She’s been on the Africa music for two decades. Yvonne Chaka Chaka, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador will be in Uganda next week to rally African leaders at AU summit on Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Development to honor their pledge to fight disease in Africa.
Chaka Chaka who was the first black child to appear on South African television has been involved in the advocacy for the mothers on the continent for some time. She said she would attend the Kampala AU summit “to remind African leaders to walk the talk and stop deaths of thousands of African women and Children”
The outspoken activist said many times African governments have been mismanaged funds meant for prevention of many diseases that contribute to high maternal and child mortality rate on the continent. While there has been progress with countries like Eritrea, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe seeing a drop in malaria cases and deaths by 50 percent or more between 2000 and 2006, malaria contributes to the big disease burden on the continent.
Being in South Africa a conversation with anyone even Chaka Chaka could not pass without a mention of the World Cup. As the World Cup was closing the media was awash with alerts of xenophobia threats. But the Princess of Africa believes that World Cup did much in bringing the unity among South Africans and the rest of the continent.
Having arrived in Johannesburg two days after that riling defeat to Uruguay, one could still capture the unity and solidarity the host nation showered Ghana. With Ghanaian flags still being hoisted in large numbers, you can hardly believe this is the same country where two years ago African immigrants were set ablaze.
Chaka Chaka believes the exposure the World Cup brought to South Africa is something the society can hold onto and not go back to the events of May 2008.
Rosebell Kagumire 