Editors Choice
- November 7, 2018
On 23 October 2018, Paul Biya was elected for his 7th consecutive term in office as President of Cameroon. At 85 years old, Biya stands as the longest ruling national Read More..
- July 24, 2018
This year at the 2018 Zanzibar International Film Festival, the longest running film festival in East Africa, the spotlight was on women filmmakers. The prestigious Ousmane Sembène Award, named after Read More..
65% of Females in Kenyan Slum Traded Sex for Sanitary Pads? UNICEF & UK Pull Stat from Thin Air
Seven in 10 females in Nairobi’s Kibera slum have traded sex for sanitary pads, a British online newspaper claimed in a September 2018 article. “New exclusive research by Unicef found
The Real Seed Producers: Small-Scale Farmers Save, Use, Share and Enhance the Seed Diversity of the Crops that Feed Africa
Introduction: Seed is life Farming started when local communities started collecting, planting and selecting seeds – modifying them to meet their needs in the process. Today’s seed also embodies centuries of
African Palm Oil Expansion: Biodiversity and Primates Under Threat, says New Study
[Image Source: Grist] 16 Aug 2018 — A new study forecasts a rise in oil palm plantations across Africa as the global demand for the commodity continues to grow. But
A Forgone Conclusion – Cameroon’s Presidential Election
On 23 October 2018, Paul Biya was elected for his 7th consecutive term in office as President of Cameroon. At 85 years old, Biya stands as the longest ruling national
Congo Week: Understanding Africa’s Most Ill-Fated Country
Since 1998, over six million Congolese have lost their lives in a war fuelled by economic and corporate greed. That is the largest reported loss of life since the Second
The Future of Smallholder Farmer Support in Tanzania: Where to After the National Agriculture Input Voucher System (NAVIS)?
A publication by the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) titled The Future of smallholder farmer support in Tanzania: Where to after the National Agricultural Input Voucher System (NAIVS)? discusses farm
Africa’s Youth is “Calling on the Continent’s Governments to Invest in Young People for a Prosperous Future”
Acting executive chairperson of African Youth Commission (AYC) Sunday morning arrived in The Gambia for a five-day engagement with authorities and youth leaders ahead of Gambia’s hosting of the 3rd
Bleeding African Economies
The legacies of colonial rule, both generally and in particular categories of colony, have and still continue to affect post-colonial economic development in Africa through the extraction of resources and
Maasai Villagers Win a Major Victory in the East African Court of Justice in Case Against Tanzanian Government
On September 25, 2018, the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) awarded a major victory to four Maasai villages fighting for their rights to their land in northern Tanzania. The
Bobi Wine Urges US to End Military Aid to Uganda
Robert Kyagulanyi, a Ugandan pop star-turned-opposition politician whose detention last month drew international attention, has called on the United States to stop supporting his country’s military. In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, his
Race, Poverty and Inequality: Black First Land First Claims Fact-Checked
Do 35,000 white families and businesses own more than 80% of South Africa’s land? Are more than 45% of black people unemployed compared with 5% of white people? Do white
Two Urban Initiatives Tackle Housing & Energy in Ghana
According to Farouk Braimah from the Peoples Dialogue on Human Settlements (PD), one in eight of the world’s population are living in slums. His assessment comes from a report by
Reconstructing the Somali Regional State, The Dire Dawa Conference Platform for Reform
Ethiopia is in a historic political change; the charismatic young leader is accelerating sweeping reform reversing harmful policies and practices. Ethiopians who have not seen their loved ones for a
The Culture of Northern Nigeria
More than 250 ethnic tribes exist in present-day Nigeria. The three largest and most dominant ethnic groups are the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. According to historical records, prior to Europeans
Palm Oil Company Departs from RSPO, Raising Red Flags for Investors
Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL), a palm oil company operating in Liberia since 2012, last week voluntarily suspended its membership in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) — the sustainability
A-Grade Women Butchering Gender Norms
Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, the not-for-profit social enterprise with extensive experience in building solutions to solve the youth unemployment challenge, continues to build out-the-box, scalable programs to help South African youth find employment.
