Africa

BBC World News: Africa
Is car insurance worth it?

8 Feb 2010 | 10:43 am

Vehicle insurance is becoming mandatory in Angola, costing on average $400 every year. Do you insure your car?
Africa malaria drugs 'low-grade'

8 Feb 2010 | 10:10 am

Many Africans with malaria are getting low-grade drugs, according to a study of Uganda, Senegal and Madagascar.
ICC rejects Darfur rebel charges

8 Feb 2010 | 10:07 am

The first Darfur war crimes suspect to face international judges has the charges against him dropped.
You the president

8 Feb 2010 | 9:10 am

Rice for the people - what would you do as leader?
Migrants saved from Gulf of Aden

8 Feb 2010 | 8:38 am

Somali fishermen save some 126 migrants who were reportedly forced into the sea at gunpoint by traffickers.

NYT: Africa
After Massacre, Guinea Sees Hope of Lifted Chains

By ADAM NOSSITER

8 Feb 2010 | 12:50 pm

A rare thing occurred in an area often given to autocracy: a peaceful transfer of power, months after a massacre.
Many in Ivory Coast May Be Left Out From Vote

By ADAM NOSSITER

8 Feb 2010 | 10:48 am

As it stumbles toward an election, the country is wrestling with the question of who is Ivorian in a country that once attracted millions of migrants.
South African President Apologizes for Illegitimate Child

By REUTERS

6 Feb 2010 | 9:26 pm

Critics said Jacob Zuma had set a bad example in a country with one of the world’s highest rates of H.I.V./AIDS.
World Briefing | Africa: Somalia: Danish Soldiers Foil Pirate Takeover

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

5 Feb 2010 | 11:05 pm

Danish special forces disrupted a takeover of a cargo ship by pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, in a maneuver rarely undertaken by NATO warships.
Somali Pirates Seize Libyan Vessel

By MARK McDONALD

4 Feb 2010 | 9:50 pm

A Libyan-owned merchant ship flying the North Korean flag has been hijacked by Somali prates in the Gulf of Aden, according to a naval coalition.

AfricaNews - RSS News
Ghana is second highest donor to Haiti

8 Feb 2010 | 5:38 am

Ghana has been noted as the second highest donor to Haiti after Guyana based on donor countries' Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Details of financial aid and other assistance to the people of Haiti being tracked by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) which was released recently by the Data Blog indicates. The Data blog…
Jacob Zuma: I'm sorry

8 Feb 2010 | 5:03 am

President Jacob Zuma has apologized to the nation for fathering a child out of wedlock with the daughter of soccer boss Irvin Khoza. There is great danger the scandal would overshadow his state of the nation speech on Thursday evening amid accusations that his administration is in a state of torpor. After vigorously defending himself, Zuma bowed to…
Libya: Court frees Swiss businessman

8 Feb 2010 | 12:14 am

A Libyan court has dropped a case against Swiss businessman Rashid Hamdani for alleged illegal business activities, his lawyer said on Sunday, a day after a colleague was fined over similar charges. Hamdani, who was also cleared last month of charges of overstaying his visa, was free to leave Libya where he has been stranded for one and a half years.…
Cameroon: Gov’t regulates bush meat trade

7 Feb 2010 | 6:55 pm

Wildlife conservationists in Cameroon have said, protected species are more endangered than ever before in that country. Experts say the continuing popularity of wildlife meat, or bush meat, is encouraging armed poachers to gun down hundreds of thousands of animals. But the government has introduced new initiatives to halt the illegal trade. From Cameroon’s…
Ethiopian troops cross into Somalia

7 Feb 2010 | 1:16 pm

Ethiopian troops have crossed back into the northern regions of Bakool and Hiiraan in Somalia, local residents said. This comes as Somali government vows fresh offensive against Islamist insurgents in the country. Residents in Elbarde and Yeed said they saw convey of Ethiopian troops accompanied by hundreds of Somali military trained in Ethiopia in…

Jamati Online
Happy “Feel Good” Monday Family

Prudence Chauke

8 Feb 2010 | 11:33 am

It is no secret that the American industry has and is embracing African artistry in a massive way and just this weekend I had a pleasant surprise of seeing one of Africa’s songstress, Lira’s hit single ” Feel Good” being played on VH1 Soul. The song is a very mellow, yet energy boosting, very motivational, smooth, jazzy tune that carries a profound message thatneeds to be heard in today’s growing forward society. This is an “excuses begone” kind of a song, the kind of a song that leads you into that hopeful place, no matter how big or deep your…
Lukando Nalungwe: The new Face of Africa

