Power decides everything: Sejusa warns Africans against peace rhetoric

Retired Gen. David Sejusa warns that Africa’s lack of space technology leaves the continent vulnerable, urging leaders to prioritize strategic power over rhetoric.

KAMPALA, Uganda — Retired Gen. David Sejusa is warning African leaders to prioritize technological power over “peace rhetoric,” citing NASA’s Artemis II mission as a chilling reminder of the continent’s vulnerability.

In an April 17 post on X, the former intelligence chief shared images from the Orion spacecraft’s lunar flyby, using the mission’s success to highlight a widening global power gap. One image featured an astronaut looking back at Earth, a perspective Sejusa argued underscores humanity’s expanding reach and Africa’s lack thereof.

How does the African defend himself against a people with these capabilities? Sejusa asked.

The retired general, formerly known as David Tinyefuza, dismissed idealistic notions of global harmony as dangerous. He argued that geopolitical survival is governed by the law of nature, where the weak fall prey to the strong. He invoked Thucydides’ Melian Dialogue, noting that in the realm of power, justice is often irrelevant.

Sejusa served as the coordinator of intelligence services under President Yoweri Museveni before becoming a vocal critic of the administration. He has frequently clashed with the government over succession and governance, experiences that have shaped his cynical view of modern statecraft.

In his latest critique, he slammed the African elite’s obsession with personal wealth, including luxury vehicles and offshore accounts. He warned that such assets provide no shield against nations possessing superior space and military technology.

The Artemis II mission, which launched earlier this month, is NASA’s first crewed flight in a program aimed at returning humans to the moon and eventually Mars. While the crew, led by Reid Wiseman, captured high-resolution data for future exploration, Sejusa viewed the achievement through a strictly military and strategic lens.

Available data shows Africa remains decades behind in space capabilities. While a few nations operate satellites, the continent lacks indigenous launch infrastructure.