· February, 2008

Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from February, 2008

Kenya: Msafara Initiative

Pastor M introduces Msafara Initiative in Kenya: “The Msafara initiative continues to gather momentum. Check out the new website www.msafara.co.ke to learn more about how you can be involved. Many...

26 February 2008

Is President Bingu Malawi's “Moses”?

Some artists read the times and strategise accordingly. A popular song titled Mose wa Lero by Joseph Nkasa makes many Malawians sing along even if they did not want to because of the way the artist has related the biblical Moses to Malawi's president Bingu wa Mutharika. In the song which is on Mutharika's blog, the artist Nkasa says Mutharika has led Malawians move out of Egypt where they had hunger and different problems.

26 February 2008

Burkina Faso: teachable moments, missing bathrooms and road rage

Pity the school teachers of the Peace Corps. While their compatriots toiling in health clinics or with micro-credit programs pretty much work loose hours and come and go from social events in the capital city at their leisure, teachers are stuck at home with a inflexible schedule, classrooms full of hundreds of students and loads and loads of homework to correct each night.

25 February 2008

Angola: Condolences message

“Angola lost today two of its most distinguished defenders of Angolanness: Gentil Ferreira Viana and Joaquim Pinto de Andrade. Two men from different backgrounds but alike in the highest defense...

24 February 2008

Nigeria/Kenya: Why is Odinga meeting Obasanjo?

Adeola wonders why Kenya's opposition leader, Raila Odinga, decided to meet Nigeria's former President, Olusegun Obasanjo: “Why is Odinga meeting Obasanjo? Obasanjo supervised the worst election in our history as...

24 February 2008

Nigeria: Nigeria's youngest painter

Onarieta is Nigeria's youngest painter: “Carrying her lunch box and dressed in her signature look – tiny head scarf covering her beaded, braided hair, a contemporary top and a long...

24 February 2008

The groundswell of opposition to AFRICOM from African bloggers

At the tail-end of U.S. President George Bush’s six-day, five-country farewell tour of Africa came the announcement the Pentagon’s plans for a second U.S. military base on the continent of Africa is dead. Questions from the blogshpere flew: What exactly are U.S. interests in Africa?

24 February 2008

Angola: Racism is unavoidable

(R)evolução em Angola [pt] publishes the first of a series of posts by Mukuolua Kinamatos about racism in Angola. “White or mixed races? Asked me the lady who was filling...

23 February 2008

Africa: The dust horror

“Between Conakry and Bamako there are 1000 km of motorways. First forests, then mountain, savannas after. It is a gift to the eyes and a way to ease the 15...

23 February 2008

Cape Verde: Journalist is jailed

A journalist has been jailed this week for taking photographs in Cape Verde, Nós Media [pt] reports. The blogger has learned the piece of news trough a newspaper's website. “Despite...

23 February 2008

Angola: A new web forum

Angola Haria [pt] has created a new discussion forum for Angolans, a place where the blog's readers may write a simple message, share memories or promote healthy discussions.

23 February 2008

Africa: AfricaNews seeks reporters

AfricaNews seeks African reporters, writes Ore's Notes: “If there are journalists out there or budding journalists, you might be interested in writing for AfricaNews. Check out their site for more...

21 February 2008

Africa: Interrogating the blogosphere

Koluki interrogates the blogosphere by looking at the Globl Voices Online coverage of “Portuguese-speaking African countries”: “The most striking observation from this graph is that OC appears not only, as...

21 February 2008

Kenyan Bloggers Outline Political Solutions

From the high street cafes to the dark alleys in Nairobi's river road (down town), Kenyans can be heard discussing what former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan should prescribe as the compromise. There are voices of hope and optimism as well as prophets of doom who see the current exercise as mere puppetry. The role of the international community has also been discussed accross the divide. This situation is also reflected in the blogosphere.

21 February 2008

Madagascar: After the storm Ivan, the aftermath

Tropical Cyclone Ivan has now left Madagascar leaving behind several regions in shambles and thousands of people without homes. The official account by the authorities reports 2 deaths and 15,000 people without homes. Considering that Ivan was classified as a very severe cyclonic storm with winds at up to 137 km/h, many people are wondering what might be the final count of actual casualties and damages.

20 February 2008

About our Sub-Saharan Africa coverage

Zita Zage
Zita Zage is the Anglophone Africa Editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.

Jean Sovon
Jean Sovon is the Francophone Africa. Editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.