· February, 2008

Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from February, 2008

Kenya: Thank you Annan and team

  29 February 2008

After the power-sharing deal was announced, a caller to a local radio station was ecstatic and invited Kofi Annan and team to "nyama choma" (barbeque), another caller offered him two beers and another pronounced that Annan was the best angel God had sent to the people of Kenya. The level of excitement in the streets of Nairobi and Kisumu demonstrated that the worst is over, and that Kenya will possibly not tilt over the edge like it did in the last two months. The Kenyan blogosphere also paints a similiar picture.

Cameroon: Will the widespread unrest bring political change?

  28 February 2008

Cameroon was besieged this week by the worst violence in fifteen years, as a transportation strike formally ended by unions on Wednesday expanded into a more general protest against rising food and oil prices and President Biya's attempts to alter the constitution and extend his 25-year rule. Bloggers and netizens describe the situation on the ground and what it means for Cameroon's future.

Africa: Applying long-tail to the African mobile space

  28 February 2008

White African discusses “applying the long-tail to the African mobile space”: “What Ken is getting at is an important concept, one that too many of us forget as we generally have access to the more powerful phones. Whether it’s dealing with NGO-related initiatives, or traditional business projects, we need to...

Somalia/USA: Somali elders for Obama

  28 February 2008

Royale Somali blogs about Somali elders supporting Obama in Ohio: “I heard that a lot of Somali elders in Ohio who are also American citizens would be going to caucus for Obama , dressed like that notorious photo. Ohio has a large Somali community around 20 Thousand.”

Sierra Leone: Aschobi Designs

  28 February 2008

Switsalone introduces the person behind Aschobi Designs in Sierra Leone: “Adama Kargbo is a 24yr old Sierra Leonean-American recent graduate of Parsons School of Design (Paris, France). She has recently returned to Sierra Leone from New York City to launch her first collection; ASCHOBI DESIGNS. This collection gives a modern...

Sierra Leone: Binkolo Growth Center

  28 February 2008

Paul writes about an industrial project in Sierra Leone: “Binkolo Growth Centre is a small industrial project near Makeni where the manufacture of small farm implements, tailoring, carpentry and blacksmithing takes place, and includes the use of disabled people. I am assisting with the expansion of the centre to include...

Malawi: Competition in the mobile phone industry

  28 February 2008

Austin Madinga writes about competition in the mobile phone industry in Malawi: “In the past few years, Malawians have witnessed cut throat competition between mobile phone operators Celtel Malawi and TNM Limited in terms of marketing, promotions and roll out of value added services. Users have also joined in with...

Africa: Is Chinese influence eroding press freedom?

  28 February 2008

The BBC posted an interview with head of Reporters Without Borders Leonard Vincent commenting on the decline of press freedom in Africa over the past year. Ugandan blogger, Ugandan Insomniac, was the first to discuss the interview.

Kenya: Dear Kofi Annan…

  28 February 2008

Following the decision by Kofi Annan to suspend peace talks in Kenya, Kenyan blogger, wheremadnessresides decided to write a letter to him: “Dear Kofi Annan: There's a rumour that you're thinking of leaving Kenya. That you're fed up with our leaders and their madness. That you're up to here and beyond with all this nonsense. I can certainly understand why you would be sorely tempted. But please please please don't. Leave Kenya that is. You can't anyway. You promised, remember?"

South Africa: Racist Black Journalists?

  28 February 2008

"The media was instrumental is getting this country to where it is today. There were white journalists who risked their lives and even paid the ultimate price to give this country its democracy. What were these black journalists discussing, closeted together with Zuma, that they didn’t want white journalists to hear???," writes ONC Today following the decision by the Forum of Black Journalists (FBJ) to exclude White journalists from covering an off-the-record briefing by Jacob Zuma.

Environment: Dirty cities

  28 February 2008

Carbon Copy shares some facts about dirty cities… “In South Africa, Johannesburg has vehicle emissions, dust from mine dumps and untarred roads, and excessive burning of coal especially in informal settlements. Cape Town contends with tyres being burned illegally to recover scrap metal. And even small rural towns have to...

Sudan: Boycott anything Danish

  26 February 2008

“This is so utterly silly,” writes Sudanese Thinker after the Sudanese president orders people to boycott Danish goods: “Okay so let’s see. First, a Danish newspaper prints a bunch of cartoons depicting the Prophet (which is nothing new). Next thing we know, Islamists mobilize anger and all hell breaks lose,...

Chad: Eyewitness acounts of violence

  26 February 2008

This is an eyewitness account of violence in Chad: ““For over 7 hours we heard that battle rage. We felt afraid, wondered which part of the body to try to get under a 24 x 20 inch table. Was it more important to save the head or the chest? The...

Africa: AfricanLoft Update

  26 February 2008

Grandiose Parlor talks about recent updates on AfricanLoft: “AfricanLoft is ever committed to ensuring that only the best is good enough for our readers and contributors. In addition to the Main Homepage which has been redesigned to ensure easier navigation and better presentation of contents, we’re pleased to announce the...

Nigeria: Election petition against president dismissed

  26 February 2008

Nigerian Times writes about the results of presidential election petition in Nigeria: “The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja, Tuesday, dismissed the petition of former military ruler, Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, because he could not prove his case against the election of “President” Umaru Yar'Adua in the April 2007 presidential poll...

Nigeria: Public Nudity Bill

  26 February 2008

Jeremy posts copies of the Bill for an Act to Prohibit and Punish Public Nudity, Sexual Intimidation and Other related offences in Nigeria.

South Africa: Garlic, showers and prostitutes

  26 February 2008

Lesbian Rules writes about odd suggestions to problems in South Africa: “So there you have it ladies and gentlemen. To be cured from aids, eat garlic and beetroot. If you don’t want aids, take a shower, and All we have to do to stop the electricity crisis is to go...

South Africa: Is this anti-democracy?

  26 February 2008

Was it right to bar white South African journalist from the forum of black journalists: “This forum of black journalists is so anti democracy and transparency. I listened to all their excuses for barring white journalists and they did not make any sense. The truth is they are making us...

Africa: African History in Europe

  26 February 2008

Bill writes about an online initiative on African History in Europe: “For the past 3 weeks a small group of blog authors and friends living in various parts of Europe (Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and the UK) have been quietly organizing an online workgroup for collaboration on themes in black and...

South Africa: Where are black bloggers hiding?

  26 February 2008

Inside Candy wonders where South African black bloggers are: “I realise that this is a potentially loaded question, but where the hell are all the black bloggers hiding? To date, I’ve only met one (I repeat, one) black South African blogger – Obakeng, “The Chief” of ONC Today.”

About our Sub-Saharan Africa coverage

Zita Zage
Zita Zage is the Anglophone Africa Editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.

Jean Sovon
Jean Sovon is the Francophone Africa. Editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.

Dércio Tsandzana
Dércio Tsandzana is the Lusophone (Portuguese) editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.