Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from December, 2012
Football: Who Holds the Record, Argentina's Messi or Zambia's Chitalu?
Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi has broken most footballing records including the number of goals scored in a season, or has he? An unlikely challenger to Messi's record, who is a marvel to watch when he turns up for his Spanish la Liga team FC Barcelona, has emerged in Zambia - in the form of a footballer who died nearly 20 years ago.
Offshore Oil Leak Threatens Protected Lagoon in South West Gabon
NGO H2O Gabon reported that an oil leak [fr] off the shore of Gabon have polluted the Fernan Vaz Lagoon. Oil Company Perenco later confirmed the leak but it claims that the leak did not reach the lagoon [fr].
Fatal Wage Dispute Sparks Revenge Attacks Against Zambia's Somali Residents
The shooting of a Zambian worker allegedly by his Somali employer after a wage dispute, on 13 December, 2012, has triggered a series of revenge attacks against Somali residents in Ndola, Zambia’s third largest city, 400 km north of the capital Lusaka.
Young Malagasy Maids Raped and Tortured in Lebanon
Marie, 14, was forced to move to Lebanon by her aunt to become a maid. Once there, she was regularly raped by her employer. When he realized she was pregnant, he threw her out the house. After giving birth alone, she threw her baby from the 8th floor of a...
Football Players Protest Against the European Under-21 Championship Being Held in Israel
Pambazuka.org published a letter [fr] from players addressed to the president of FIFA, Joseph S. Blatter : Some sixty professional footballers, for the most part African, wrote a letter to UEFA in protest at the decision to entrust Israel with the organisation of the European Under-21 Football Championship (June 5-18,...
A Timeline of 50 Years of Conflict in the D.R. of Congo
The ongoing conflict between M23 rebels and the Congolese army cannot be totally understood without some historical background on the genesis of these conflicts in the great lakes region. Here is a detailed chronology of the last 50 years of confrontations in this region.
#Nimeregister Campaign to Promote Voter Registration in Kenya
As the deadline for voter registration exericise approaches, Kenyans on Twitter are using #nimeregister hashtag to encourage each other to vote and share voter registration information, experiences and photos. Nimeregister is a combination of Swahili and English, which means "I have registered."
University in Benin Changes its Name after Equatoguinean Dictator
You can now call him Doctor Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. MyGab.Tv reports that [fr] the Univesité internationale du Bénin UPIB is now called Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo University after the Equatoguinean dictator. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been the benefactor of many schools in Benin [fr] and has received a doctorate degree Honoris...
Radio Okapi Interfered with by Authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo
The website journaldekin.com, commenting on the interference on the national Radio Okapi, a station which has been sponsored by the UN in the Democratic Republic of Congo since December 1, recalls [fr] that: Radio Okapi, which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary, is born from a partnership between the Swiss...
Global Voices: Where Every Voice Counts
The idea that every voice counts is one that is very close to the notion of Global Voices as a platform and as a community. As netizens unite to have their voices heard when the world's authorities argue on who should run the internet, we decided to ask our diverse community speak out on issues that matter to them and look back at issues we have covered over the year bearing in mind that every voice counts.
Land Grabbing for BioFuel in Madagascar
The Association for the Protection of Malagasy Lands and its representative Mamy Rakotondrainibe bemoans [fr] the manner in which the Tozzi Green group is approaching the development of jatropha exploitation over 100 000 ha of lands in Southern Madagascar. Local farmers are quoted as saying [fr] : We, small farmers, are forced to leave...
When a Coup is not a Coup in Mali
This is not a coup. The president is still in place but the prime minister was no longer working in the interests of the country Bakary Mariko, spokesperson for the former military junta, explains why [fr]the army has arrested the former prime minister of Mali Cheikh Modibo Diarra who resigned...
Movement to “Respect The Constitution” in Ethiopia
A group of young Ethiopian bloggers and activists based in Addis Ababa teamed up with Ethiopian netizens to demand their government to start respecting the Ethiopian Constitution. The #RespectTheConstitution campaign features both on Facebook and Twitter and it gives information about how the Ethiopian government is violating its own constitution.
Searching for Bissau-Guinean Journalist who Disappeared in Angola
Journalist and university professor Milocas Pereira, from Guinea-Bissau, disappeared from Luanda, Angola, where she lived, more than six months ago. Celina Spencer, President of Guinea-Bissau Community Association of Immigrants in the U.S.A, has recently launched a petition asking for assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in...
Angola: Comedic Complaints About Stereotypes, Cost of Living
Delvino Funetii, Angola's young video blogger who has been entertaining people for a year on Youtube, posted his first video in English. He first complains about stereotypes of African men as repair superheroes, and goes into a diatribe about the sudden price increase of his neighbor's cakes by four times....
Ghana Election 2012, From the Ballot Box
Ghanaian voters went to the polls today to elect a new president and parliament. The main presidential contenders are the current president John Dramani Mahama representing the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Nana Akufo-Addo of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
New Twists in the Political Crisis in São Tomé & Príncipe
One week after a censure measure by opposition parties passed in Parliament against the minority government of São Tomé and Principe, the President formally removed the government. Online reactions took no time at all, in the midst of the storm that threatens the political stability of the country.
Africa: Online culture magazine crowdfunds to print special issue
Buala, an online magazine on culture in contemporary Africa, is crowdfunding to finance its first print edition next year. In existence for two years, publishing over 900 articles by over 300 contributors, Buala has had over 430,000 hits. With versions in French, English and Portuguese, it attempts to present a...
New Technologies Monitor Ghana Elections 2012
As Ghanaians get ready to go to the polls that will be held on 7 December 2012, we would like to point out local initiatives using new technologies to ensure free and fair elections. One such initiative is Ghana Votes 2012, which uses a Ushahidi-based map to display election related reports.
Mapping the Conflicts in DRC in 2012
The Crisis Group has created an interactive map of the conflicts in the Kivu region, DRC in 2012 [fr].
Counting the Hours Before Ghana's Presidential Elections
It is just one day to Ghana's election day and campaigns are intensifying – some early morning street campaigns are accompanied by horn blowing, loud singing and clapping. Some people are proudly wearing party-affiliated shirts around town while others are taking the subtle route of keeping it private.
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