The jubilee has had a silent response in much of sub-Saharan Africa, with commentators evoking the troubled history of the British Empire, the diminished influence of London and the distraction of deepening economic problems on the continent to explain the apparent apathy.
Buckingham Palace listed 18 official beacons lit in commemoration across Africa last week, and Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan described the queen as “a remarkable world figure whose legacy transcends national borders”. she was “loved and respected by all the world.” But these feelings are not universal.
In South Africa, where three beacons were lit, even those who have closely followed the celebrations admit that there is limited interest among the majority of the population. “I’m looking at everything I can. She’s such a lovely woman,” said Edweena Bell, 69, a babysitter west of Johannesburg, the country’s commercial capital.
“For English-speaking South Africans, it’s a longing for the past, the colonial era and all that. It’s romantic. But overall, it doesn’t mean much to most people here. ”
In Alexandra, a poor neighborhood in the northeast of Johannesburg, there was limited interest in the Queen, the Jubilee, or Britain. “That was a long time ago … I don’t know what it has to do with us now,” said Clever Dlamini, an unemployed bricklayer as he lined up to buy fried buns.
“It’s nice for her, but we have other things to worry about.”
South Africa joined the Commonwealth in 1994 after the racist and repressive apartheid regime withdrew. The ruling African National Congress has sought diplomatic influence elsewhere, although sporting contacts have flourished.
In Uganda, where international events often spark intense interest and vocal debate over very popular chat programs, the jubilee has also received limited attention. “It’s not an anti-imperialist thing, and there is no hostility, except among the elites or some people with a university education,” said Michael Mutyaba, an independent analyst in Uganda. “It’s just a lack of interest. People talked about the Taliban taking power in Afghanistan and Russia, but they’re more interested in rising fuel prices than the queen.”
People in Durban, South Africa, watching the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018. Photo: Rogan Ward / Reuters
Instead, the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in 2018 was closely followed. “There was a lot of debate about whether Meghan would be accepted by the royal family … and there was talk of racism,” Mutyaba said.
In neighboring Kenya, another former British colony, memories of the empire are still raw for some. “From the beginning, [the Queen’s] The reign would be indelibly tarnished by the brutality of the empire he presided over and which accompanied his demise, “said Patrick Gathara, a Kenyan cartoonist, writer and commentator.
The East African country became independent in 1963 after years of violent struggle between a liberation movement and colonial troops. In 2013, the British government apologized for torturing thousands of Kenyans during the “Mau Mau” uprising of the 1950s and paid millions in an out-of-court settlement.
“To date, he has never publicly admitted, let alone apologized for, the oppression, torture, dehumanization and dispossession of people in the Kenyan colony before and after his accession to the throne.” , said Gathara.
Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth under its late authoritarian president Robert Mugabe, and said it would seek readmission after its fall in power in 2017. However, leaders were unwilling to implement the necessary reforms and have moved away. of the organization and of the west in general. China and Russia now enjoy closer ties with Zimbabwe’s ruling elite.
“It’s becoming irrelevant here,” said Peter Nyapedwa, a social activist. “It simply came to our notice then [Chinese President] Some [Jinping] or Putin, but not the queen. “
In recent years, the French government has launched a controversial effort to address the legacy of its empire on the continent. The resentment of the former rulers has provided opportunities for strategic competitors and has caused considerable difficulties for Paris in countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso.
Britain has not tried anything like this. AP contributed reports from Kenya and Zimbabwe