I am a blogger, journalist, lawyer, digital activist and new media consultant. I am interested in the relationship between social media and development in the developing world, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa.
I am the Sub-Saharan Africa Editor here at Global Voices. Follow me on Twitter: @ndesanjo
Latest posts by Ndesanjo Macha from April, 2012
Botswana: Review: The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
Nana reviews The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, an interesting detective story set in Botswana: “It is unique, in that it brings both the old and the new together. It is not superfluous with its description of Africa as a tomb for the death and the dying and only inhabited...
Malawi: Time to Rebuild Brand Malawi
Austin explains why Malawi needs to rebuild brand Malawi: “Over the past year or so Malawi has not been projected internationally in very positive light. The warm heart has been mired in problems, shortages and intolerance of varying kinds and magnitudes.”
Kenya: Lilian Ikal Angelei Wins Environmental Goldman Prize 2012
Collins congratulates Lilian Ikal Angelei for wining the 2012 Goldman Environmental Prize:”Lilian Ikal Angelei is probably little known in her backyard Kenya however for the people of Turkana she is an acclaimed recusant fighting for the rights and the voice of the voiceless community against formidable financial institutions and Governments…”
Kenya: Chronicles of a Kenyan Farmer Nominated for Award
Chronicles of a Kenyan Farmer has been nominated for the Agriculture Category has been nominated in this years BAKE Blogger Awards: “BAKE(Bloggers Associaton of Bloggers) is a body that promotes content creation on the web in Kenya…”
Africa: African Photography Blog
Visit Kilele, an African photography blog: “Firstly, it’s a personal blog so the majority of photos appeal to me in some way. Otherwise the blog has enabled me to discover emerging African photographers as well as see different images of Africa.”
Africa: Does Copy/Clone Strategy Work in Africa?
Mbwna Ally wonders whether copy/clone strategy works in Africa: “Every so often I hear venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley ask a recurring question regarding Tech Startups in Africa- why not just use the “copy to” strategy? Clone an e-bay, clone a Groupon… After all there are 1,000s of...
Africa: The New African Consumer
Bankelele discusses a new report on the African Consumer: “It’s a useful road map for companies looking to understand future trends in Africa and offer lessons such as be online (Africa had more Google ad clicks than Western Europe), brands & quality matter, distribution is king, data is scare, respect...
Africa: The Night of Africa Movie Academy Awards
Kollo writes about Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA):”The event, which attracted international and African celebrities as well as notable personalities from other professions turned out to be a joyous carnival of some sort as several movie actors, actresses, producers and writers literally broke down in tears of happiness as they...
South Africa: Netizens Weigh In on Fall of Controversial Politician
Netizens weigh in on the expulsion of the controversial South African politician and the former President of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), Julius Malema, from the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
Liberia: A Preface to Liberia’s Complicated Biography
Robtel Pailey discusses Liberia's complicated biography: “April 12, 1980 is often described as the beginning of Liberia’s end. I think of it as the preface to Liberia’s long, complicated biography, the beginning of our awakening. It was a day when our pomp and circumstance left a deafening echo; when we...
Mauritania: The Face of Modern Day Slavery
Although Mauritania officially abolished slavery in 1981 and made the practice a crime in 2007, slavery is still a common phenomenon in the country. A CNN special report titled "Slavery's last stronghold" reveals that an estimated 10% to 20% of the population lives in slavery.
Botswana: Love in the Shadows
Love in the Shadows is a new book by Lauri, a writer and blogger living in Botswana: “For the first time I'm trying my hand at a thriller/romance. Here's the blurb: Songbird Kedi Taukobong is living her dream. Enormously successful as an Afro-pop musician, she travels the continent performing to...
Ghana: Shinning Light on Akan/Twi Movies
African Movie Critic shines light on Akan/Twi movies from Ghana: “I have always said local movies in both Ghana and Nigeria (e.g. Yoruba movies) ALWAYS seem to have a better story line. Why is that? Is it because the actors and actresses are able to perform better and let the...
Somalia: Hands Off Somalia
Hands Off Somalia is a campaign originally organised to oppose any upcoming corporate, political and military intervention in Somalia by the British government, which was signalled at their conference held on 23 February 2012.
South Africa: New Album by South Africa's Jazz Giant
Tete Mbambisa, one of South Africa’s jazz giants, has a new album titled “Black Heroes”: “Mbambisa’s career spans fifty years and he can be heard on numerous recordings by many giants of South African jazz. His 1976 album Tete’s Big Sound is a classic in the annals of local jazz....
Mauritania: The Plight of Two Slave Girls
Read Lissnup's blog post titled “Mauritania Slavery: The torment of Selama and Maimouna”: “At the age most girls are concerned with passing their school diploma, 14 year old Selama Mint Mbarek is already the mother of a son, born to her after being raped while serving as a farm hand...
Nigeria: Was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's Candidacy Symbolic?
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, the only African and woman running for the World Bank presidency, has lost the race to Dr. Jim Yong Kim, a Korean-American physician. Should this have been the time for global governance values to triumph over the long-standing tradition of an American leading the institution?
Nigeria: Virality is a Cause
Emannuel Iduma discusses #SaveOke campaign in the context of Kony 2012: “I am interested, in joining my voice to #SaveOke, in telling ways in which KONY 2012 implicate readings of virality…If a #SaveOke video is made, and it goes viral, the complex questions of white supremacy and black inactivity will...
Kenya: Kenyan Films in Africa Movie Academy Awards
Hot Secrets blogs about Africa Movie Academy Awards: “The list of nominees for this year’s Africa Movie AcademyAwards (AMAA) has been released. Kenya has a total of 14 nominations. The organizerand founder said, “Our theme this year is Africa Rising. Africa’s economies areconsistently growing faster than those of almost any...
Ethiopia: PEN Awards Top Prize to Jailed Journalist and Blogger
Ethiopia journalist and dissident blogger is the recipient of 2012 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award: “Nega, a leading advocate for press freedom and freedom of expression in Ethiopia, was arrested on September 14, 2011, and is currently being tried under the country's sweeping anti-terror legislation…. He could face the...
Africa: Southern Africa Needs an ECOWAS
Following moves by ECOWAS (The Economic Community of West African States) to defend democracy in West Africa Rumbidzai argues that Southern Africa needs an ECOWAS: “The Southern African Development Committee [Community] (SADC) on the other hand has increasingly displayed its inadequacy to address similar issues. In 2008 when Robert Mugabe...
