How to avert a class war and Africa-wide uprising

As a young man who has lived most of his life in Kibera slums, I have seen what youth can do when they have no hope. They go to political rallies, not for the message but to snatch phones, or break into a grocery shop to ‘pick up’ some foodstuff or boutiques to steal a few clothes.

While in South Africa last week, I visited the youth in the townships. I discovered that their problems are the same as those of their Kenyan counterparts. And Makoko slum, in Nigeria, six years ago. There, too, they were yearning for non-existent opportunities. The youth can do anything to survive. I have given speeches about the topic around the world.

Our continent has the youngest population with 70 per cent of Sub-Saharan Africa under 30, shows 2021 UN data. With a population of over 1.4 billion, it means close to a billion Africans are youth. The high number of youth is an opportunity for growth but only if they are fully empowered to realise their best potential.

Youth account for 60 per cent of Africa’s jobless, says the World Bank. The situation is worse in slums, where, a 2020 UN-Habitat report shows, over 48 per cent of urban crime was instigated by young people from informal settlements.

This topic is more important now than ever, amid the high cost of living, ballooning population and unprecedented rural-urban migration. Urban centres are being populated with anger and frustration.

Africa is tipping towards an uprising that will be caused by these frustrated youth and I strongly believe it will start in the slums. It will not have a leader; it will be spontaneous and the wealthy will be affected the most. These youth need opportunities.

We cannot live in a country where a few have a lot and the majority have no idea where their next meal will come from. Most of the poor live in slums but we just pass them and go yet we trust them with our children and homes as house helps and guards.

Creating positions

The poor have been ignored. They see on social media food being wasted by the rich. They see those in power creating positions for themselves and their cronies. They see the ‘Old Guard’ being given jobs yet they are told there are none. We all saw the looting in Johannesburg at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The riots in Nigeria christened #EndSARS—the mass action calling for a complete ban of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police force. Ethiopia had street protests seeking regime change. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Soon, you will not enjoy driving your expensive car, you will instead have to erect big walls to protect yourself from them. That is what happens if the society forgets what Africans were all about.

Helping one another, sharing food—simply embracing the African culture—will ensure nobody dies from lack of food. We need to do something. The government must invest in slums, especially youth groups, and work with local organisations. It should also provide monthly stipends for young people in slums, ensure health centres work, garbage collection is streamlined and the ‘kadogo’ economy is formalised and not taxed too much.

Urban poor

The government should provide education and create jobs for the youth, have policies guiding companies in urban centres to cushion the urban poor, exempt corporates supporting this demographic from some taxes and build technical and vocational training institutions (TVETs) in slums.

Transformation in the slums is not about building houses but investing in the people. I know the crime rate will plummet if the well-to-do sponsor the smartest children in the informal settlements to get an education as they will return to change their communities. That is how you fight class war.

Mr Odede, founder and CEO of Shofco, is a member of USAid Advisory Board. @KennedyOdede