There is less than a fortnight before Zimbabweans go to the polls in what could be an epochal election but in what will most likely result in a rigged and effectively predetermined reaffirmation of Robert Mugabe's stranglehold on power. Mugabe is receiving support from some vocal sources, at least some of which makes it pretty […]
Jacob Zuma is in trouble. Yesterday Constitutional Court Justice Zac Yacoob announced that he had “no difficulty” with the justifications that the state put forth to justify the search and seizure operations it conducted on Zuma and his attorneys’ homes and offices and that the “creative conspiracy” Jacob Zuma was allegedly involved in justified broad […]
So, I was saying about Robert Mugabe's crass manipulations of the system? Oh yes — that he is transparent in his willingness to use them. Mugabe has awarded civil servants an enormous pay hike on the eve of the elections. Very subtle. In the meantime, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has called for more […]
Apparently media criticism, fair and unfair, comes from without as well as from within. The BBC has been taking the attack to both South Africa and Jacob Zuma, and while I’ve been a critic of Jacob Zuma in particular in the past, at least some of the Beeb's coverage appears to couch sensationalism in the guise of […]
At Pambazuka News Patrick Bond and Grace Kwinjeh provide a trenchant overview of Zimbabwe's “political roller-coaster.” Meanwhile reports of intimidation of opposition supporters continue to emerge. If a tragedy represents a series of events in which the inevitable outcome is visible to the audience but not to the protagonists, Zimbabwe's election is shaping up to […]
Jacob Zuma's day in court has come. Well, not the big day that everyone anticipates, but the ANC's president and South Africa's presumed successor to Thabo Mbeki has appeared before the Constitutional Court to determine which documents might be able to be used against Zuma (and the French arms company, Thint) and which may be […]
The New York Times reports on a study indicating that a vaccination introduced five years ago has virtually eradicated a dangerous type of childhood meningitis. The authors of the study believe that 5,000 children's lives a year will be saved as a result.
I do not always agree with J. Peter Pham, but there is little doubting his intelligence, knowledge, ability, and devotion to Africa-related issues. He is also one of the most significant voices among those who look at Africa from the vantage point of American policies and interests. He has a roundup of Africa-related issues at […]
Although the ICC One Day cricket World Championship does not carry with it the cache of a World Cup title, it still would represent a nice feather in the cap of the Proteas. The South Africans are within range of claiming that title if they can just muster up two more wins over Bangladesh. Given […]
In politics the most effective leaders use both carrots and sticks. Carrots serve as enticements, sticks as a sort of tough love, a sign of strength and power. In Zimbabwe today, Robert Mugabe is not so subtle. Carrots and sticks serve as too mild of a metaphor for a man who is more inclined to […]
Nigeria is no stranger to Big Men. In that country they usually come from the military, are fond of coups, and do not relinquish power easily. So while it might be disquieting to hear that former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo tried to manipulate his country's power structure in last week's People's Democratic Party convention, held […]
If you are looking for something to browse during your weekend and were hoping that I might have posted something worthwhile, I’m sorry to disappoint. However, I might recommend that you check out the International Affairs Forum's extensive and useful coverage of Africa. That should keep you busy.
In order to rationalize and expand upon the Foreign Policy Association's coverage of Africa, the FPA has started a new blog with roots extending from the South Africa Blog. The Africa Blog will cover both continentwide issues as well as regional and country concerns. I will be the senior editor/blogger at the Africa blog while […]
I have been silent on the fiasco going on at the University of the Free State largely because some stories almost write their own commentary. Mix Afrikaner racism with white and black college students and the possibility of a combustible mix will be present. The Mail & Guardian's “Thought leader” has had a couple of […]
As of now I am moving my Zimbabwe coverage from the South Africa Blog to this Africa Blog. Even as outside observers continue to ask if Robert Mugabe can lose his race to maintain control over the country he has so dominated for nearly three decades, the wily old despot works to ensure that losing […]