Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from September, 2009
Uganda: “We Want Obama” Campaign Launched
A campaign called “We Want Obama” is launched in Uganda: “Today, Invisible Children launched a new “We Want Obama” campaign focused on getting President Obama to go on the record committing the United States to take urgent action to end escalating LRA violence in central Africa.”
Uganda: Kampala is thriving
Scarlett Lion writes about her return to Kampala, Uganda from Monrovia, Liberia: “On Wednesday afternoon, I left Monrovia and flew to Kampala. I’m seeing this place with different eyes. What before looked shoddy and inefficient now looks like a thriving African city with a robust economy. I can’t believe how...
Uganda: Family statement of the abduction of journalist
Buganda Post publishes a statement about the abduction of Ugandan journalist: “The Serumaga family has published a statement which describes in detail the events surrounding the abduction, torture and medical mistreatment of popular Muganda journalist, Kalundi Serumaga, by Uganda’s NRM government from September 11 through 15, 2009″
Big Brother Africa IV: The Revolution is on
Big Brother Africa 4:The Revolution is the fourth series of the Big Brother Africa reality television series, which began on September 6, 2009. The show has already generated discussions and comments online from bloggers and their readers.
South Africa: How to vote for Big Brother Africa for free
Rafiq's tip on how to vote for Big Brother Africa IV for free: “Luckily there are alternatives you are able to vote for Big Brother Africa housemates via the web and… *drum roll* MXit.”
Botswana: What Botswana Creative Writers Need
Lauri writes about creative writing and writers in Botswana: “I was told once that when the English Department at the University of Botswana suggested they start a creative writing programme there the vice chancellor asked – what for?”
South Africa: Top 10 Malema-isms
Prisha lists her top 10 Malema-isms. Julius Malema is a controversial figure in South African politics. He is the president of the ANC Youth League.
D.R. of Congo: Why Congo Matters
Why Congo Matters is a video by Emily Troutman who visited the Democratic Republic of Congo recently: “After spending a month in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I find myself speaking most often about the numbers: 5.4 million dead, 2,000 rapes per month, 17,000 UN soldiers, a war that started...
Kenya: CEO of Wildlife Blogging Site Named Pop!Tech 2009 Fellow
Pop!Tech is coming again this October and on 9 September they issued a release announcing the 2009 Social Innovation Fellows which was also blogged about by Pop!Tech's Kristen Taylor. Pop!Tech is a conference set in Camden Maine, where every year scientist, artists and innovators meet to discuss ideas and world...
Africa: Has Seacom changed anything?
TechMasai writes a post about Seacom, the East African undersea cable in a post titled, “A Month Has Passed After Seacom Arrived, Has Anything Actually Changed?”
Ghana: Sex scams and community responses
Ethan discusses online sex scams and community responses in Ghana.
Uganda: Blogs, Twitter Keep World Informed as Kampala Riots Continue
As riots shook Kampala, the capital of Uganda, for the second day, bloggers and other netizens rallied to keep the world informed.
Video: Caring about Congo
Videos showing different ways in which people are trying to make a difference in the situation faced by those living in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Françafrique casts shadow in Gabon, Madagascar, and Mauritania
Recent violence in Gabon and Madagascar, and a contested election in Mauritania, have added fuel to the idea that France 's influence looms large in the political arenas of her former African colonies, where it still has wide-ranging political and economic interests.
Egyptians React to the Sudanese “Sin”
Sudanese UN female employee Lubna Hussein faced threats of imprisonment and flogging for the “sin” of wearing trousers in Khartoum - and her saga is far from over. Marwa Rakha sums up the reactions of Egyptian bloggers in this post.
Uganda: Nine Dead in Kampala Riots
Riots in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, have led to the deaths of at least nine people (BBC) as members of the Baganda ethnic group clashed with police and military forces on Thursday and Friday.
Eastern Europe: WWII and the Jews
The Foreigner's Guide to Slovakia writes about WWII and the Jews of Slovakia. CzechFolks.com writes about the rescue of hundreds of Czechoslovak Jewish children by Sir Nicholas Winton in 1939. Polandian writes about “the crazy idea of moving Eastern European Jews to Madagascar” that was considered by Poland in 1937.
Nigeria: New Submarine Internet Cable Lands in Lagos
The arrival of the GLO-1 submarine cable in Lagos this weekend has West African bloggers excited. GLO-1 connects Nigeria and 13 other West African countries to the global telecommunications system via Europe, bringing new bandwidth to the region.
Africa: Preventing blackmail and extortion against gays
Blackmail and extortion of gay people visiting or living in Africa has proven to be a lucrative business for scammers. Bloggers in Ghana and Kenya have taken matters into their own hands by shining a spotlight on the fakers.
Translator of the week: Boukary Konaté in Mali
Boukary Konaté teaches French and English in a high school in Mali. Joining Global Voices in French has steered him onto a new path: he is now involved in Web projects to promote his native language, Bambara, and train rural communities in Mali to use the internet.
Ghanaian food goes global and “You are invited”
Mushy, gooey, fragrant, grainy, tasty, starchy, spicy, creamy, rotund, freaking amazing—these are just some of the adjectives bloggers use to describe Ghanaian cuisine. From Seoul to London, Guangzhou to Tamale, people are blogging about Ghanaian food.
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