Tanzania, March 7 -- On the day that Yevgeny Prigozhin was leading Wagner fighters in their match towards Moscow last year, I was in the Polish city of Gdansk. I was in the company of two gentlemen who were regaling me with stories of their childhood in Gdansk. Being away from my hotel, I was completely unaware of what was happening beyond my immediate surroundings. But that all changed when one of the gentlemen erupted in jubilation at the news of the inexplicable events within Russia.

Read: Russia in Africa: Prigozhin's death exposes Putin's real motives on the continent

To be honest, I sort of hoped for political change in Russia. I consider Russia a rogue nation that encourages bad leadership for many an African nation. But the idea...