Cape Town: The first election of Donald Trump in 2016 sparked significant interest among certain African groups, particularly those identifying as Christian. This phenomenon mirrored Trump’s support base in the United States, predominantly composed of White evangelical voters. Despite the stark racial differences, some African Christians have shown admiration for Trump, who was not elected to represent Africans.
According to Cameroon News Agency, this admiration for Trump is influenced by several factors. Many African Christians view Trump similarly to how White evangelical voters in the US perceive him: as a figure who aims to restore order in a faith perceived to be under threat. This perspective comes despite the fact that movements like LGBTQ rights, which have seen rapid growth and mainstream acceptance in the US, remain contentious in Africa. During her 2023 visit to three African countries, US Vice President Kamala Harris faced resistance when LGBTQ issues were at the forefront of discussions. Most Af
rican nations, with laws banning homosexuality and transgenderism, focus primarily on development needs rather than social issues.
In 2015, former US President Barack Obama encountered similar resistance when advocating for gay rights in Kenya. Then Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta emphasized that while Kenya and the US shared values such as democracy and entrepreneurship, their cultures diverged significantly on issues like gay rights. Kenyatta insisted that Kenyans were more concerned with infrastructure development, like roads and schools, than with social issues that did not align with their cultural values.
Obama’s presidency initially inspired pride across Africa, especially due to his Kenyan heritage. However, his policies, including the legalization of gay marriage and military actions in Libya, led to disillusionment among Africans. Many felt betrayed by Obama’s decisions, particularly his role in the death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, which resulted in long-lasting instability in the region.
Contrastingly, Trump’s controversial remarks about African nations as “shithole countries” in 2018 did not entirely diminish his support among some Africans, particularly Christians. While African leaders condemned his comments, some citizens viewed them as a call for leaders to focus on their countries’ development. Trump’s directness, albeit sometimes offensive, resonates with Africans frustrated by their own leaders’ detachment from citizens’ realities.
Examples of this disconnect include Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, whose leadership style is often criticized for being out of touch with ordinary Cameroonians’ struggles. His reluctance to engage directly with citizens and preference for spending time abroad highlight a broader issue of ineffective leadership across Africa. With high unemployment and poverty rates, Cameroon’s development challenges are stark, yet leaders like Biya fail to address these pressing issues adequately.
In this context, Trump’s appeal, despite its flaws, reflects broader dissa
tisfaction with African governance. His bluntness contrasts sharply with the complacency observed in African leadership, leading some to view him as a leader who at least acknowledges the struggles of ordinary people. This paradoxical support for Trump among some Africans underscores a complex response to ineffective leadership on the continent.
Hans Ngala is a journalist who reports on politics, religion, aviation, and health with a focus on Cameroon. He holds a BA and an MA, both in Journalism and Media Studies from Wits University in Johannesburg. He has served as a communications consultant for Mission Aviation Fellowship in Chad, communications officer for Mercy Ships in Madagascar, and is currently political affairs editor for Cameroon News Agency. He lives in Cape Town, South Africa.