Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from October, 2011
Malawi: A Growing City and its Pay-to-Cross Footbridges
Hand-made wooden bridges now connect two popular markets on each side of a river in Malawi's capital Lilongwe, providing a local solution to both joblessness and growing urbanization for the young men who build them.
Poetry Slam Activism in Francophone Africa
Poetry slam is a well-known channel of expression for many activists in North America but the rest of the world has now embraced this unique blend of poetry and rhythmic oral story telling. Here are some examples from Francophone Africa and the context in which they arose.
Ethiopia: Aberash Hailay's Case Ignites Campaign to Stop Violence Against Women
Aberash Hailay is an Ethiopian Airlines flight attendant whose ex-husband, Fisseha Tadesse, stabbed both her eyes with a knife in Bangkok, Thailand. Ethiopian activists are using the Internet to call for justice for Aberash Hailay and draw attention to issue of violence against women in Ethiopia.
Madagascar: The Birthplace of the “Occupy Wall Street” Philosophy ?
Dan Berrett argues in the Chronicle of Higher Education that the ” Occupy Wall Street's most defining characteristics—its decentralized nature and its intensive process of participatory, consensus-based decision-making—are rooted in other precincts of academe and activism: in the scholarship of anarchism and, specifically, in an ethnography of central Madagascar”.
Worldwide: Dialogue and Peace Through Sport
Joël Bouzou, a bronze medalist during the 1984 Olympic Games and World Champion of modern penthathlon in 1987, is the founder and president of Peace and Sport, an NGO created in 2007 whose motto is "Building sustainable peace through sport".
Food Around the World on Blog Action Day 2011
Every year since 2007, Blog Action Day has united bloggers from around the world in talking about one global issue. Collectively, the thousands of bloggers participating have an audience of millions. And this year on October 16, 2011 they talked about food.
Global Handwashing Day: Changing Behaviors through Song and Dance
Do you know how to properly wash your hands? Through songs and dances, people from different parts of the world teach others the right way to wash their hands to promote health. October 15 is Global Handwashing Day.
Zambia: Netizens Bay for Ex-President's Blood
When Zambia’s defeated president in the September 20 elections, Rupiah Banda said in his farewell speech that he never knowingly abused state funds but simply did what was best for Zambia, what citizens did not know was that the revelations and extent of the alleged abuse would come thick and fast.
Uganda: Heartbroken Ugandans Discuss Failure to Make a Comeback to Continental Tournament
Next year’s African Cup of Nations will be missing many giants in African soccer like Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa but last weekend’s deciding match between Uganda and Kenya was much harder for Ugandans to take in.
Ethiopia: Netizens Take Campaign for Shweya Mullah Online
A social media campaign for justice is raging amongst Ethiopians online after a CNN journalist, Dan Rivers, revealed the horrifying abuse of Shweyga Mullah who was brutally injured after the wife of Gaddafi’s son poured boiled water on her body for allegedly failing to keep a crying child quiet.
Cameroon: Diaspora Fail to Participate in Elections
Seven million Cameroonian voters were called to elect their next president on October 9, 2011. However, the question of the abstention seems to be the great winner of this ballot, in particular that of Cameroonians living abroad. Julie Owono reports.
Colombia: Could Miss Universe be Colombian?
A Mexican newspaper published that Miss Universe is Colombian, and that her documents were forged [es] so that she could represent Angola. Territorio Chocoano adds that Leila Lopes’ place of birth would be Nóvita, in the Chocó department [es] (the department with the largest population with African-descent). A Colombian magazine...
African Bloggers Review the French Primary Elections
Mengue M'Eyaà review the proposals [fr] outlined by the French presidential candidates towards the African continent during the primary elections. She notes that all the proposals centered around how France can exit the Françafrique paradigm and that the candidates have a more nuanced understanding of several African issues such as...
Malawi: Death of a Student Activist and a Campaign of Terror
Early on the morning of Saturday September 24, a University of Malawi Polytechnic student was found lying stiff on a paved surface, next to a pool of blood. His name was Robert Chasowa, a student activist, and he was dead.
South Africa: 4 Convicted for the Murder of Zoliswa Nkonyana
The case of the murder of South African lesbian has come to an end: “Finally after five years of postponements 4 men were convicted of the murder of Zoliswa Nkonyana. 3 others were acquitted of the original 9 arrested. This is the first case in South Africa to recognise sexual...
D.R. of Congo: Consolidating Democracy or Deepening the Confusion?
Is the Democratic Republic of Congo consolidating democracy or deepening confusion?: “Thus, the main questions today are: will the 2011 elections add something to the embryonic democracy which came out of the 2006 elections, and will the Congolese state be capable of managing the potential violence and instability? The least...
Kenya: Open Letter to Wangari Maathai
Makafui's Open Letter to Wangari Maathai: “Professor Maathai, It was during my second year in college when I first heard of your name. It was probably the answer to a trivia question. “Who was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize?” I didn't know the answer, but...
Kenya: What is next for Kenyan football?
What is next for Kenyan football?: “Unless you were truly optimistic, Kenya's non-qualification to the 2012 Africa of Nations did not come as a suprise. Even after last minute efforts by local football enthusiasts and political leaders offering this and that package, Harambee Stars couldn't push themselves to the final...
Botswana: I Miss Fatalism
Lauri explains why she misses fatalism: “In Botswana, people accept that life sometimes goes wrong. Problems happen. Sometimes things don’t work. Sometimes the outcome you expect is not the one that you’ll get. It’s just the way it is. There’s something very comforting about that.”
Guinea: Another Bloody and Violent September 28
September 28 is a date feared by all Guineans whether they live in their country or abroad. This year opposition activists demonstrated peacefully to denounce the government's unilateral acts, but suppression was fierce.
Liberia: Liberian Elections 2011
Liberians voted today for the presidency as well as all seats in the House of Representatives and half of the seats in the Senate. The African Elections Project has set up a platform to monitor incidents of violence and irregularities.
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