By Kwame Gonza, Thinker, Engineer, and Member of the African Continental Unity Party (ACUP)
In the struggle for Africa’s liberation, the question of unity is one that cannot be avoided. But I contend that unity must be revolutionary, tactical, and intentional. We do not have the luxury of time for evolution. Che Guevara and Kwame Nkrumah both emphasized that revolutionaries are those who recognize the moment and give history a push. While the timing of evolution might eventually become right, it must be driven forward by revolutionary action. This is where we must focus: the push, the urgency, and the deliberate actions necessary for African unity.
Many argue that we must unify under existing organizations like the Convention People’s Party (CPP). On one level, I agree: unification of the forces is essential. However, whether this unification must take place under the banner of the CPP is where opinions diverge. It is important to recognize that unification must happen, but we must not treat the CPP or any other organization as the sole religious house to carry us to paradise. Instead, we should see these organizations as tools—vehicles through which principles can be applied.
The fact that Nkrumah himself, while in Conakry, encouraged the formation of the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party (AAPRP) instead of simply asking for the CPP to be re-established across the continent tells us something. He understood that it was the principles that mattered more than the specific tools. He did not insist on the CPP being the only tool; rather, he knew that new tools could be created, adapted, and evolved to carry forward the struggle.
Organizations, much like organisms, are run by human beings and therefore are subject to fatigue. Over time, organizations may lose the ability to adapt to the evolving political and social landscape due to that fatigue. The individuals within them often become stuck in outdated thinking, unable to adjust to the demands of the present. This is why many older organizations fail to stay relevant or lead revolutionary change—they are weighed down by their own history, unable to innovate or shift their focus as new challenges arise.
In acknowledging that organizations are tools, we affirm that revolutionaries must recognize the limited amount of time they have to focus on what truly matters. The vision—the rebuilding and liberation of Africa—must always remain at the forefront. The tools we use, whether organizations, parties, or movements, are essential but secondary. These tools must change, adapt, or be replaced over time as the circumstances demand. Even time itself, which many view as an unchangeable force, can be manipulated and capitalized on by revolutionaries to drive forward progress.
To be revolutionary in our unity means we must act with extreme urgency. We must be intentional, with a clear plan of action and the willingness to adapt as the tools evolve. The ACUP, as a tool in the struggle for African unity, brings this sense of urgency and strategic intentionality. We must constantly evaluate our tools and be prepared to evolve, ensuring that our focus remains on the vision and not on the instruments used to achieve it.
As history shows, it is the revolutionaries who seize the moment, push forward, and reshape time and reality to fit the needs of the struggle. This is the challenge we face today, and we must rise to meet it.
