10 February 2021
Tanzania: According to its embassy in Tanzania, the US is “aware of significant number of Covid-19 cases since January 2021” and warned that the country’s health system could be quickly overwhelmed. Tanzania does not publish any data on Covid-19 cases.
BBC Africa Live 10 February 2021. 14:20
South Sudan: In the face of high inflation, the country’s central bank has introduced a 1,000 South Sudanese pounds note, the new highest denomination. The central bank governor said this will reduce the cost of printing lower denominations.
BBC Africa Live 10 February 2021. 16:22
Mali: 20 UN peacekeepers have been injured, some of them seriously in an attack by suspected militants in Mopti region.
BBC Africa Live 10 February 2021. 15:48
Uganda: The government has announced the full restoration of internet and social media services except Facebook. The internet restrictions were introduced a month ago, on the eve of the elections. Facebook is “arrogant and biased” – it has dared remove accounts linked to the ruling party that were spreading misinformation.
BBC Africa Live 10 February 2021. 10:37
9 February 2021
“Ask the crocodile to know more about the river you are in”
An Nkoya proverb sent by Berry Mpukuta in Lusaka, Zambia
BBC Africa Live 09 February 2021. 4:37. Africa proverb of the day
Ghana/toward gender equality: As in the olden days, men are expected to procreate and to provide for, lead and protect their families while women are expected to do the housework and care for the children. But as women increasingly work outside the household, men increasingly participate in household chores and husband-wife relations are evolving towards partnership. Gloria Abena Ampim’s research shows that this not only holds for urban (Accra), but also for rural (Afram Plains) areas.
https://theconversation.com/young-fathers-in-ghana-are-expanding-the-meaning-of-manhood-153807
Ethiopia/democracy: The Democratic Front which took power in 1991, “conducted five sham general elections and ruled the country with an iron fist for 28 years”. But 2016-18 saw increased popular resistance against human rights violations and corruption and the coalition in power faced internal division between reformists wanting to open the political space and those in favour of the status quo. This led to prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn being replaced by Abiy Ahmed in 2018. Since then, according to Girmachew Alemu, Associate Professor of Law at Addis Ababa University, major progress has been made toward democratization (political parties, National Electoral Board, staffing of Federal Supreme Court and Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, etc.). Challenges remain, the civil war in Tigray being one. Parliamentary elections are to be held in June 2021.
https://theconversation.com/ethiopias-next-poll-could-be-more-competitive-but-big-challenges-remain-154393
African Union/AU: The election, at the recent AU summit, of Dr Monique Nsanzabaganwa as deputy chair, effectively the commission’s chief operating officer, signals major advances towards gender equality and institutional reform at the AU. Nsanzabaganwa, so far deputy governor of the Bank of Rwanda, will have to see to the implementation of the conclusions of the study on AU’s institutional reform conducted under the leadership of Rwandan president Paul Kagame. She will also have to counteract sex and gender-based discrimination that the commission is accused of. And she will have to improve the AU’s financial autonomy.
https://theconversation.com/why-the-african-unions-decision-on-a-top-post-is-being-seen-as-a-litmus-test-154399
Uganda: “Museveni is a ruler whose primary source of power is the bullet – not the ballot”. His “military dictatorship has been draped in civilian garb for a long time. As a routine ritual, Museveni purports to seek legitimation every five years through elections.” Elections are neither free nor fair nor credible. And pressure from ‘Western’ powers might in fact hurt rather than help the struggle for liberation. Museveni can thus (try to) discredit Bobi Wine as nothing more than an agent of foreign interests.
https://theconversation.com/defeating-museveni-cant-be-achieved-through-international-pressure-alone-154663
Kenya: A brief overview of Kenyan history as mirrored in the life of Simeon Nyachae, a leading civil servant, minister, presidential candidate recently deceased (he died in early February at the age of 88).
https://theconversation.com/simeon-nyachae-the-larger-than-life-civil-servant-who-made-his-mark-on-kenya-154756
Ethiopia: Because of their proximity to the Eritrean borders and harsh geographical conditions, Ethiopia plans to close two refugee camps - Shimbela and Hitsats – which housed more than 20,000 refugees before fighting broke out in November.
BBC Africa Live 09 February 2021. 13:06