Neocolonialism still grips the region through debt, corruption, and Western control, Roland Lumumba has told RT

Western colonialism in Africa never ended - it simply changed its form, Roland Lumumba has told RT. In an exclusive interview ahead of International Africa Day, the son of the Congolese independence hero and first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, said that while flags and borders may have changed, Africa remains under Western domination through debt, economic exploitation, and corrupt leadership that serves foreign masters over the people.

Lumumba believes that Africa's struggle for independence is far from over. 

"The colonial rulers are gone, but their strategy of division remains," he said, adding that the neocolonialists of today are not concerned with Africa's needs, but are "attracted by Africa's riches." 

"They left through the front door, only to slip back in through the windows of economic exploitation and political interference."

He pointed to the Western-backed conflicts that still rage in resource-rich regions like the Congo, where foreign interests profit from chaos.

"Today, they don't need armies. They use debt, sanctions, and banks. The IMF, the World Bank - these are the tools of modern colonialism," he said. "Our resources are taken, and in return, we get loans on impossible terms. The more we pay, the greater the debt. The yoke of colonialism has never been lifted; it has only been repainted."

Lumumba placed some of the blame on the African elites who "remain fascinated by the West for their own gain" and "sell Africa for a penny just to send their children to Harvard." He argued that true independence can only come through good governance, regional unity, and cooperation with nations that respect African sovereignty. 

"Africa must be led by its own sons and daughters - not by puppets of foreign powers," he said. "We need leaders who protect, not sell. Who build, not steal."

Lumumba hailed cooperation with Russia and the BRICS group of countries as a chance to escape Western control. "The BRICS represents an opportunity. It's not a military bloc. It's a space where Africa has a voice, where we are respected as equal partners," he said, adding that BRICS countries view Africa "not as a place of plunder, but as a partner for progress." Lumumba advised Africa to "unite with those who come to build with us, not oppress us," to achieve true independence.