Intime Conviction

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African unity among people is more than an ideal: it is already underway. The Y'en a marre movements across the continent have awakened critical consciousness and inspired a dynamic of profound transformation. They have engaged the masses in a collective process of liberation, redefining public space and civic discourse through new methods of struggle. 

This narrative is not just about a specific demand; it is both civic and pan-African, because it empowers people to set the rules, guide the political elite and decide who deserves to lead their nations. These movements have instilled in young people a sense of commitment, pan-Africanism and self-determination, transforming protest into a conscious and structured act.

Their emergence on the African political scene has brought about a real change. Their strength, often brutal and unpredictable, makes them formidable opponents for any abusive power. The regimes of Yahya Jammeh in The Gambia and Blaise Compaoré in Burkina Faso are proof that social movements can overthrow dictatorships and bring about spectacular change. But their power to protest alone is not enough to guarantee profound and lasting systemic change. 

Despite their victories, questions remain: why have these movements not become politicised in order to take direct control of their countries' governance? Do they have any plans other than simply protesting? Why do they remain silent when politicians appropriate their rhetoric and strategies to establish popular credibility and gain access to power? The answers to these questions are essential to understanding their prospects, their survival and the future of their commitments.

It is clear that these social movements need to reflect more deeply on the goals of their struggles. If Balai Citoyen succeeded in ending Blaise Compaoré's reign after 27 years of solitary and abusive power, and its activists continue to suffer marginalisation and oppression, it is worth asking what the struggle has really achieved.

While Aly Thiam and GOMSA BOPA in The Gambia contributed to the fall of Yahya Jammeh, and his successor is already considering a third term, lessons for the future remain to be learned. While Y'en a marre prevented Abdoulaye Wade from seeking a third term, and some allies now support Macky Sall's candidacy beyond his constitutional terms, the question of what has really been achieved remains unanswered.

It is my deep conviction that these social movements embody a vision of society that transcends the exercise of power. They are the heirs to a pan-African dynamic, aiming to dismantle colonial borders and build a unified Africa, in line with the ideals of Nyerere and Nkrumah. Such a project can only be achieved in the long term, generation after generation, through continuity and the transmission of knowledge and experience.

It is essential to preserve this continuity between generations. More experienced activists must remain in the movements to maintain their apolitical character and their position of equidistance, while others must gradually become politicised to take the reins of African states. Power must be entrusted to those who truly understand the meaning of activism, civic engagement and volunteering. The elites who emerge from this experience will be the only ones capable of placing the public interest at the heart of governance.

Sooner or later, those who are convinced will take power and instil lasting systemic change. The foundations have been laid: determination, civic awareness and the desire for autonomy have been instilled in the masses. What remains is to educate and mobilise more young people, integrate them into a common agenda and enable them to fight effectively against the colonial systems that are still in place.

The break has already begun, and there is no doubt that its actors will guide Africa towards dignity and its rightful place among the nations of the world. The hour of freedom has come. The paradigm shift is underway. Africa will rise up through its own efforts. The Y'en a marre movements have shown young people the path to self-determination, awakened their thirst for change and challenged oppressive systems. These young people, now aware and determined, will take back control of their destiny, free from manipulation and populism.

Africa will only experience real change through those who have grasped the significance of civic and citizen engagement. Defending the common good remains the raison d'être of the Y'en a marre movements, which have galvanised the collective consciousness of the continent's critical masses. For systemic change to take place, the actions of African elites must be guided by these fundamental principles.

Ultimately, the solution to Africa's challenges can only come from its young people, organised around the Y'en a marre movements and a common pan-African agenda. This agenda is neither an outlet for young people's frustrations nor a mere receptacle for their despair; it is the roadmap to African unity and the true systemic transformation of the continent. Africa, still a victim of plundering and the influence of its conformist elites, will only recover thanks to the New Types of Senegalese and the New Types of Africans. The future is now within reach.