Paris, France | AFP | Tiny, oil-rich Equatorial Guinea goes to the polls Sunday in an election that is expected to return President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, Africa’s longest-serving leader, for another seven years. Obiang came to power in a 1979 coup, ousting his own uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema, who was …
Read More »After 36-year rule, EGuinea leader set for all-time Africa record
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | AFP | Africa’s longest-serving ruler, Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, looks set to win a fresh seven-year term Sunday that could also see him nail the all-time record for African leaders, living or dead. After almost 37 years at the helm of the tiny oil-rich …
Read More »Obiang leads Eq. Guinea from terror to oil
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea | AFP | Equatorial Guinea’s tough President Teodoro Obiang Nguema seized power almost 37 years ago from a feared and ruthless uncle and has steered the tiny but now oil-rich nation with an iron glove. Already Africa’s longest-serving leader, the 73-year-old looks set to win a fresh …
Read More »South Sudan wrestles as they wait for Machar
Juba, South Sudan | AFP | The giants dance barefoot in circles, strips of leopard print skirt flapping, before one lunges in to topple his opponent and thump him down on the grass. There is a wild roar of support from hundreds of supporters crammed into the national football stadium …
Read More »Africa’s tourism ministers meet in Ivory Coast
Over three days (19th to 21st April) high-level tourism representatives from African countries, including 18 tourism ministers, are convening in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to discuss the challenges of the sector and the priorities for the programme of work of UNWTO in the African continent. The event is held in parallel …
Read More »Mighty Esperance melt African hopes of Tanzania’s Azam
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Esperance of Tunisia demonstrated why they are ranked 342 places above Azam of Tanzania in Africa by winning 3-0 on Tuesday to reach the CAF Confederation Cup play-offs. The Tunis club, winners of all the CAF competitions except the Confederation Cup, qualified 4-2 on …
Read More »Are poor societies stuck with dictators?
Factors such as a history of war and violence, the curse of having natural resources, constitutional designs, ethnic divisions and regional neighbors contribute, writes Pippa Norris Africans recently went to the polls in Benin, Cape Verde, the Republic of Congo, Niger and Zanzibar. The outcome was decidedly mixed. In Congo, …
Read More »Uganda’s failure to transform
Why in spite of registering good welfare outcomes we have made little progress at structural transformation I have just been reading the National Population and Housing Census (NHPC) report for 2014. It shows Uganda has registered many welfare improvements, but also reveals that President Yoweri Museveni’s dream of transforming Uganda …
Read More »Senior Gambian opposition figure dies in custody
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | A senior figure in Gambia’s main opposition has died in custody after leading a protest for electoral reform and the resignation of strongman President Yahya Jammeh, his party and a rights group said Saturday. Solo Sandeng, who had recently been promoted to organising secretary of …
Read More »Magufuli, Kiir sign as South Sudan officially joins EAC
History was made today when the treaty of accession of the republic of South Sudan into the East African Community was signed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. @RepSouthSudan now Officially in EAC? pic.twitter.com/0wpAmf169t — EastAfricanCommunity (@jumuiya) April 15, 2016 Dr John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, president Tanzania and chairperson of the …
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