The African continent is just like a huge island surrounded by big oceans. The continent’s western part has the Atlantic Ocean with its associated history of slave trade and colonialism. The Eastern part has the Indian Ocean. At the time of primitive capitalism and world exploration by European discoverers, oceans facilitated transport from Europe to Africa; Persia to Africa; and Far East to Africa.

Recent discoveries show that the Indian Ocean is rich in oil and natural gas, resources that help run the global economy. Oil is literally the ‘black gold.’ As the price of oil in the global market shoots up, the global economy becomes chaotic.

News that the Indian Ocean rim is endowed with abundant oil deposits and natural gas raised my worries on whether the region will ever be safe from the internally and externally instigated violence. The Lang’o people in Uganda for example, have sworn that no single drop of oil will be siphoned out of their area. Under such circumstances, when people swear to defend “their” wealth at the cost of their blood, this ought to raise a danger flag that needs attention before it implodes. 

Tanzania has not been spared from the ‘curse’ of the black gold found within its territories. The natives of Mtwara and Lindi regions have sworn that they shall not allow the construction of a pipeline to export “their” natural gas from their homeland to the capital city of Dar es Salaam. To show their seriousness, they set a number of houses and other properties belonging to the ministers and politicians of the ruling party on fire. This is not healthy at all for the country.

In Zanzibar, the “natives” do not want their oil to be shared with their union partner, the mainland Tanzania. The situation is tense citizens as citizens from the mainland are seen as emissaries sent in Zanzibar to subdue the natives and exploit the wealth of Zanzibar. If the mere mere discovery of oil and gas has already divided these people, what will happen when the extraction begins?

Africans along the Indian Ocean rim ought to strategize on how to maintain peace and security in the wake of their new found oil and gas wealth. Experience from other oil producing countries shows that oil discovery and exploitation has been a curse to the respective countries.Endless bloodshed has been witnessed in the Middle East, Nigeria, Sudan and many other oil producing areas. Will East Africa go the same way?

It is time that the people of the Indian Ocean rim showed the difference. Having known that our muscles cannot withstand the vibrations of the giants, prudence is highly needed in order to stay safe while having our share in the wealth at our homes. Failure to play safe in this, the giants as usual will have their “lion’s share” in the catch that we have all struggled to get, and we the “fellow hunters” will go with empty hands.

By Stanislaus Kigosi

The author stanislaussenior@yahoo.com is a teacher at Nyumbu Secondary School in Tanzania. He is currently pursuing the LLB degree at the Open University of Tanzania.