changing world.  The unique challenges brought about by globalisation require greater co-operation among African states, and Africa Day serves as a reminder of the commitments made by the African Union [AU] towards common African goals such as economic growth, regional peace, protection of human rights, sustainable development and social cohesion.

Africa Day this year marks the 62nd anniversary of the AU’s founding [it was founded as the Organisation of African Unity].  The theme this year is:

“Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”

The theme underscores the AU’s commitment to addressing historical and current injustices including the slave trade, colonialism, apartheid, and genocide.

Addressing the Past in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe there is a need for truth to heal not just horrors from the colonial era but more recent ones as well.  These include the Gukurahundi atrocities, the suppression of the 1998 food riots, the political violence that is now a norm whenever elections are held, operation Murambatsvina in 2005, the killing of civilians in 2018, arbitrary evictions, and many other violations of basic human rights. Without a credible process for uncovering the truth, their full extent and their impact on the nation may never be known.  If past atrocities are not addressed, they continue to influence the present.  Without clear commitment to the truth about the past, any hope of building lasting peace in Zimbabwe will remain an illusion.

The right to truth about gross violations of human rights and serious violations of national and international law is linked to the State’s duty to protect human rights, conduct effective investigations and guarantee effective remedies and reparations.  This duty is encapsulated in section 252 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

Little real progress has been witnessed in ascertaining the truth about past atrocities.  There have been some attempts in addressing past injustices but much more remains outstanding in transparency and accountability.  

Reparation for victims of gross and systematic human rights violations is urgent and the issue should be considered now, rather than deferred until some putative political transition in the distant future.

Conclusion

As we commemorate the 62nd year of the African Union, we continue to celebrate the heroes and heroines who fought for freedom, equality, sustainable peace and human rights. Their legacy inspires us to continue the quest for a better Zimbabwe and Africa.  The continent still experiences coups, internecine wars, despotism, cyclical famines and lopsided trade with former and new colonisers.  The continent must grapple with these deep and seemingly intractable problems to affirm justice in African.

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