Prudence Chauke

8 Feb 2010 | 10:27 am

This past weekend, 22 year old Zambian born Lukando Nalungwe was crowned the 2010 new Face of Africa, held at the Eko Hotel Exhibition Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. Lukando out shined 10 other contestants to be the ultimate crown bearer and the winner of a modelling contract with “O” modelling agency, $50,000 dollars from MNET, $5,000 shopping spree from Zenith Bank and a chance of a life time to take part in the New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010. Congratulations to her, all the best!
Chris Deshield Opening For Melanie Fiona: Washington, DC

Saba Kennedy-Washington

8 Feb 2010 | 8:56 am

Liberia’s Own Chris Deshield – Opening For Melanie Fiona! BROAD STREET ENT, CAPITAL ICON, STOCKHOLM, MAURICE ROSE, & DEVLON PARIS Exclusively presents: “AN R&B LOVE AFFAIR” Come out to see Melanie Fiona performing her smash hit “If it Kills Me” , along with other songs on her debut album. UP AND COMING R&B SENSATION; *CHRIS DESHIELD* WILL OPEN THE SHOW; SO EARLY ARRIVAL IS A MUST! Contact AB Johnson: to purchase your tickets or use the code(bse101) if you are purchasing online @ www.capitalicon.com Contact Information: 678-908-5685…
Scarlet- A Valentine Art Exhibition: Ikeja, Nigeria

Seun

7 Feb 2010 | 3:44 am

Deji Ogunnubi -Art Strokes Presents A Valentine Art Exhibition “SCARLET” Saturday, February 13th,2010. Venue – Cheers Hotel, Allen Avenue Round-about,Ikeja,Lagos,Nigeria. Red Carpet (2:00PM – 4:00PM) Exhibition Opens (4:00PM – 7:00PM) Admission is Free RSVP – 08055211080 Experience the renaissance of Art.Experience Scarlet. Items on display- * Exotic creative valentine cards *Paintings and so on. Proudly supported by WOW Concepts Co.
African Screens:Celebrating The African Sense of Self Through Cinema

Seun

6 Feb 2010 | 9:17 am

From his passion for telling stories through cinema, Donald Dewale Omope, an accredited NUJ journalist, skilled photographer and filmmaker has co-established a first of it’s kind platform to celebrate the African Identity. As he points out in this interview with Jamati Entourage ‘Seun Johnson, his African Screens, an online film publication creates a forum for articulating ( in a robust discourse) the plurality of views. This platform facilitates a better understanding of Africans via cinema while garnering respect for African stories and her peoples. Jamati: Your…

Africa Business News
Microsoft launches Vista software in Amharic

6 Feb 2010 | 2:28 pm

US software giant Microsoft has launched Windows Vista in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia. "Launching the Amharic version software is a major step forward for Amharic to be a language of technology", Director of the Ethiopian ICT Development Agency (EICTDA), Debretsion Gebremichael has said. 40 scholars from the Addis Ababa University…
Stanchart Bank strikes deal with Chinese firm

4 Feb 2010 | 3:09 am

Standard Chartered Bank and China Unionpay have struck a deal that will enable Unionpay cardholders worldwide access the bank's ATM services in 20 countries in Africa. China has over the last decade become the world's largest investor into Africa, injecting billions of dollars in various projects across the continent. Analysts say no signal…
MCA spreads wings to Zambia, Malawi

4 Feb 2010 | 3:06 am

United States supported, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCA), has announced its plans to expand its operations in Africa as more countries meet democracy requirements. Africa, which accounts for about 70 percent of the corporation’s total funding of $5.2 billion, has 11 countries where so-called compacts, or programs, are underway. MCA…
I. Coast: Biggest market burnt down

1 Feb 2010 | 2:40 am

The biggest second hand market - 'Adjame Black Market' - in Abidjan, the capital city of Ivory Coast, was razed down early Saturday morning at about 5:00 am causing extensive damage to hundreds of shops where you can get textiles, clothes, computers, Freezers, mobile phones, building materials, carpentry and handcrafts. It is a sight visited…
Ethiopia: AU focus on hydro project

1 Feb 2010 | 2:31 am

Continued economic developments across the continent have necessitated the need to expedite the implementation of a massive hydro power project by the African Union (AU). The project dubbed ‘Hydropower 2020’ is an initiative of the African Union that seeks to increase power generation capacity for Africa and enhance socio-economic development…

