06 January 2023
Cruelty against Migrants: For once, it is not state institutions who are at fault. According to Interpol, the head of a criminal organisation responsible “for the kidnapping, extortion and murder of East African migrants” has been arrested. The concerned, “Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam, from Eritrea, was wanted by police in Ethiopia and the Netherlands”. He was arrested in Sudan thanks to international police cooperation.
BBC Africa Live 06 January 2023. 4:31
Somaliland/Puntland: The town Las Anod is claimed by both Somaliland and Puntland. Demonstrators there “took to the streets after gunmen killed a politician”. Somaliland troops are accused of killing at least 10 protesters. Now, troops have been ordered “to return to barracks so that the situation could normalise.”
BBC Africa Live 06 January 2023. 5:42
Chad: Ever since 8th of December, people have been arrested for their involvement in a coup plot. Authorities are accusing Baradine Berdei Targuio, president of the Chadian Human Rights Organisation, to be the head of the plotters. 11 army officers are said to have been involved.
BBC Africa Live 06 January 2023. 5:14
Nigeria: The article’s author has done research from January to September 2021 into marine litter along the Araromi seaside in Ilaje in the country’s south-west and found that the beach “was dirty during the dry season (…) and extremely dirty in the rainy season” by the standards of the Clean Coast Index. Cleaning up is urgent. Recommendations what to do close the article.
https://theconversation.com/nigeria-has-a-coastal-litter-problem-its-time-to-clean-up-195615
Kenya: Especially in poor areas that feel let down by police, policemen who brutally deal with alleged criminals tend to be seen as heroes. And their supporters do not want the state to arrest such “super cops” for atrocities they may commit, do not want the state to interfere “in local security arrangements that they consider effective and efficient”.
https://theconversation.com/many-kenyans-have-embraced-vigilante-cops-an-ineffective-police-force-is-to-blame-196449
05 January 2023
“If you want to donate a piece of cloth to a lazy person, make sure you dye it first”
BBC Africa Live 05 January 2023. 4:34. Proverb of the day. A Yoruba proverb from Nigeria sent by Ola Oduwole in London, the UK
Kenya/FGC: Although the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2011 provides “a good environment for programmes and development of policies for 22 hotspot counties”, female genital cutting remains a problem – especially amongst Somali, Samburu, Kisii and Maasai, where prevalence rates are 94%, 86%, 84% and 78% respectively. One of the interventions against FGC which has and was proven (by a 2019 impact study) to be successful in reducing the harmful practice is the alternative rite of passage. “The new ritual combines aspects of the traditional ceremony with educational components of sexual and reproductive health, human rights and gender norms” with the programme supporting “girls’ self-esteem and ability to exercise their power.” Alternative rites of passage ceremonies organised within the Amref International University programme have been held for more than 20,000 girls so far. FGC “prevalence rates declined by 24.2 percentage points, from a mean of 80.8% before the alternative rite rollout, to 56.6% afterwards (between 2009 and 2019).” Beyond that, girl schooling was increased, the rate of forced marriages has declined as has teenage pregnancy. And there is a follow-up to make sure uncut girls stay uncut.
https://theconversation.com/female-genital-mutilation-rates-peak-in-kenya-during-school-holidays-an-alternative-option-offers-a-solution-176483
Kenya: President Ruto says he fired the head of criminal investigations George Kinoti in September because “(t)here was a container at the Nairobi area where people were being slaughtered – in a police station” and the country cannot have such a rogue institution. The case is being investigated.
BBC Africa Live 05 January 2023. 5:14
Somaliland/Puntland: The gold, frankincense and myrrh brought by the three kings to Jesus are thought to have come from the Golis range which straddles de facto independent Somaliland and Somali state Puntland. Anywah, the three precious substances “have been exported from the region for thousands of years”. But now the exploitation of gold is threatening the harvesting of frankincense and myrrh – the ancient trees are cut when areas are cleared for mining or the digging hurts their roots. Gold mining is also destroying the environment – and traditional social structures. On top of all that, according to the article, “(t)he Islamist groups, al-Shabab and the Somali branch of Islamic State, have started to demand taxes from the gold-diggers”.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-64162379