Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from June, 2007
D.R. Congo: Who profits from underdevelopment?
“A half-century of mistakes and political instability has pulled the rug out from under one of the potentially richest countries on the planet,” Du Cabiau à Kinshasa writes of D.R. Congo. Du Cabiau à Kinshasa blames 30 years of Mobutu and those who benefit from underdevelopment (Fr), namely state monopolies...
HIV-positive women abandoned by their husbands
Reaseau sida Afrique writes about HIV-positive women who have been abandoned [Fr] by their husbands or families, and are left to raise their children on their own.
First Night Against Françafrique
Vous reprendrez bien un peu d'humanisme? announces “‘First Night Against Françafrique” (Fr) on Zalea TV.
Sudan: what drives Khartoum?
Alex de Waal discusses the question, “What drives Khartoum?”
Nigeria: discussing Nigeria-Italy sex trafficking
Nigerian blogger, Leslie Ibeanusi, writes about Nigeria-Italy sex trafficking: “I continued. “Are we going to target traffickers who are luring these girls here?” The room really went quiet this time.”
Central African Republic: Rebel soldier executed for shooting MSF volunteer
The young rebel soldier responsible for the death of a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) volunteer has been executed, Alliance Pour La Democratie et Le Progres writes. The director of MSF was shocked. “A tragic death is followed by an absurd one.” (Fr)
Congo: Small business important for economic growth
Congopage writes about the importance of small and medium businesses (Fr) and private initiative for economic growth.
Benin's fans get rowdy at the Togo-Benin match
Togo played Benin in Cotonu this Sunday, the fifth day of qualifying matches for the 2008 Africa cup. Benin won (4-1), but not before their supporters engaged in what Togo-iTunes calls “gratuitous violence” (Fr). Togo-iTunes has photographs of the match and the rowdy fans, taken by a Togolese journalist posing...
Togo: Possible avian flu outbreak
Togo iTunes writes about a suspected case of avian flu in Togo [Fr]. On a semi-commercial farm 45 km outside of Lome, 2,000 of 3,000 chickens died in two days.
Zimbabwe: The Interception of Communications Bill
Last week, Zimbabwean parliament passed “The Interception of Communications Bill” that will allow the government to monitor telephones, emails and the Internet. Zimbabwean ISPs are condemning this law, which is waiting the approval of the Senate, because it will require them to purchase expensive monitoring equipments they cannot afford. Transport...
Ghana: benefits of telecom liberalization
The benefits of Telecom liberalization in Ghana: “Prices have fallen drastically since, with some networks offering starter packs with very wide coverage for as low as 15,000 Ghanaian Cedis (less than $2). Junior Secondary School graduates can now access their high school placement on their mobile phones.:”
South Africa: politics of renaming streets
The bitter politics of renaming streets in South Africa: “It seems as though the Democratic Alliance is going to be taking eThekwini Municipality to court, to set aside the recent controversial renaming of streets in Durban.”
D.R. of Congo: African superhero who talks to plants
An amazing story of Cornielle Ewango: “He’s a forest conservationist working in the Ituri forest of Eastern Congo. He’s trying to preserve the flora and fauna of this amazing region in the face of incredible odds….”
Nigeria: Anthology of works by Nigerian bloggers
Latest information about the anthology of works by Nigerian bloggers from Laspapi.
Kenya: problem with free primary education
Alexcia argues that the the free primary education initiative in Kenya is stuck in antiquity with no market driven input.
Zimbabwe: government to monitor internet and postal communications
This is Zimbabwe describes a new law to allow the government of Zimbabwe to monitor e-mails, telephone calls, the internet and postal communications as insulting.
Sierra Leone: helicopter crasn and president exit speech
Latest news from Sierra Leone on Sweet Sierra Leone blog: Helicopter crash and President Kabbah exit speech.
Ethiopian bloggers first to report shock guilty verdict
Ethiopian bloggers were among the first to report on a court's shock decision to convict 38 opposition politicians of a range of serious charges including "outrages against the constitution" earlier this week.
Gabon: Libreville mermaid hoax (via St. Petersburg, Florida)
Association des gabonais d'Amiens dispels a mermaid hoax [Fr]. Photographs of a mermaid supposedly discovered dead on a beach in Libreville were actually downloaded from an eBay auction for a mermaid sighting in St. Petersburg, Florida. The St. Petersburg photographs sold for US$1500 to a French natural history museum.
Africa: faking Africa
Read Black Looks on “faking Africa and stories of vanity.“
Kenya: Mzalendo on Africa Journal
Watch Mzalendo, eye on Kenyan parliament, on Reuters Africa Journal on Saturday.
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