12 July 2021
Democracy: Contrary to what is usually said, there is “widespread support for a form of consensual democracy” in Africa “which combines a strong commitment to political accountability and civil liberties with a concern for unity and stability”. Authoritarian rule is generally seen as a worse option.
https://theconversation.com/africans-want-consensual-democracy-why-is-that-reality-so-hard-to-accept-164010
South Africa: South Africa’s post-apartheid national project is a success if an incomplete one if you listen to Mahmood Mamdani, “one of Africa’s leading scholars”. The project of non-racialism has “forged community beyond the ‘settler/native’ division“ and made adversaries rather than enemies out of the country’s citizens. But since the ANC has pursued predominantly neoliberal policies, the country’s race-based wealth gap is still intact, except for the upper echelons of society.
https://theconversation.com/south-africas-1994-miracle-whats-left-159495
South Africa: The army has been deployed as unrest continued today Monday in Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal. Since Jacob Zuma, condemned to 15 months in prison for contempt of court, handed himself in to police, at least 6 have been killed and 200 arrested.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57803513
Egypt: A bill approved by parliament makes sexual assault a criminal offence, as opposed to a misdemeanour and increases jail terms. This “follows a move last year to encourage women to report sexual harassment and assault by giving them an automatic right to anonymity.” NGOs have since reported more than 400 rapes. Sexual harassment is very common in Egypt – “women experience (it) at least once in their lives”.
BBC Africa Live 12 July 2021. 6:04
Nigeria: Two media bills, the Nigerian Press Council Bill and the National Broadcasting Commission bill, are about to restrict media freedom. “(J)ournalists and media houses who do not ‘ensure truthful, genuine and quality services’” are to be fined up to 12,100 USD. As a form of protest against the bills, you can read “Information Blackout” on Nigerian newspapers’ front pages today.
BBC Africa Live 12 July 2021. 11:11
Ethiopia: The government having come under pressure from the US seems to have shifted alliances towards China and Russia. With the latter, after three days of negotiations, it has now signed a military cooperation deal. Back to the old days?
BBC Africa Live 12 July 2021. 17:21
Ethiopia: Reporters Without Borders has called for the release of 12 journalists whose “arrests were clearly aimed at stopping independent investigative reporting on the war in the country’s Tigray region.” The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission had already drawn attention to “the detainees (not having) been granted visitation rights by their lawyer or their families.”
BBC Africa Live 12 July 2021. 14:50
11 July 2021
South Africa: Zuma supporters showed their anger about the ex-president’s imprisonment by torching 25 lorries, looting shops and blocking roads with burning barricades in Kwa Zulu Natal.
BBC Africa Latest Update 11 July 2021. 6:59
Kenya: In this “Letter from Africa”, Kenyan journalist Joseph Warungu describes Kenyatta, Ruto and Odinga – the country’s top three politicians – as a married couple (Kenyatta-Ruto) respectively love triangle (plus Odinga), following the relationships since their beginning and trying to see where they’ll go in the future. The original deal, that Kenyatta would back Ruto for the coming two presidencies seems to be off. Could a Luo become president? So far, only Kikuyu and Kalenjin have sat on the throne. In the meantime, the country’s economy is in dire straits.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57666911
Ethiopia: Prime minister Abiy's Prosperity Party has won 410 out of 436 seats at the recent parliamentary elections. Due to insecurity and logistical problems, these elections could not be held in a fifth of the country – in these parts (with the exception of Tigray) another round of elections is due on 6th of September and a new government is to be formed in October. Abiy is thus assured of another five years in office. “However, there are concerns about the election's integrity.” While state-affiliated Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said there were “no serious or widespread human rights violations”, it had noted in preliminary reports that there had been “improper” arrests, voter intimidation, harassment of observers and journalists and, in Oromia, several killings just before the elections.
BBC Africa 10 July 2021. 21:11
Nigeria: Emir Alhassan Adamu Kajuru, an 85 year old Muslim leader who oversees religious activities in Kaduna has been kidnapped in an overnight raid along with 12 relatives, five women and a baby of just a few months among them. The emir “had received a tip off about the attack and had asked the Nigerian military to send some soldiers. But they never came.”
BBC Africa Latest Update 11 July 2021. 10:21