Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from November, 2005
South Africa: domestic labour
South African blog, Fodder is disgusted at the latest 6.7% increase in wages for domestic workers….”It is a blight on our new democracy that our government says a person can live on such a minute amount of money every month, if one wants to go the minimum wage route then...
Africa: Commonwealth conference
Mzansi Afrika is one of the few African blogs to mention the recent Commonwealth Conference which took place in Malta to discuss trade issues. Bronwyn comments…”Well and good. Fair farming practices and competitive trade are essential issues that do need to be sorted out. Handled right, such issues are probably...
Darfur: firewood patrols
Sleepless in Sudan reports on the return of the “so-called firewood patrols” in Darfur……The idea behind the firewood patrols is pretty simple: the African Union (who has deployed about 6500 troops to Darfur to monitor the situation and create a more secure environment) is meant to work with local police...
Malawi: Dignitas International
Geeta in Malawi writes on a NGO called Dignitas International which is a humanitarian medical NGO that “responds to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic.”
Zimbabwe: Hijack
This is Zimbabwe writes on a near miss “hijack” …..Today I came close to being hijacked. I got the fright of my life. Two cars were waiting facing opposite directions, and as I came past the one did a ‘u’ turn and followed me and the other followed as well....
Congo: November in the DRC
Congo Watch provides a monthly roundup of events in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)…
Ethiopia: VOA
Ethiopian Politics writes in support of the VOA Amharic Program which is described as “A voice to the voiceless”...We the undersigned Ethiopians, Ethio-Americans and friends of Ethiopia who are concerned and disturbed by the Ethiopian government’s deliberate attempt to shut down all free press and journalistic activities, here by, alert...
Ethiopia: VOA
Meskel Square reports about an ongoing “war” between Ethiopia and the Voice of America. The battle surrounds VOA broadcast service in Amharic. The Ethiopian News Agency comments on VOA “In their phone-in programs they have deliberately selected and organized individuals who have rehearsed what bad things to say about the...
Kenya: politics
Kenyan Pundit reports that she is “sick and tired of Kenyan politics”….responding to a comment on the sloth that is Kenyan and African politics, she writes “The sloth has unfortunately often been a two-way street…the politics are incompetent and the electorate tolerate and often encourage the pettiness we see, hopefully...
Nigerian Blogosphere
Dabar Objects starts us up this week with “Nigeria and ECommerce: We must be joking”. He pointed out issues about Nigeria doing eCommerce successfully. He discussed why he thinks that even though about 5 million people confortable uses mobile phone in the country, only a minute do eCommerce and that...
The Darfur Crisis: Bloggers Speak
The western Sudanese region of Darfur made the headlines for a significant portion of last year when millions of civilians were displaced by fighting between rebel groups and the pro-Sudanese government Janjaweed militia. The Janjaweed militia was also implicated in the killing of innocent civilians and the raping of women,...
Nigeria: Computers for all
Grandiose Parlor continues the discussion around £100 laptops, Simputers and computers for the African masses….Dont we need “school for all” and “health for all” before we get “computers for all”?
Nigeria: AfroBeat Musik
SoundRoots Music blog takes us down memory lane with some free downloads of AfroBeat aka Fela's Musik……..”Anyone with an inkling of musical curiosity has at least heard of Afrobeat. It's the funk-drenched, politically charged Nigerian music pioneered by Fela Kuti“
Africa: AIDS
Its World Aids Day on Thursday and Obifromsouthlondon reminds us of some “distressing” figures…..”Aids is gold and HIV was platinum Sit down, ask them where you get your facts from Five hundred thousand niggaz in the hood with it And a million more niggaz is gettin ready to get it”
Uganda: Judicial Issues
Black Star Journal has two connected posts on Uganda “Ugandan lawyers strike for judicial independence” and “Amnesty deal for Besigye?” – it seems Museveni may be having second thoughts on his arrest.
South Africa: Poetry
The Celestine Truth offers us a poem – “The Articles of my Life”…..With all the harmonius chaos that is surrounding me, Im very fortunate to be blogging now even though I do not have much to say,I will still say my peace anyway…..going through one of my many journals I...
Islam: homosexuality
Somali/Dutch MP, Ayaan Hirsi Ali received death threats for her collaboraton with Theo Van Gogh (who was assasinated) on the film “Submission” which addressed gender violence in Islam, is now preparing to set Islam ablaze with a film on homosexuality and Islam.…..”The film will use anonymous actors and carry no...
Africa: Western media reports
Zimbabwean blogger Dumisani Nyoni, writing on Dumisani's Blog, offers a criticism of Western media interpretatons of Africa particularly Simon Robinson of Time Magazine (European edition)……”finally, why are these journalists [Michael Wines of the NY Times fame, as well as Rachel Swans and many others who write for different newspapers as...
Kenya: HIV/AIDS
“This time he has gone to far” writes Feminist African Sister. “As Kenya made it's application for the PEPFAR funds, it emerged that Bush has extended the GAG rule, to these funds! Going against his own decision not to extend the rule to HIV funds.” Bush has thus effectively shut...
Africa: Western Media reports
Ethan Zuckerman, My Hearts in Accra comments on a New York Times article that has belatedly ‘discovered’ the state sponsored violence that took place in Ethiopia earliar this month. He goes on to discuss other press reports in Western media and notes a possible change in reporting……“there appears to be...
SA: Cosatu & Zuma
South African blog, The Fish Bowl writes that Cosatu is the latest in a long list of people and organisations distancing themselves from former VP Jacob Zuma…”It's humourous (and at the same time heartening) to see Cosatu's recent distancing from Zuma. Stating that “that they have never backed Zuma as...
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