Algiers, Algeria— The President of thePan African Parliament (PAP), H.E. Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira, has issued a powerful call for Africa to prioritize the reclamation of its identity and culture as the essential foundation for accelerated continental development and true freedom from colonialism’s enduring impact. Addressing theInternational Conference on Crimes of Colonialism in Africain Algiers, Chief Charumbira lamented the decimation of African culture and values by colonial powers, asserting:“Culture is the glue that binds us together and without our culture we are disunited and directionless.”He stressed that for Africa to fully develop, it must first express its own self-hood, culture, and values.
A major focus of the PAP President’s address was the deleterious impact ofcolonial education, which he described as having brainwashed Africans into viewing everything Western as superior and everything African as inferior. This ingrained mindset, which leads Africans to consume Western products while shunning African-made goods, poses a direct threat to the success of theAfrican Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). To break this cycle and boost intra-Africa trade, Chief Charumbira championed the need todecolonise education.
He cited the example ofZimbabwe, which has adopted aheritage-based educationsystem tailored to the country’s unique culture, as a model for restoring Africans’ confidence in themselves and their own value systems. The Conference, hosted by the Government of Algeria in collaboration with the African Union (AU) Commission, aligns with theAU Theme of the Year for 2025: “Justice for Africa and People of African Descent Through Reparations.” Chief Charumbira cautioned delegates—including Ministers, jurists, and academics—to prepare for abruising battlefor reparatory justice, noting the unwillingness of erstwhile colonizers to compensate Africa for historical injustices. He highlightedZimbabwe’s land reclamation exerciseas a painful example, noting that the country remains under sanctions for daring to reclaim land expropriated by the British.
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Despite the pain, he affirmed that Zimbabwe will not go back on its decision to empower its people. The PAP President concluded by issuing a warning:Africa must move from rhetoric to united actionin the fight for redress and historical justice, or the struggle will be in vain. The conference serves as a high-level dialogue to identify concrete pathways for advancing justice, reparations, and recognition for colonialism’s moral, legal, economic, and cultural crimes.
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