Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from September, 2012
Guinea: Acts of Torture, Symptoms of a Country Still Divided
Guinea's transition from the notorious military regime of Moussa Dadis Camara towards a democratic political system has not gone smoothly. The country is still experiencing strong internal divisions as indicated by the attempted coup d'etat against the president. The rule of law is still under construction and there are numerous accounts of torture within the military.
Mali: Mauritanian Preachers Killed by the Army
Mauritanians woke up on September 10, 2012, to the news of the killing of 16 members of Jamaat al Daawa wal Tabligh (Society for spreading faith), a movement active in spreading Islamic faith by the Malian army. Twelve of those killed are Mauritanian citizens. Ahmed Jedou compiled netizen reactions to the incident
Nigeria: First Lady's Sickness – Fact and Fallacy?
Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, is currently in Germany but uncertainty is surrounding her trip. SaharaReporters broke the news on September 2, that Mrs Jonathan was admitted to a German hospital and netizens have been debating the turn of events.
Nigeria: Lagos Students To Learn Mandarin in Public Schools
China continues to deepen her presence in Africa as students in Lagos will now learn Chinese.
Mayotte, Comoros: Tensions Rise After 36 Refugees Disappear at Sea
We cannot be part of the Indian Ocean Community and be indifferent to these tragedies. The solution must involve both countries Saïd Larifou reacts to the recent drowning [fr] of refugees trying to reach Mayotte by sea. Currently 36 are missing [fr] after their boat capsized as it approached Mayotte. M. Larifou warns...
Madagascar: Killings Between Villagers and Gangsters Rock the Southern Region
If the rebellion in the South is not quickly resolved, we risk to see the conflict extend farther and a scenario like the partition in Mali would become a distinct possibility. Fijery opines on the current fighting [fr] in the Southern region of Madagascar. More than 100 people were killed the...
Mali: Civil Society Rises to Solve the Ongoing Conflict
Malians are still watching, incredulous, as the partition of their country continues. Adding to this disarray is the frantic rhythm of the new nominations for government. Nevertheless, Malian civil society is trying to regroup and launch an appeal for national unity.
Mali: Militant group MUJWA Vows to Push towards Bamako after Killing
Militant group MUJWA said that the killing of 16 Muslim preachers by the Malian army in Diabaly leave them no choice but push forward towards the Capital Bamako. Malijet adds that Nabil Abu Alqama, one of the AQIM leader in Gao, was also killed [fr] in a separate incident.
Zambia: Tonga Terror Claim – Real or Fake?
An apparent Zambian terror group, 'Tongas under Oath' have claimed on television to have killed three Northern Province Bemba people, including a baby. But this soon came under suspicion following state-owned newspaper coverage.
China in Africa: The Real Story
Hibiscus is a Global Voices project designed to encourage conversations between bloggers who write about the China-Africa relationship. As part of this project, we will regularly feature key blogs or other social media; today we are introducing to you to the blog China in Africa: The Real Story.
Mauritania's Online Journalism Director Hires Hackers
Mauritanian activists on Facebook and Twitter uncover the attempt of the electronic journalism director, who is close to the political regime, to hire hackers to counter activists who oppose the Mauritanian regime. Dedda Weld Sheikh Ibrahim reports
Angola: From the Highlands to the Coast
See more photos on Buala.org.
Kenya: Murder of Muslim Cleric in Mombasa Sparks Riots
The killing of Sheikh Aboud Rogo, a Kenyan controversial cleric, on August 27, 2012, caused riots and unrest in Mombasa, a coastal city and a main tourist destination in Kenya. The riots, which resulted in more than ten casualties, prompted netizens to discuss issues such as extra judicial killings, human rights, religious tensions and long-standing local grievances over land ownership and employment opportunities for Kenyan youths in Mombasa.
Oscar Pistorius and the Paralympic #Bladegate Controversy
South African double amputee and the first athlete to compete in the Olympics and Paralympics Games in the same year, Oscar Pistorius, attracted attention after being beaten to second place in the T44 200 metres men’s final. African bloggers analyse the issue.
Congolese-Belgian Blogger Travels to Curaçao
Congolese-Belgian blogger Sanza traveled to Curaçao to find the African heritage and wrote a post for Afro Europe: Food was great and actually similar to West and Central African food. We also eat beans and rice, cornmeal (what they call fungi), cassava and plantains as well. I tasted Iguana soup...
Mauritania: A Diplomat's Take on the Azawad
Mauritanian writer and diplomat Mohamed Mahmoud Weddady writes a series of posts in his blog entitled: “Papers about Azawad” [ar], about history and people of Azawad region. This post, for instance, focuses on the relationship between the Azawad and Libya.
Kenya: NationHela Available in Kenya
Wham writes about a new service called NationHela [Hela means money in Swahili]: NationHela is a new, simpler and more convenient international money transfer service that allows you to receive money, from anywhere in the world, straight to your NationHela prepaid Visa card and mobile phone. A prepaid card is...
Mozambique: A Guide to Mozambique
This a guide to Mozambique from Bankelele blog: Language: Portuguese is the official language of communication in Mozambique, and you will have no choice but to learn a bit of it. The average person you meet will speak little English, and probably not fluently. All communication and signage is in...
Civil Service Under Pressure in Francophone Africa
Civil servants in Francophone Africa are coming under increasing pressure to do more with less. The Windhoek Declaration revealed the overdue recognition of the crucial impact of the public administration on growth and redistribution of wealth in Africa. The structural adjustment programmes of the 1980's led to a reduction in the number of civil servants, leading to the current strained situation
Madagascar: Electricity Supplier Office Vandalized by Residents over Frequent Outage
L'express de Madagascar reports on twitter [mg] that citizens of Farafangana (SE of Madagascar) got frustrated with the frequency of power outage ( 6h/day) in the city [fr]. Some residents vandalized the local electrical supplier office to express their anger.
Global Voices is Finalist for Highway Africa Award
Global Voices Sub-Saharan Africa newsroom has been named a finalist for the Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards 2012 rewarding innovative use of information technology in journalism that serves Africa. The winners will be announced at the Highway Africa conference in Grahamstown, South Africa on 9- 11 September.