FEATURE | Alice Aterianus-Owanga | In Gabon as in other African states, rap has become instrumental in constructing political identity. On August 17, Gabon celebrated 57 years of independence with a massive free concert in the capital, Libreville. The aim: to promote national unity in a festive fashion. An impressive …
Read More »2018: Time to restore hope
Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | As 2017 ended, many political pundits, the clergy, and academicians used their pulpits and punditry to describe what, in their view, the year had been like and predict 2018. Makerere University professor of Political Science, Sabiti Makara, said political intolerance has been on the …
Read More »US job gains disappoint, unemployment holds at 4.1%
Washington, United States | AFP | The US economy’s job creation ability disappointed in December, despite solid hiring in manufacturing and construction, according to government data reported Friday. But with the country believed to be near full employment, the jobless rate still held steady at its 17-year low of 4.1 …
Read More »Almost a week of deadly protests in Iran
Tehran, Iran | AFP | Violent demonstrations have rocked Iran for almost a week, leaving at least 21 people dead, with the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday declaring the “end of the sedition”. The protests that started over the economy before turning against the Islamic regime as a …
Read More »Equatorial Guinea: oil rich with grinding poverty
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | AFP | Equatorial Guinea is ruled by Africa’s longest-serving president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who took power by overthrowing his uncle and has since weathered several coup attempts himself. After claims of a new attempt late December, here is some background about the small nation tainted by …
Read More »COMMENT: The future could be worse. Prepare
COMMENT | LOUIS GAKUMBA | This is not a feel-good story. As impossible and improbable as it sounds, last month a story broke out of Libya; shocking images of thousands of African immigrants caged behind bars like cattle for auction sale. Emaciated and frail, some were sold for as little as …
Read More »COMMENT: Fight over Migingo
What dispute over the world’s tiniest disputed island, tells us about international law COMMENT | CHRISTOPHER R. ROSSI | For as far back as anyone could remember, Migingo was nothing more than an uninhabited pinprick on Lake Victoria. One of three small islands in the eastern waters that make up an …
Read More »UEGCL fights to deliver Isimba, Karuma
Power generator cleared to hire new dam supervisor Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Power generator—Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL)—is set to hire a new supervisor technically known as Owner’s Engineer (OE) for the 183MW Isimba hydro-power dam. This comes two months after the contract of Energy Infratech expired in …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Since removal of sanctions, Sudan’s economy has actually got worse
John Hursh | AFRICAN ARGUMENTS | On 6 October, the US government announced that it would revoke the majority of economic sanctions imposed on Sudan. Many of them had been in place for two decades. Numerous governments, organisations, and commentators welcomed the decision. Sudan expert Alex de Waalcalled the move “long overdue”, while UN Special Rapporteur Idriss …
Read More »ANALYSIS: South Africa now has two centres of power
Roger Southall | AFRICAN ARGUMENTS | Rumours that President Jacob Zuma has instructed the South African National Defence Force to draw up plans for implementing a state of emergency may or may not be true. Nonetheless they are evidence of South Africa’s current febrile political atmosphere. Any assumption that yesterday’s election of Cyril Ramaphosa as the new leader …
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