Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from September, 2012
Cape Verde: Blogging for Soul Healing, Facebook as a Catwalk
Capeverdean blogger Jorge from Diário de um Thug notes [pt] that the country's blogs are dying everyday. Should Facebook be blamed? for the ones who enjoy writing, that problem is...
Africa: Arranged Corporate Marriages
Bankelele points out corporate marriages of note in Africa: Barclays of UK and South Africa’s Absa Group are in talks to merge their African operations – but this is not...
Zambia's “Imaginary” Terror Plot
Zambia appears to be on the brink of ethnic conflict after a separatist group from Southern Province claimed to have killed members of the President’s tribe. However, many Zambians regard the threat posed by the Tongas Under Oath as the latest attempt by the government to discredit opposition parties.
Chad: Challenges to Freedom of Expression as Social Protests Grow
The recent arrests in Chad of three union officers and the editor of an independent newspaper are symptomatic of a disintegration of freedom of expression in the country. These arrests have come after protest movements against the impoverishment of Chad’s population and the privatization of the country’s resources.
A Ghanain App at TechCrunch Disrupt
Erik writes about a Ghanaian tech team that pitched at TechCrunch Disrupt event: Saya is an app for texting. That mixes SMS, Facebook chat and hyperlocal findability to get in...
Kenya: Safari 7s Rugby Tournament Excites Fans
One of the biggest sporting events in East Africa came alive between 21-23 September, 2012, in Kenya's capital city, Nairobi - the Safari Sevens, a rugby seven-a-side tournament which started in 1995 but has grown into a fixture in the Kenyan sporting calendar.
Zimbabwe: My Zimbabwean Sheroe
Amy Tsanga is Rumbidzai Dube's Zimbabwean sheroe: Here was a woman who lived through an era when the education of girls was not a priority yet she had done it...
Guinea-Bissau: Impact of Tourism in the Bijagós Islands
Tourism doesn't always mean wealth and development for the Southern countries. The statement comes from a report [pt] on “Dynamics and impacts of the expansion of tourism in the Bijagós...
Madagascar Struggles to Control Domestic Instability
The social and political upheaval engulfing Madagascar extends way beyond its cities. Government forces are also attempting to curb violence between cattle rustlers and farmers across southern Madagascar.
Africa: Mountain Gorilla Conservation Data
Over 5,000 days of Mountain Gorilla conservation data in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo: Fifteen years ago, ranger-based monitoring (or RBM for short) was initiated as a...
Why Mali's Army is Hesitant about Foreign Intervention in the North
Tiékorobani goes to great length explaining why Captain Sanogo and the Malian Army are hesitant about foreign intervention [fr] in Northern Mali. He argues that Sanogo fears that he will lose...
Cabinda: Black Gold of Angola
Cabinda, the eighteenth and most disputed province of Angola, has been waging an ancient struggle for its independence. The majority of the Angolan population says that Cabinda is part of Angola, but others defend the opposite position. The enclave produces around 70% of the oil exported by the country.
Burundi: A Political Will to Provide Universal Education
The proportion of children in school increased from 59 per cent in 2005 to 96 per cent in 2011. The fact that Burundi is just emerging from war and that...
DR of Congo: Rwanda is Helping the Rebellion, says Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch wrote [fr]: In addition to deploying reinforcements and recruits to support military operations, Rwandan military officials have been providing important military support to the M23 rebels, including weapons, ammunition,...
Africa: Controversy over the Presidency of the Confederation of African Football
Ouédraogo of Ouagadougou wrote the following on mondoblog.org : The Confederation of African football adopted a shameful regulation during its general meeting on Monday, September 3, 2012, stipulating that only members...
Mauritania: March to Commemorate the Passing of Rights Activist
Civil rights organisation Touche pas à ma nationalité TPMN ( in English: Do not interfere with my citizenship) has called for a large march to commemorate the passing of anti-racism activist Lamine Mangane, killed a year ago by authorities in the town of Maghama during protests against a census that marginalized black citizens of Mauritania.
Chinese ‘Soft Power’ Expands in Africa with CCTV
Chinese state-controlled media, China Central Television (CCTV), launched its African regional bureau in Nairobi, Kenya on January 11. While its presence has diversified the media landscape in Africa, some have been rather skeptical of its journalistic independence.
Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Controversial Wedding
Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s controversial wedding on 15 September continues to spark debate and discussions online. After his planned civil wedding was blocked by the court, Tsvangirai went ahead with a traditional ceremony.
Uganda: Teenage Girl Becomes Africa's Youngest MP
Africa is truly rising and African women are rising with it. Currently, Malawi and Liberia have female presidents. Now Uganda has elected the youngest Member of Parliament in Africa - she is 19 year old Proscovia Alengot Oromait.
Angola: Police Puts End to Protest
The Angolan collective @Central7311 informed on Twitter that some of its members were detained on September 20, 2012, “for holding a peaceful demonstration” which intended to “pressure the opposition not to...