The claim that democracy fares better in the West than in Africa is a mistake | STEVEN FRIEDMAN | One day, if they follow instructions, Africa’s new democracies will grow up to be “real” like those of Western Europe and North America. This assumption makes little sense – but it …
Read More »God and justice: Gay church prays for historic Kenya ruling
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | A lesbian church leader lights pink, yellow, and purple candles and passes them around to worshippers as they pray for a court decision that will mean they no longer have to live a lie. “The Lord is in control,” she says, as swaying congregants yell out “Victory!” and a musician …
Read More »Nigeria vote delay throws wedding plans into chaos
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Jude Ezeanyagu woke up last Saturday morning and texted guests the final reminders about his wedding the following week in Delta state, southern Nigeria. Then he got a reply. “My friend texted me back, ‘Have you not seen the news? They’ve shifted the elections’,” …
Read More »Nigerian president warns vote-riggers of ‘ruthless’ response
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari said Monday he had ordered the police and military to be “ruthless” with vote-riggers, as preparations were made for rescheduled elections. Presidential and parliamentary elections were put off just over five hours before polls were due to open on Saturday, causing widespread anger. New polls have …
Read More »DR Congo’s Tshisekedi holds coalition talks with Kabila
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | DR Congo’s recently elected president, Felix Tshisekedi, held talks on Sunday with his predecessor Joseph Kabila on forming a coalition government, a source in Kabila’s entourage told AFP. The talks would open the way to naming a prime minister who would form a coalition government to run the country, …
Read More »Nigeria counts cost of postponed presidential poll
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigerians on Sunday counted the cost of the last-minute postponement of presidential elections, with predictions the delay could lose the country billions of dollars. The streets of Lagos, the country’s sprawling commercial hub of more than 20 million people, were empty following disappointment and anger …
Read More »Kagame replaced by Egypt’s Abdel Fattah as AU heads of state meet in Addis
Kagame replaced by Egypt’s Abdel Fattah as AU heads of state meet in Addis President Yoweri Museveni arrived in Ethiopia’s capital of Addis Ababa on Feb.09 where African Union (AU) heads of State convened for a two day summit that saw Rwandan President Paul Kagame handle over the mantle to …
Read More »Nigeria’s presidential election: the main candidates
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s presidential election that has been postponed, will feature more than 70 candidates but it is ultimately expected to be a head-to-head between just two men. – Muhammadu Buhari (All Progressives Congress) – Buhari’s landmark 2015 election victory over Goodluck Jonathan was the first time …
Read More »Boko Haram kills eight in northeast Nigeria, militia says
Daura, Nigeria | AFP | Boko Haram insurgents killed eight people in Nigeria during an attack on the northeastern city of Maiduguri, a civilian militia leader said on Saturday. “We recovered a total of eight bodies of residents killed in the Boko Haram attack,” late on Friday, Haram Abba Aji-Kalli of the Civilian JTF militia …
Read More »Semenya says she is ‘unquestionably a woman’
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African 800m Olympic champion Caster Semenya on Thursday said she was “unquestionably a woman”, after the IAAF denied reports that it would argue that she should be classified as a biological male. Semenya, 28, issued the statement ahead of a landmark hearing at …
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