Veteran journalist and political commentator Andrew Mwenda has accused European diplomats of perpetuating modern-day colonialism under the guise of human rights advocacy.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Mwenda lashed out at what he described as the hypocrisy of European ambassadors, some of whose governments, he claimed, are “funding a genocide in Gaza,” while simultaneously condemning torture in Uganda.
“This is not about human rights. It is about power,” Mwenda wrote.
“They don’t believe we can fight for our rights ourselves! They do not see us as active participants in the struggle for our rights. They see us as passive spectators in it, mere beneficiaries of international charity handed to us by benevolent Europeans," Mwenda stated.
He argued that this mindset reflects a persistent colonial attitude that continues to shape the West’s engagement with Africa.
According to Mwenda, colonialism once justified itself as a civilizing mission, flying under the flag of the “three Cs”: Christianity, Commerce, and Civilization. These, he claims, have simply been rebranded.
“Christianity has become democracy; commerce is now trade and investment (foreign direct investment that either displaces or stifles the growth of our local bourgeoisie) and civilization, the imposition of European bureaucratic systems on our societies,” he said.
Mwenda contrasted the European approach with that of countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, and India, which he says provide aid or investments without imposing political or ideological conditions.
“China funds our government but does not insist we become Chinese in our governance. India does similar,” he noted.
The commentator went further to suggest that Europe’s persistent interference stems from a deeply ingrained racial superiority complex.
“This is deeply embedded in the conscious, sometimes subconscious and even unconscious European mind. It just comes naturally to them often without them noticing it.”
While affirming that Ugandans “deserve the right not to be tortured,” Mwenda insisted that this is a domestic struggle and not one that should be co-opted by foreign powers.
“When Europeans insert themselves in our struggles, they make local agency look like fifth columnists of foreign powers seeking regime change. This undermines the legitimacy of local activism.”
Mwenda urged Western powers to shift from paternalism to partnership.
“Africans do not need help from Europe. We need collaboration. We should seek to liberate Europeans from their racial superiority complex. We can do this by being bluntly honest with them.”
He acknowledged the value of international solidarity but took issue with the methods often employed by European diplomats.
“Issuing lectures, summons and threats to our governments is neither prudent nor desirable; it is neither effective nor necessary. On the contrary, it discredits local agency.”
In a final caution to fellow Africans, Mwenda said: “On the face of it, they may look well intentioned and it is possible sometimes they are. But they are rarely helpful. Experience shows that they have done more harm than good. We can see their results in Libya, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan – the list is endless.”
Mwenda’s comments come amid debate around sovereignty, development, and the future of Africa’s engagement with the West.