21 April 2021
The Gambia: Trachoma, caused by the chlamydia bacteria, spread by contaminated fingers/flies/towels inflames eyelids chronically and can eventually lead to blindness. The Gambia has eliminated trachoma as a public health threat. Trachoma is still endemic in 29 other African countries.
BBC Africa Live 21 April 2021. 14:46
Nigeria: One member of staff has been killed and an unknown number of students – both male and female – abducted by armed men from Greenfield university on the outskirts of Kaduna city.
BBC Africa Live 21 April 2021. 14:22 and BBC Africa Live 21 April 2021. 10:13
Chad: The borders have been reopened and the curfew slightly relaxed - it now starts at 8 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. “Tanks and heavy artillery are still deployed around the presidency”
BBC Africa Live 21 April 2021. 13:12
Ethiopia: Amhara in 4 districts or more of eastern Amhara region have come under attack between last Wednesday and Monday in what is said to be ethnic violence against Amhara who there form a majority alongside an Oromo minority. The rebel group OLF Shane denies being behind the attacks. At least 20 people are said to have been killed – officials say “many”, without giving an exact number.
BBC Africa Live 21 April 2021. 8:01
Congo-Kinshasa/Uganda: “In June 1999, DR Congo filed a case at the ICJ (International Court of Justice) accusing its neighbours Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi of committing acts of armed aggression, abuse of human rights and looting of resources, in violation of the UN and African Union charters.” DRC in 2001 withdrew its accusations against Rwanda and Burundi. “(I)n 2005, the ICJ ruled that Uganda invaded its neighbour illegally and DR Congo had not consented to the Ugandan military operating in its territory.” In 2015, DRC informed the court that the talks had failed. It is now seeking USD4.3bn in compensation over Uganda’s invasion. The case began on Tuesday.
BBC Africa Live 21 April 2021. 4:31
Tanzania: Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s (the ruling party’s) governance has always had coercive elements. This implies that Magufuli was not as bad as he was made out to be; and that his successor, Samia Suluhu Hassan, may have less room for change than many think. “Real and sustained democratic progress in Tanzania will require not just a new leader, but the emergence of supportive pro-reform factions in the ruling party to support their ideas. President Samia Suluhu Hassan may be able to engineer this over time, but Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s history tells us that doing so will be a long and difficult struggle.”
https://theconversation.com/the-roots-of-repression-and-the-prospects-for-democracy-in-tanzania-159052
20 April 2021
Chad/Coup d’Etat: Idriss Deby, just re-elected for another term, is dead. The army says he died from injuries from fighting at the frontline 400km north of N’Djamena, in Kanem region. The army has dissolved the government and declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew and closed land and air borders until further notice. A 15-member military council led by Déby's son, 37-year-old Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno aka Mahamat Kaka, a four-star general, will govern for the next 18 months.
BBC Africa Live 20 April 2021. 10:51ff
South Africa/Archives lost: Jagger Library is among the victims of the fire on the slopes of Table Mountain. “It is not clear at this stage what has been lost (…). But the burning of any part of a library – an archive – is such a terrible thing because you lose voices from the past which may carry alternative histories. This has particularly significant implications for countries like South Africa with fraught and contested histories. And whose histories have, for centuries, been told from a particular vantage point.” Jagger Library’s African Studies collection consisted of “around 65,000 volumes, 26,000 pamphlets, 3,000 African films, and 20,000 further items in the audiovisual archive”. Not all of the works have also been stored in digital format. Archives are of great importance in the ongoing project of decolonisation.
https://theconversation.com/significant-archives-are-under-threat-in-cape-towns-fire-why-they-matter-so-much-159299
Sierra Leone/Coffee: A ‘forgotten’ coffee variety has been re-discovered in Sierra Leone. Coffea stenophylla can tolerate temperatures at least 6°C higher than Arabica and could thus be important under warmer conditions due to climate change.
BBC Africa Live 20 April 2021. 5:37
Mauritius: In order “to regulate the use and fight against the abuse and misuse of social networks”, the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) wants to amend the information and communications law. Social media users are worried that this is an attempt at censorship or spying on them by the government.
BBC Africa Live 20 April 2021. 8:39
Kenya: The authors’ research into post-conflict constitutions and peace agreements has found that “countries that adopt ethnic recognition go on to experience less violence, more economic vitality, and more democratic politics.” In Kenya, the 2010 constitution, the Building Bridges Initiative proposals and the constitution amendment bill now under consideration mention “ethnic diversity” but do not name specific ethnic groups. Ethnic recognition and policies connected to it (like representation quotas) seem to help manage mistrust between groups. The article discusses the pros and cons. Though taking Burundi as a positive and Rwanda as a negative example is a surprising choice.
https://theconversation.com/kenya-should-take-note-recognising-ethnic-identities-can-lead-to-positive-outcomes-158548
Central African Republic/UNHCR: The country’s humanitarian crisis “is one of the most underfunded UNHCR operations globally, with only 12% of the $164.7m requirement currently met”. No wonder thus that the UN’s refugee agency reports that 2,000 fleeing across the border into Chad after clashes between the army and rebels “face difficulties securing food, water and shelter”.
BBC Africa Live 20 April 2021. 10:09