Blogger, journalist, lawyer, digital activist and new media consultant. Ndesanjo Macha is interested in the relationship between social media and development in the developing world, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa.
Macha was formerly, Global Voices’ Sub-Saharan Africa Editor. Follow me on Twitter: @ndesanjo
Latest posts by Ndesanjo Macha from December, 2010
Kenya: 10 Best Kenyan Sites in 2010
Interesting Kenyan sites in 2010: “A while back, we started a small experiment where we’d write about cool Kenyan sites that we had come across. Here are the 10 best sites that we covered in the year that was 2010″
Ghana: Takoradi, More Than a Tale of Two Cities
There are two incontrovertible truths about Takoradi city in Ghana: “it made news in the oil world on 15 December, 2010 when Ghana officially became an oil-exporting country; secondly, the capital of the verdant and lush Western region is a twin city alongside Sekondi…”
Sudan: High technology is no substitute for ordinary people
George Clooney has initiated a project, Satellite Sentinel, which uses satellite imagery analysis and Google's Map Marker technology to prevent the resumption of war between North and South Sudan. Carne Cross, a former British diplomat, has written a critique of the project on his blog arguing that high technology is no substitute for ordinary people.
Africa: Formal education is not advancing Africa
Nana argues that formal education is not advancing Africa: “Let’s admit it – formal education in Ghana and much of Africa is structured to teach young people to read and write, no more.”
Ghana: Who cares about District Assembly Elections?
Who cares about District Assembly Elections in Ghana?: “So is anyone worried about the District Assemble Elections??? Because no one seems to care and still government preaches that it allocates monies for development projects at that level. The public toilets remain same in Osu, a cosmopolitan suburb of Accra.”
Africa: 15 African Breakout Artists of the Year
Ladybrille's 15 African breakout artists of the year: “2010 has been a terrific year for African music and its music industry. As a quick recap, the first World Cup held on African soil put African music center stage in the homes of millions…”
Nigeria: The Nigerian “eating” class
Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye blogs about the Nigerian “eating” class: “I wanted to make money fast and live big. As I saw on television and newspapers these mostly thirty-something olds and early or mid-forty emergency billionaires who I was so certain I was more intelligent and more hardworking…”
Somalia: How do you solve a problem like Somalia?
Daniel Kalinaki discusses ways to solve a problem like Somalia in global politics: “Somalia is not a new conflict; the country ‘failed’ in 1991 and has since then been a collection of tribes and clans struggling to control the territory and the people.”
Uganda: Why I am not my tribe
UgandanInsoniac explains why she is not her tribe: “They say I am trying to be a mzungu by asserting that I have no tribe. They accuse me of denying my heritage and have called me pretentious, arrogant and stupid. Some have even gone as far as to say I am...
Cameroon Becomes Tourism Destination
Cameroon has officially become a tourism destination: “The country registered more than 500,000 tourists in 2010, a figure required by international norms to become a tourism destination.”
Nigeria: The New Face Of The Niger Delta Insurgency Speaks To SaharaReporters
Sahara Reporters speak to “General” John Togo, the leader of a newly created militant group known as the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF).
Africa: Looted African artefacts belong to Africans
Sign an online petition that has been created to build on a recent petition to stop an auction house, Sotheby’s from selling a 16th Century Benin Mask.
Africa: MDGTagger available in Swahili
MDGTagger, a simple tool to help people track Millennium Development Goals is now available in Swahili: “After quite a bit of searching we found an ‘official’ translation of the the Millennium Development Goals translated into Kiswahilli here. So we now have the MDGTagger available to Swahili speakers!”
Kenya: Internet and mobile to be the future of stock trading
The future of stock trading in Kenya is going to be via the Internet and mobile phone applications: “Kenyans are fast with technology and moved en masse to leapfrog the rest of the world and adopt new technology for mobile money transfers.”
Nigeria: Controversy Over the Sale of Stolen Benin Mask
Online activists have been protesting against the proposed auction of six pieces of stolen artworks including the mask of Queen Idia – the first Queen Mother of Benin, Nigeria.
Sudan: Land Grabbing in Sudan
Henry's data visualization of land grabbing in Sudan: “I read an article this morning about “land grabbing” in Africa by foreign countries. When I read the amount of land being acquired by foreign investors in Sudan, I thought to my self, “that is horrible”. Then I took a closer look...
Ethiopia: Run Across Ethiopia aims to raise $100,000 for education
The Run Across Ethiopia , a project of On the Ground (OTG), a US-based non-profit organization, aims to raise $100,000 for Ethiopian education projects, including the construction of schools in other coffee-growing communities.
Ethiopia: History of Oromo People
Learn the history of Oromo people from Ethiopia Tribe blog: “The Oromo are a native African ethnic group found in Ethiopia and to a smaller extent in Kenya. They are the largest single ethnic group in Ethiopia, at 32.1% of the population according to the 1994 census, and today numbering...
Africa: West Africa's First Commercial Data Center Launching in 2011
A company simply identifying itself as West Africa Data Centres is taken the bold step to launch the first commercial large-scale data centre, in West Africa, David Ajao reports.
Ghana: Reflections on Christmas in Accra
Fiona reflects on Christmas in Accra, Ghana: “Pink plastic Christmas trees on sale by the side of the road. Inflatable Santas on sale by the side of the road. Flashing Santa hats on sale by the side of the road. Pictures of Jesus, hair clippers, rat poison, socks, kites, ‘white...
Uganda: On 10 Most Influential Persons in Uganda
David Bahati, a Member of Parliament in Uganda who presented the Anti- Homosexual Bill, which would classify “aggravated homosexuality” as a capital offence is one of The Ten Most Influential Persons in Uganda in 2010.
