Ndesanjo Macha · June, 2010

Latest posts by Ndesanjo Macha from June, 2010

Africa: Africa's old men

Africa's old men: “I haven’t checked the maths but here’s something interesting sent in to us from a subscriber: Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe) age 86, Hosni Mubarak (Egypt) age 82, Hifikepunye Pohamba (Namibia) age 74, Rupiah Banda (Zambia) age 73, Mwai Kibaki (Kenya) age 71…”

Africa: The vuvuzelization of world football

  29 June 2010

“The vuvuzela, much like Ghana’s Black Stars, has beaten odds to become more than a cheering instrument. It has now attained the status of an African metaphor for the unacknowledged ways in which Africa determines particular discourses at the global level,” writes Steven Sharra.

Mauritius: 30 Prisoners escape from jail

  28 June 2010

“Around 30 prisoners have escaped from the GRNW jail in Mauritius this evening. The prisoners attacked the jail officers at around 18.30 hrs today and fled as members of the public watched the scene with an utmost astonishment,” Island Crisis reports.

South Africa: Rethinking customary law

  28 June 2010

Pierre de Vos discusses South African customary law: “When I studied law at Stellenbosch University, we did not study a single aspect of customary law. It was as if customary law (and the millions of people who lived in terms of it) did not exist.”

Cape Verde: My life in Cachaço

  28 June 2010

Steven blogs about his life as a volunteer in Cape Verde: “Cape Verdeans bathe regularly, sometimes twice a day, and fully half of each bath is devoted to cleaning the feet. Baths are generally taken outside, while wearing underwear.”

Rwanda: Update on Semadwinga's murder

  27 June 2010

Update on the killing of a senior political figure in Rwanda, Denis Ntare Semadwinga: “Semadwinga was linked to a dissident faction of the CNDP that had written a letter denouncing the party's leadership back in May. The signatory of that statement, Patrice Habarurema, was arrested by Rwandan police shortly afterwards.”

Rwanda: Worrying signs in Kigali

  27 June 2010

Worrying signs in Kigali: “Jean-Leonard Rugambage, the editor of the Umuvugizi newspaper in Kigali, was gunned down in front of his home on Thursday. A man came up to his car as he was driving into his gate and shot him in the head and chest, killing him immediately.”

Ghana: Obama, we are sorry

  27 June 2010

“Obama we are sorry,” says Ghanaian photographer and blogger Nana following Ghana victory USA at the FIFA World Cup: “It’s quite unfortunate you’d have to skip dinner today. We know you’ve been terribly stressed lately: BP, Flotilla, Health Reform, Overweight recruits… and then this happens.”

Kenya: On loving football

  23 June 2010

Kenyan Pundit discusses her love with football: “I remember hanging out in our Mada balcony waving the AFC flag (I had a special mini-one) as the isukuti entourage swept through from Kibera on their way to City Stadium or Nyayo Stadium.”