Rwanda looks to Uganda, Tanzania for fish to sell to DRC
Uganda and Tanzania have taken over the Democratic Republic of Congo’s fish market from Rwanda, which is grappling with weak domestic production. DRC is a huge fish market, with eastern
Resistance to Genetically Modified Seeds in Africa
Ghana recently hosted a conference focused on the question of genetically modified organism (GMO) seed varieties versus those that have traditionally spawned the continent’s staple crops. The increasing commercialisation of
Tanzania: President Magufuli Is Wrong On Uncontrolled Births – MP
Dodoma — Just one day after President John Magufuli reiterated his opposition to birth controls by telling Tanzanians to continue reproducing, a Member of Parliament (MP) has faulted him on
Abiy Ahmed Epitomises Africa’s Short Memory of Hate
The rise of Abiy Ahmed in Ethiopia and the revival of Africa’s short memory of hate are inseparably linked. Africans have been at least as violent as anything ever perpetrated
President Paul Biya and Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis
President Paul Biya of Cameroon has been silent for long in relation to the on-going unrest in the country’s English speaking region. His silence has made matters worse and it is
The Colonial Roots of the Cameroon Conflict
The current struggle in Southern Cameroon, which started as a “protest by lawyers and teachers demanding better provision for the use of English in addition to a call for inclusion”
Highlights From the 2018 Zanzibar International Film Festival
On July 14, 2018, the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), an annual film festival held in Zanzibar, Tanzania, announced its 2018 awards. Under the theme “Speak Up”, films, in various categories and genres
“Blue” by Photographer Siaka Soppo Traoré
Photographer Siaka Soppo Traoré’s series “Blue” is a visual “dialogue” concerning migration. The work, characterised by an incredibly strong visual language is a striking assortment of human stories and expression presented through
Six Historic Photos of the Week: Africa
These photos by Ghideon Musa Aron evoke emotion. A gripping visual story of Eritreans reuniting with family members, on arrival in Asmara, Eritrea, from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 17 June
African Women Grab Top ZIFF 2018 Awards
This year at the 2018 Zanzibar International Film Festival, the longest running film festival in East Africa, the spotlight was on women filmmakers. The prestigious Ousmane Sembène Award, named after
Food Imports Cost US$2.4 Billion Annually
The Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta has revealed that food imports cost the nation an average of US$2.4 billion every year. This means that about GH¢10.8 billion (one dollar
Analysis: Mistakes About Madiba – Even By Himself
Quotes by South Africa’s first democratic president Nelson Mandela are popularly cited. Some of the most widely quoted verified quotes come from Mandela’s speech from the dock as part of his defence in the
Beyond the Red Sea: A New Driving Force in the Politics of the Horn
This is the first part of The Thin Red Line, an African Arguments series focusing on dynamics around the Red Sea. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 transformed the
What Peace Between Eritrea-Ethiopia Will Mean for the Horn of Africa
No one saw it coming, but a lasting peace deal may have finally arrived for Ethiopia and its longtime sparring partner, Eritrea. The two countries, which share a common culture, language, and
People Say “Is That Coachella? I Didn’t Know They Had Festivals Like That In Africa…”
Chin Okeke – one of the men behind arguably the most important of Africa’s new breed of music festivals – has spoken of the growing appetite for live music in
4 Towns March Against Konadu Over 700-Acre Land Grab
Four communities in the Eastern Region have staged a demonstration against former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings for allegedly annexing a 700-acre property stretching from Nsawam Cannery all the way
Engineering Seeds and Digging Into Global Markets
What are the implications for African farmers? By: Nidhi Tandon African farmers are facing serious challenges because of increased engineering of seeds and the determination of leading global agro-chemical corporations
BRICS in Africa: “You are either at the table or on the menu”
At a Johannesburg BRICS think tank, scholars get drunk on their own rhetoric By: Patrick Bond South African academics and think tanks met on 28-31 May 2018 for deliberations leading
Kabila Names Leading Figure In Upcoming DRC Election
Credit: Digital Congo Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) president Joseph Kabila, whom critics accuse of seeking an illegal third term in office, has been named as a leading figure in
Once Known as Africa’s Defender in Biodiversity, Ethiopia Approves Environmental Release of BT Cotton and Grant’s Special Permit for GM Maize
