Russian militarisation of governance in Africa

There is a new scramble for Africa and a new Cold War in the 21st Century. The earlier scramble for Africa towards the end of the 19th Century was between European powers of the day. The new scramble for Africa is mainly between Europe, US, China and Russia. These powers are engaged in a geopolitical, geostrategic and geo-economic conflict that is sucking in Africa. 

We have in the recent past witnessed global summits with African countries where African heads of states and government go to meet one of the big powers’ presidents in the capitals of the global north.

These are US-Africa, Russia-Africa, China-Africa and even Turkey-Africa summits. This is what some commentators have termed collective neo-colonialism.

This article will concentrate on Russian hegemonic influence and how it is shaping African politics in the direction of militarised governance. In the era of the Imperial Russian Empire under their rulers called the Tsars, Russia was not interested in colonies in Africa. It concentrated on the eastward expansionist drive until it was the biggest country in the world by the end of the 19th Century. In the wake of the end of the Second World War after 1945 and especially in the 1950s at the peak of the cold war, the Soviet Union (read Russia) embarked on expanding its footprint in Africa.

Russia took advantage of the struggle against colonialism in Africa and Asia. It tapped into the anti-colonial sentiment which was rife in Africa at the time of Independence. Russia provided the anti-colonial and anti-imperial ideology of communism.

Many post-colonial countries of Africa such as Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nasser, Morocco, Algeria, Congo Republic, Ethiopia, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea, Zimbabwe etc. became client states of Soviet Union adopting its one party communist style of governance. Soviet Union supported liberation and anti-Apartheid forces with military training, arms and ammunitions. 

This Russian support had contradictory consequences to Africa and Africans. It was not without strings attached.

This ideological, military and diplomatic support no doubt had a contribution to the liberation of Africa. However, independent Africa had to suffer the consequences of increased Russian interference in African affairs. The US and the Soviet Union had their proxy wars fought in Africa.

Soviet Union encouraged military coups in Africa during the 1960s and 1970s. This led to the lost decades in Africa in respect of development and democratisation. There was a lull of Russian influence in Africa in the decade of 1991 to around 2000.

This was the period in the aftermath of political reforms in the Soviet Union, the collapse of the soviet bloc and the end of Cold War. However there has been increased interest and influence in African affairs by Russia since president Vladimir Putin came into power in Russia in 1999. 

Putin has pursued a foreign policy of military diplomacy and has increased Russian footprint in Africa. The biggest Russian exports to Africa are arms, ammunitions, military technical advisors and mercenaries. Russia is supporting new client junta states where the Russian Wagner mercenary army is operating. 

Putin is tapping into the increasing anti-Western sentiment in Africa. African countries detest the unipolar foreign policy of US. Africans detest the increasing cultural hegemony of the Western world in form of enforcing accepting homosexuality as a human right and using homosexuality as the latest conditionality for aid. Russia is weaponising anti-homosexuality sentiment to get inroads into African regimes. 

However, this renewed Russian military diplomacy is affecting African democratic growth. Africa is returning to the pre-Berlin wall breakdown political governance.

Military coups supported by Russia are becoming a common phenomenon. Dissidents that destabilise Africa statehood and supported by Russian mercenaries are on the increase. 

The notion that Russia is a friend of Africa for the good of Africa is deceptive. Africa should be wary of the Kremlin political leverage gains into the continent to avoid another democracy recession. Once bitten twice shy!

Mr Mwambutsya Ndebesa is a political historian at Makerere University