· May, 2008

Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from May, 2008

South Africa: Bloggers need to do more than just write

  31 May 2008

A few South African bloggers are thinking about positive steps to take with regard to the current xenophobia crisis in South Africa. Stii asks, “What can we as bloggers do about the Xenophobia crisis?” and Mike Stopforth calls on South African bloggers to do something. Meanwhile, Afrigator has launched a special Xenophobia Crisis Page.

On the return of the victims of xenophobia

  31 May 2008

“Ultimately, we have not yet reached the time when the South African government will acknowledged, unequivocally, its responsibility for this whole issue. With empty thoughts and a huge incapacity for self-criticism (as a first step), the South African regime, apparently, carries on burying their head in the sand.” Agry [pt]...

Mozambique: Beat the prices rise, get a bike!

  31 May 2008

“With the increase in the price of petrol, it is very clever to begin thinking about getting the old bike out of bottom of the garage. There are only advantages. It does not pollute, and it also saves you a lot on gym (fees)”. Go to Toix [pt] blog to...

Guinea-Bissau: Experimental Theater Group

  31 May 2008

“Guinea-Bissau is a sui generis country, because people's talents are in the most unexpected fields. Theater is one of them. Here is our word of encouragement to the Bissau Experimental Theater group, established in  2005″, Jorge Rosmaninho [pt] congratulates the group for establishing itself and hopes for its international recognition.

Burkina Faso: Level four culture shock

  31 May 2008

In The United Kingdom a bit more than a week ago, the Office of National Statistics reported that in the past ten years, nearly two million Britons have moved abroad, making up the second largest emigration in the country’s history. Presently, that means that 5.5 million Britons live in foreign countries. So, what does this have to do with Burkina Faso? It proves a point, a fundamental truth really, about foreigners: They eventually go home. Or at least most of them do. It just happens that in Burkina Faso, a number of foreign bloggers are getting ready to pack up their things and head elsewhere.

Mozambique: The rice and our independende

  30 May 2008

Elísio Macamo [pt] reacts to the Japanese pledge to help Africa double rice production within 10 years, during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) held in Yokohama. “After 10 years the rice production in Africa is twice as much. Will the population remain the same? Will our tastes...

  30 May 2008

Cédric Kalonji blogs the arrest of Jean-Pierre Bemba [Fr], Congolese president Joseph Kabila's main rival, in Belgium last weekend. The Central African Republic brought charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Bemba, who will be tried by the International Criminal Court.

South Africa: Who is to blame for xenophobia?

  27 May 2008

David blames the South African government for the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa: “No one hates foreigners like South Africans do. South Africa is said to be officially the most xenophobic nation in the world. So much for being xenophobic and all that but why go to the criminal...

Ethiopia: The life of Kedir Mohammed

  27 May 2008

Enset writes about the life of Ethiopian soldier, Kedir Mohammed: “Even as a refugee, Kedir never ended his activism and the struggle for justice, human rights and equality of citizens of his country. He joined a budding organization that was cultivated by the Ethiopian students’ movement that culminated in the...

D.R. of Congo: Bemba's arrest is selective justic

  27 May 2008

Siasa Duni comments on the arrest of Congolese opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba: “As long as you commit atrocities as part of the government army, they do not qualify for war crimes, seems to be the message. There is the risk of another signal Bemba’s arrest might send to Africa: Don’t...

Africa: Learning by Ear

  27 May 2008

A new multimedia distance learning programme for Africa in English, Kiswahili, French, Hausa, Portuguese and Amharic: ‘The Learning by Ear program examines the challenges that young Africans face and engages listeners in an informative and entertaining way. The programming is a lively mix of in-depth reports, radio dramas and feature...

Zimbabwe: MDC activists arrested

  27 May 2008

Action Alert from Sokwanele in Zimbabwe: “3 MDC activists are at Bindura law and order and need lawyer today. Their names are Zivai Chimombe, Adimere Mudavanhu, Farink Mudavanhu”

Malawi's Ex-President Under House Arrest

  27 May 2008

Following recent reports of alleged coup plotters, police picked up and put Malawi's former president Bakili Muluzi under house arrest. Lilongwe-based Journalist Bright Sonani gives eyewitness accounts as events unfolded at Kamuzu International Aiport in Lilongwe where Muluzi was picked as he arrived from a trip from the UK.

Uganda: Book Club arrives

  26 May 2008

Book Club arrives in Kampala, Uganda: “The long awaited book club arrives. The onus is on me to pick the location, I guess, and I was thinking Iguana, but that's so not central. So I have to fall back on the default Mateo's.”

Cape Verde: Africa Day

  25 May 2008

To celebrate the Africa Day today, Baluka Brazao [pt] publishes and provides info on a picture by Robert Colescott, Marching to a Different Drummer in which according to the Cape Verdean “Colescott addresses the white perception of the black and the black perception of the white, and shows how racism...

Africa: The challenge of the cults in East Africa

  25 May 2008

Pea discusses “The Challenge of the Cults in East Africa,” a video series on YouTube: “I was on YouTube just now and came across a series of videos titled “The Challenge of the Cults in East Africa.” The videos are posted by ACFAR, which I believe stands for African Centre...

South Africa: What is the meaning of “makwerekwere”?

  25 May 2008

Khanya traces the origin of the word “makwerekwere,” a slang for foreigners in South Africa: ” A couple of bloggers with an interest in language have asked about the the origin and meaning of the word “makwerekwere”. It is a slang word for foreigners, and especially illegal immigrants, which I...

South Africa: Mapping xenophobia

  25 May 2008

United for Africa maps xenophobia incidents in South Africa: “The Ushahidi engine is being used to map xenophobic attacks in South Africa at the “United For Africa” website.”

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.