The Government of Ethiopia is the latest African country to authorize cultivation of biotech crops by granting two landmark approvals for environmental release of Bt cotton and research trials on biotech maize. In a letter
How Sao Tome and Principe Is Fighting Malaria
Hamilton Nascimento remembers missing months of school as a child when he repeatedly got sick with malaria. It used to be an unavoidable part of life in São Tomé and
“White Savior” Has No Place In Africa
By: Umberto Bacchi A British charity’s decision to move away from celebrity-fronted fundraising appeals for Africa has been praised as daring by the aid watchdog that helped trigger the move,
Oceans, Sea Levels, Global Warming and Migrations
At the end of the Ice Age, the sea level was between 100 and 120 meters below its current level. So if you input -100 in the ‘from’ category, 10
Navigating South Africa’s Convoluted Minibus Taxi System
While they’re the most common form of public transport in South Africa, navigating the minibus taxi system as a novice can be intimidating. The vehicles depart in seemingly random, unscheduled
Tribute to Winnie
We will not allow you to dishonour the name of our mother with innuendos and adjectives. By: Oscar Van Heerden A giant has fallen. When the news came that my
Tanzania Wants Locally Made Medicine
Tanzania is seeking local and foreign investors to inject capital into its pharmaceutical industries, with the aim of cutting down the cost of importing medicines. The country imports 96 per
Nigeria Losing About A Dozen Doctors To The UK
Nigerian doctors are abandoning their country in droves, a former Commonwealth secretary-general said. Emeka Anyaoku, who led the organization between 1990 and 2000, was reported as saying that more than 4,765 Nigerian doctors were now
There’s an Opioid Abuse Problem Unfolding In African Cities And It’s Not Getting The Attention It Needs
For a man who once wrestled a runaway cow to the ground, Ali (not his real name) appears timid and tranquil. The notoriety he gained on the bustling narrow streets
The Somalia-Somaliland Talks: A Crossroads Or A Dead End?
Somalis are anxious to dust off their tarnished name, which has been associated with countless ills. So far the financial and political efforts paid to bring about a “Somali Republic”
Is Kenya’s Pinnacle Tower Africa’s Tallest Building?
Terming it the tallest ultramodern project Africa has seen, a Kenyan newspaper extolled the virtues of the Pinnacle Tower, a building under construction in the capital Nairobi. The Business Daily said the edifice would
Who Is The Undercover Investigative Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas?
Meet Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Africa’s Most Notorious Undercover Reporter Eminent Ghanaian undercover investigative journalist, attorney and private detective, Anas Aremeyaw Anas is notorious for “naming shaming and jailing”. Broadly known
Is 80% of Africa’s Population Without Electricity?
Has the vast majority of Africa’s population been left in the dark? The World Economic Forum’s head of Africa said so to a South African radio station at the latest Forum on
The Challenge of Keeping Nigeria’s Lights On
Why are so many Nigerian homes still in the dark despite far-reaching reforms? In this factsheet, we test the charge on Nigeria’s electricity challenge. Reliable electricity continues to elude many
How Africa’s Largest Airline Will Dominate the Continent’s Skies
By: Abdi Latif Dahir With a mix of strategic investments and partnerships, airline acquisitions, and efficient service delivery, Ethiopian Airlines hopes to take over Africa’s skies and change air travel on
Art & Film
- July 27, 2018
On July 14, 2018, the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), an annual film festival held in Zanzibar, Tanzania, announced its 2018 awards. Under the theme “Speak Up”, films, in various categories and genres Read More..
- February 21, 2018
The Film and Publication Board (FPB) Appeal Tribunal has overturned the classification rating of 16 LS given to the film Inxeba – The Wound and gave it a rating of Read More..
Culture & Life
- November 7, 2018
Introduction: Seed is life Farming started when local communities started collecting, planting and selecting seeds – modifying them to meet their needs in the process. Today’s seed also embodies centuries of Read More..
- September 22, 2018
According to Farouk Braimah from the Peoples Dialogue on Human Settlements (PD), one in eight of the world’s population are living in slums. His assessment comes from a report by Read More..
Political and Social Commentary
- November 7, 2018
Seven in 10 females in Nairobi’s Kibera slum have traded sex for sanitary pads, a British online newspaper claimed in a September 2018 article. “New exclusive research by Unicef found Read More..
- November 7, 2018
Since 1998, over six million Congolese have lost their lives in a war fuelled by economic and corporate greed. That is the largest reported loss of life since the Second Read More..
