Steve Sharra

I am a Malawian who studies and writes about education policy, Pan-Afrikanism, Afrikan epistemology (uMunthu), the Afrikan Renaissance, and peace and social justice. I am also a student of autobiography, critical pedagogy, and critical literacy research. I am a teacher educator and former school teacher, freelance journalist, and educational editor. My blog, Afrika Aphukira is an afro-optimistic expression of the theme of the African rebirth. I'm on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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Latest posts by Steve Sharra

Malawi: Confusion and Uncertainty Over August 17 Vigil

  16 August 2011

With hours to go before August 17, the day set aside for follow-up nation-wide demonstrations in Malawi, a cloud of uncertainty hovers over the country. One team has announced a postponement, another team has indicated they are going ahead. Online reactions range from relief to frustration, confusion to defiance.

Malawi: Arab Spring Spreading South of the Sahara?

  19 July 2011

It's winter in Africa, south of the Equator, but the temperature in Malawi feels more like Spring - particularly that of the recent Arab pedigree. The Malawian air is rife with tension and anxiety over what is expected to be a clash between civil society and the Malawi government on Wednesday July 20.

Malawi: Of Classroom Spies and Academic Freedom

  20 March 2011

On the morning of 12 February 2011 the Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service summoned University of Malawi Associate Professor, Dr. Blessings Chinsinga, to interrogate him on allegations that he had been inciting university students to take to the streets in protest against the Malawi government. Dr. Chinsinga is said to have alluded to the recent uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt to illustrate his point. News of the summoning appeared within hours on Boniface Dulani's blog.

Malawi: Citizens’ take on vice-president's dismissal

  21 December 2010

In early 2009 Malawi’s President Bingu wa Mutharika was fighting for his political life with an opposition that frustrated his every move in parliament and looked strong enough to unseat him. The majority of Malawians were very impressed with the president’s economic and infrastructural development, and were very sympathetic to...

Malawi: Another School Drop-Out Engineering Genius

  2 November 2009

On October 14th the Malawi Police Service arrested a school drop-out and engineering genius, a 21 year-old Gabriel Kondesi for owning and operating a radio station in Soza Village in the southern district of Mulanje, without a licence from the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).

Malawi: The good, the bad and the hopeful in health care

  11 August 2009

In this post we highlight some of what Malawian bloggers are writing about the country's health care system. We look at bloggers describing developments in eye care, reflecting on midwifery, expressing shock over negligence in hospitals and government waste, and we end with rare good news about the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Malawi: Blogger wins BlogHer International Activist Award

  6 June 2009

We first wrote about her in a post that profiled four Malawian female bloggers, on November 4th, 2007. This time we write about her exclusively, and her recent achievement solely to do with her blog. Malawian blogger Pilirani Semu-Banda has won a scholarship award that will take her to the...

Malawi elections: Upending the pundits’ predictions

  25 May 2009

With the elections over and the incumbent president Bingu wa Mutharika sworn in for his second and last term, Malawian bloggers (Mabloga) are awed by two developments that went against the predictions of many, especially the punditry. First was the suggestion that the presidential contest would be very close. It...

Malawi: Female Candidates and the Politics of Regionalism

  16 March 2009

With two months to go before Malawians vote in presidential and parliamentary elections on May 19th, 2009, the soup du jour has evolved around two developments, the first one being the recent arrest and release on bail of former president Dr. Bakili Muluzi. The second development is the unusual visit to the country by former presidents of Ghana and Mozambique who are attempting, unjustifiably, according to the blog Chingwe's Hole, to prevent what they fear might be a potential violent conflict in the run up to the elections and possibly in the aftermath.

Malawi: Gas prices remain high despite global plunge

  8 January 2009

There are growing calls in Malawi for the government to reduce the price of gas, following a global drop in prices in recent weeks. While many countries have seen reductions in gas prices, in Malawi it has stayed the same as when it reached the highest prices in July 2008. Bloggers and forum users in Malawi discuss the problem.