Latest posts by Julie Owono from January, 2011
Gabon: Opposition Leader Takes Oath as New President
The double presidential power struggle in Côte d'Ivoire seems to have inspired Gabon's political opposition as well. This afternoon on January 26, 2011, former Gabonese presidential election candidate André Mba Obame - regarded by many as the probable winner of the 2009 election - has taken oath as President and formed his own 'unofficial' government.
DR of Congo : Discreet Commemorations of the 50th Anniversary of Patrice Lumumba's Assassination
January 17, 2011 marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the DR of Congo, formerly known as Zaïre. The Congolese people and its diaspora organised a few events but many thought that the celebrations were not up to par with the historical aura of one of the true hero of the independence of the DR of Congo.
Côte d'Ivoire: The Quest for Normalcy and the Colonial Conundrum
Often portayed as living in a country on the brink of civil war, Ivorian citizens are trying hard to disprove this fatalistic narrative in the traditional media by calling for peace. Bloggers are also debating the role of the international community and the possibility raised by Gbagbo of a new, independent currency following Chavez's model in Venezuela.
Côte d'Ivoire: Torture Scenes in the Most Populated Prison
A video is currently creating a stir among the Ivorian online community. It shows militaries beating up prisoners - presented as Alassane Ouattara's partisans - in the Abidjan MACA prison. Since the beginning of the political crisis in Ivory Coast, dozens of people have been arrested in Ivory Coast for their political opinion and jailed at the infamous MACA prison.
