Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from May, 2011
Mozambique: Portuguese, the Language of Mozambicanness
In Mozambique, while national languages have been introduced into the education system, the decision to ratify the new accord on the Portuguese language is being debated. Global Voices brings together a series of reflections on the role of the language in the construction of a national identity.
Cape Verde: Creole and Portuguese Languages, an Unofficial Pair
On the day that Portuguese speaking countries celebrate the Day of Portuguese Language and Culture, in Cape Verde the status of Crioulo, a mother tongue and unofficial national language, is equal to that of Portuguese.
Uganda: First Female Speaker of Parliament: Should We Celebrate?
Ms Rebbeca Alitwala Kadaga was today sworn in as the Speaker for the 9th parliament in Uganda. She is Uganda's first female speaker of parliament. Is it worthy a celebration? Rosebell does not think so: “In a world that cherishes women’s rights and empowerment (or pretends to), this should be...
Uganda: Walk to Work Protests in Photos
Ugandans are taking to the streets to protest rising fuel and food prices and rapid inflation. Police have been using pink paint, tear gas and live bullets against the protesters. Here is the story of walk to work protests in photos.
Cameroon: Google Android Developer Challenge in Douala
Bill Zimmerman shared photos on Twitter from the Google Android Developer Challenge which took place in Douala, Cameroon on May 14, 2011. A post is also available on his blog, 27 Months. More pictures were posted by DotCom on their Facebook Page.
World: FIFA Election – House of Knaves or Knights?
Football fans have been treated to some really interesting times in the last few months. The latest is the FIFA election, which comes at a time when one of the most powerful non-governmental bodies in the world has suddenly has started looking vulnerable.
Ethiopia: Are “Land Grab” Deals a Path to Food Security?
The push by multinational corporations and foreign governments in recent years to obtain fertile land in African countries, such as Ethiopia, has spurred debate. Will the move will lead to development, or is it "land grabbing" that further threatens the continent's food security?
Côte d'Ivoire: The Investiture of President Ouattara on May 21
Abidjan.net details the programme and heads of state invited to the investiture ceremony [fr] of President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d'Ivoire, which is to be held in the political capital Yamoussoukro on Saturday, May 21. Sixty six foreign delegations will be attending.
Zambia: Whistle-Blowing Or Personal Vendetta?
In Zambia, it is very rare for politicians holding ministerial positions to resign on their own without a hint of scandal. Bloggers have been discussing the shock resignation of former Defence Minister George Mpombo back in July 2009, and the various unusual incidents that have involved him since.
Equatorial Guinea: A New Blog is Born
A new blog was born in Equatorial Guinea: The Colectivo de Jóvenes de Guinea Ecuatorial [es]. The Colectivo is a youth organization born clandestinely that uses a digital platform to protest against Teodorin Obiang’s dictatorship. Their firts posts debate and analyze issues of sovereignty and the right to unionize.
Malawi: Our Old Grumpy President
Daniso's thoughts about the “old grumpy president” of Malawi: “Our president brooks no criticism and doesn’t tolerate complaints. Dare criticize and in his eyes you’ll be nothing but an unemployable fool. Dare slight his performance on governance and he’ll take to the podium to rant that you're a nkhwezule, an...
Kenya: Rest In Peace, Samuel Wanjiru
The world woke up this morning to the news of the death of one of the best talents in the world of marathons. Kenya’s Samuel Wanjiru who won his country’s first ever gold medal at the Beijing Olympics and went on to conquer major marathons in Chicago and London died after jumping from the first-floor balcony of his house.
Cameroon: Diaspora-driven Cyberspace: A Platform for Civic Engagement or a Threat?
Dibussi asks whether the Cameroon’s Diaspora-driven cyberspace is a platform for civic engagement or a threat to the Biya regime: “Simply put, the Biya regime has never viewed Cameroonian cyberspace as a viable space for civic engagement and public discourse, instead, it sees it as a threat to the regime...
Nigeria: 15 year old Nigerian teenager gets admission to Harvard
Naija Feed reports that a 15 year old Nigerian girl who has been offered admission to 13 prestigious universitires in the United States has become the latest media sensation: “She is Saheela Ibraheem, 15 year old daughter of a Nigerian immigrant family living in New Jersey, United States.”
Africa: On Mobile Banking And Cyber Agriculture
Francophone blog afriqueavenir.org, in its review of new technologies in Africa [fr], highlights how mobile telephony is essential to economical growth: ” Providers [of mobile phones] offer unlimited country-to-country roaming packages in addition to technologies able to meet the demand for online services, such as mobile banking or even «...
Africa: African Champions League Results
In a post published on May 9 on Afrik.com, Ali Makha analyses [fr] the results of the African Champions League: ” The semi-quarter finals in the African Cup gave their verdict this week-end. In Champions League, TP Mazembe saved the day against WAC, while in the CAF Cup, FUS Rabat had...
Zimbabwe: Inclusive Government Watch 2011
Read Zimbabwe's Inclusive Government Watch for May 2011: “This month, surprisingly, violations in the form of legal harassment of perceived opposition politicians and supporters, rose to our most prominent category of violations, with 46 recorded articles (37.4% of total).”
Africa: Reactions to The Beatification of Pope John Paul II
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all around the world landed on Rome to participate in religious ceremonies for the beautification of Pope John Paul II, known as “JP2”, declared “Blessed” on May 1st by his successor, Benedict XVI, in the presence of official delegations from 87 countries and 2300 journalists. In Africa, where an estimated 150 million Catholics live, what stirred a controversy is the attendance of some African presidents and bloggers were particularly shocked by the presence of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
Ghana: Dos and Don'ts of Accra
This is Mac-Jordan D. Degadjor 10 Do’s & Don’ts of Accra, Ghana: “Are you coming to Ghana’s capital city of Accra for the first time? There are a lot of stuffs you can do and others you can’t/shouldn’t do. First off, I’m going to start with the DON’Ts.”
South Africa: Homophobia Hurts
Free Gender is a black lesbian organisation based in Khayelitsha township of Cape Town, South Africa: “As human rights defenders, we are also gender friendly towards transgender and intersex persons in our community. The organisation was founded in 2008 and have since participated in various protests/ political meetings/ guest talks...
Africa: Helsinki Africa Film Festival
Wanjiku wa Ngugi, the founder of the Helsinki African Film Festival talks to Beti Ellerson about the representation of Africa in Finland and this year’s theme “Women’s Voices and Visions”
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