Kongamano La Mapinduzi (KLM) national spokesperson and 2027 presidential aspirant Sungu Oyoo has called on African nations to deepen political and economic integration, warning that the continent must unite internally to compete effectively on the global stage.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Wednesday, Oyoo criticised slow progress in continental institutions such as the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), noting that African countries still trade more with external partners than with each other and that visa restrictions continue to make intra-African travel expensive and difficult.
“Pan-Africanism at the most basic level is the belief that African people share a common history and that we share a common destiny, especially in social, economic and political terms,” Oyoo said. “When we speak of this common destiny, we must unite as African people, both at home and abroad, to arrive at a point of strength which can enable us to move within the world in a strong way.”
He argued that while institutions exist to foster unity, the continent has yet to fully realise their potential. “We have the AU, it’s supposed to be the body that unites us agriculturally, politically and economically, yet we are unable to actualize the Africa free trade area,” Oyoo said, citing structural and political challenges that slow progress.
Oyoo also criticised Africa’s dependence on external partners for development and infrastructure. “The AU headquarters in Ethiopia was built by the Chinese. We manage the running of the AU funding. We can’t even fund our own organization. We can’t even build our own,” he said, noting that such reliance highlights the need for stronger internal capacity and cooperation.
Reflecting on Pan-African history, Oyoo said the movement has been central to Africa’s political transformation. He recalled the Fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester in 1945, which he said helped accelerate the push against colonial rule.
By the time the Organization of African Unity was formed in 1963 in Addis Ababa, the number of independent African countries had jumped from four to more than 30.
“Between 1958 and 1963 we moved from about four independent countries to more than 30. We can see that progressive leap happening,” he said.
Oyoo highlighted the vision of early Pan-African leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, who advocated for deeper integration, including a shared economic system, military cooperation, a central bank, and a common currency.
However, he said political self-interest among some modern leaders has slowed progress. “Some leaders are more interested in being small kings in their countries,” Oyoo said. “Sometimes people are more interested in having a big slice of a small cake than having a small slice of a big cake.”
He stressed that Africa’s economic potential could be unlocked by boosting trade within the continent.
“Africa trades more with the outside world than with itself, yet Africa has almost everything that African people need,” he said. Oyoo also called for easier movement across the continent, citing high travel costs and visa restrictions. “Why should I pay 80 dollars to visit another African country?” he asked.
Despite these obstacles, Oyoo said strengthening intra-African trade and removing barriers to movement are crucial if the continent is to grow stronger and compete globally.
“The only way Africa will grow strong to compete on the global stage is if we strengthen ourselves,” he said. “And intra-African trade can be one of the ways we strengthen ourselves economically.”