Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from February, 2011
Central African Republic: Are citizens better off without elections
Louisa writes a report about elections in the Central African Republic: Though it would be an overstatement to say that Central Africans would be better off without elections, it is hard to see how elections contribute to making people's concerns heard and responded to by capital-based leaders who like to...
Africa: Let's Talk About African Governments
lgazissax discusses African governments: “The uprisings in northern Africa and the Middle East had gotten me wondering about certain things I’d read about problems of African government in general, and I wanted to see how they played out in different countries.”
Zambia: Minister Uses Facebook to Announce Government Policies
Zambia’s education minister Dora Siliya who is also ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) spokesperson, has in the last few months used Facebook to make important government policy announcements as well as party matters.
France: Demonstration in Paris Against Gabon Dictatorship
Around 7,000 people gathered in the streets of French capital Paris to demonstrate against African dictators and the French government's alleged collusion with African dictatorial regimes on Saturday 26 February, 2011. Protestors chanted slogans outside Gabon President Ali Bongo's 140 million Euro mansion.
Côte d'Ivoire: Images of Vandalised Mosque in Yopougon
Ibrahim Diarra posted pictures of a mosque in Yopougon, Côte d'Ivoire which he says was vandalised on February 26 by President Laurent Gbagbo's Young Patriots. The photos appeared on the Facebook page, Pour la paix, rien que la paix en Côte d'Ivoire (“For peace, nothing but peace”). Côte d'Ivoire has...
Côte d’Ivoire: Twitter Campaign for Anderson Cooper’s Attention
Global Voices author Anna Gueye was instrumental in a recent campaign to persuade influential CNN reporter Anderson Cooper to pay as much attention to protests in African countries such as Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire, as he has to Tunisia, Egypt and other Arab world uprisings.
Angola: Mysterious call for youth revolution
“Agostinho Jonas Roberto dos Santos” (clearly a composite of the names of deceased Angolan figures) created a website [link now broken] with a call for Angolan youth to revolt on March 7. Subsequently a Facebook page appeared. The online home of this mysterious group/individual moved [Pt] in recent days due...
Cameroon: Police Use Brute Force Against Protesters
Opposition groups in Cameroon organized protests on Wednesday Wednesday, February 23, 2011 to call for President Paul Biya to leave office. President Paul Biya, who is running for re-election later this year, has been in power for 28 years. Paul Biya's Special Intervention Brigade crushed the protest with brute force.
Africa: Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou
Boukari Ouédraogo wrote [Fr] on his blog: ” The 22nd edition of the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou will take place in Ouagadougou from February 26th to March 5th. This year's theme is “African Cinema and Markets.”
Mauritania: Pro-Democracy Protests Break Out in Nouakchott
Protests broke out in Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott, today, after young people assembled themselves online to call for rallies, which demand social, political and economic reforms, and an end to Mauritania's military rule. On Twitter, protesters give us an account of what they witnessed during the day.
Kenya: #KenyaFeb28: Online Call to Nationalism
Monday 28, February 2011 seems to be significant for Kenya's netizens. Kenyans have been using Twitter, Facebook and even email to discuss whether they should use the twitter hashtag #KenyaFeb28 to marshal protest over political issues or whether the same platform should be utilized to spur a sense of nationalism.
Côte d'Ivoire: The Difficult Legacy of Houphouët-Boigny
To better understand the origins of the current political crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, it is necessary to place recent events in their post-colonial context. Anna Gueye traces the history of the Ivorian political crisis and the reactions of bloggers in the face of the latest news.
Cameroon: Soldiers beat up opposition leader
The Chia Report confirms that Cameroon O'bosso leader and 2011 Presidential candidate, Kah Walla has been hospitalized with major injuries following confrontations with the military.
Kenya: One Nation, One People, One Anthem
On February 28, 2011 at 1.00 pm, Kenyans will sing all three verses of the National Anthem. The event is organised online using Twitter and Facebook.
Ghana: Learn How to Make Iced Kenkey
Betumi explains how to make iced kenkey: “Iced kenkey” is quick and easy to make. It is a popular inexpensive snack/street food sold throughout much of Ghana. It can tide people over until they can have a more filling meal. Iced kenkey is also used as a weaning food for...
Cameroon: Photos of Army Brutality
The Chia Report has published some of the first pictures to be published by any International media depicting the brutalization of peaceful protesters by forces of Biya's Special Intervention Brigade in Cameroon.
Kenya: Top Earning Sports Personalities in Kenya in 2010
Top earning sports personalities in Kenya in 2010: “Sport in Kenya has slowly become bread and butter for people fully engaged in it professionally. Fondly referred to by its peers as a ‘sporting nation’, the fact of the matter though is that much of the earnings are lop-sided with the...
Tanzania/Tunisia: Common thread between Tanzania and Tunisia
Kate discusses similarities between Tanzania and Tunisia: “These two countries, relatively unknown for large scale unrest, are plagued by a hideous manifestation of totalitarianism, the use of state security organs, notably the police and the so called anti-riot units, to suppress what would be considered perfectly understandable responses to unemployment...
Cameroon: Video: Police Brutality
A video showing police brutality in Cameroon following nation-wide anti-government protests calling for President Paul Biya to step down.
Africa: Revolutions in Middle East and North Africa from an African perspective
A list of blogs, blog posts and newspaper articles discussing revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa from an African perspective.
Zimbabwe: Revolution in Zimbabwe will fail
A Zimbabwean student explains why a revolution in Zimbabwe is destined to fail: “Positing the possibility of a popular revolt in Zimbabwe is guardedly optimistic at best, wilfully naive at worst.”
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