Africa News Society
Ghana is second highest donor to Haiti

8 Feb 2010 | 5:38 am

Ghana has been noted as the second highest donor to Haiti after Guyana based on donor countries' Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Details of financial aid and other assistance to the people of Haiti being tracked by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) which was released recently by the Data Blog indicates. The Data blog…
Jacob Zuma: I'm sorry

8 Feb 2010 | 5:03 am

President Jacob Zuma has apologized to the nation for fathering a child out of wedlock with the daughter of soccer boss Irvin Khoza. There is great danger the scandal would overshadow his state of the nation speech on Thursday evening amid accusations that his administration is in a state of torpor. After vigorously defending himself, Zuma bowed to…
WC 2010: South Africa face Namibia

8 Feb 2010 | 1:29 am

World Cup host South Africa face off in an international friendly against Namibia at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on March 3, according to SAFA. The game will be part of the 100 Days celebrations before World Cup 2010 kicks off on June 11. It will be Bafana’s third game this year after they beat Swaziland 6-2 in a training match and then…
Libya: Court frees Swiss businessman

8 Feb 2010 | 12:14 am

A Libyan court has dropped a case against Swiss businessman Rashid Hamdani for alleged illegal business activities, his lawyer said on Sunday, a day after a colleague was fined over similar charges. Hamdani, who was also cleared last month of charges of overstaying his visa, was free to leave Libya where he has been stranded for one and a half years.…
Ethiopian troops cross into Somalia

7 Feb 2010 | 1:16 pm

Ethiopian troops have crossed back into the northern regions of Bakool and Hiiraan in Somalia, local residents said. This comes as Somali government vows fresh offensive against Islamist insurgents in the country. Residents in Elbarde and Yeed said they saw convey of Ethiopian troops accompanied by hundreds of Somali military trained in Ethiopia in…

Africa News Weblogs
17,000 migrants from the Horn of Africa to south every year

8 Feb 2010 | 2:04 pm

Replies: 0 Last poster: Muhyadin at 08-02-2010 23:04 Topic is Open At least 17,000 illegal migrants from the Horn of Africa flee their countries to South Africa every year, most of them transiting through Kenya, a senior U.N. official said on Monday. Tal Raviv, a regional programme officer at International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has?
ICC dismisses charges against Sudan rebel leader

8 Feb 2010 | 1:25 pm

Replies: 0 Last poster: Muhyadin at 08-02-2010 22:25 Topic is Open The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, Netherlands has dismissed war crimes charges against Sudan rebel leader Bahar Idriss Abu Garda on Monday. The rebel leader Bahar Idriss Abu Garda was accused of arranging the killing of 12 African Union peacekeepers in Darfur?
Egypt: Crack down on opposition

8 Feb 2010 | 1:17 pm

Replies: 0 Last poster: KingsleyKobo at 08-02-2010 22:17 Topic is Open Egyptian authorities have arrested thirteen senior members of the Islamist opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, Aljazeera Television reported on Monday. The organization's deputy leader, Mahmoud Ezzat, and two senior members Dr. Essam el-Erian and Abdul Rahman?
SOLAR POWERED MOBILE PHONE(part 2)

8 Feb 2010 | 8:18 am

Replies: 0 Last poster: AfricaNews editor at 08-02-2010 17:18 Topic is Open PERIS WAIRIMU--"My names are Antony Nthiga and am employed here to look after the farm... I was given this phone by my employer so as to reduce the pain of walking all the way to the market to have my phone charged. He bought this phone at a price of Ksh 2,999 and its?
Ghana: Village raises funds for development

8 Feb 2010 | 8:11 am

Replies: 0 Last poster: Francisca at 08-02-2010 17:11 Topic is Open In an interview with Togbe Yevuyibor, one of the elders and the grandson of the late Yevuyibor, he stated that the fund will be used in development like school, road, potable drinking water and electricity. Before the festival started, libation was poured and sacrifice was made to?

AfricanLoft
Sick President Yar’Adua to Hand Over Power to VP Goodluck Jonathan

Misi Coker

5 Feb 2010 | 12:07 pm

According to BBC news report today President Umaru Yar’Adua will write a letter handing over power to his Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan. The letter will inform the Senate that President Yar’Adua is on “medical vacation” which automatically enables Goodluck Jonathan to become the acting president. This is probably in response the nation’s cries for [...]
Should African Presidents Face American-Type Fine Comb Scrutiny?

Misi Coker

5 Feb 2010 | 7:22 am

Since President Obama took office in January 2009 he has encountered numerous attacks on seemingly trivial issues ranging from not being born in America to him not being black enough. In fact just yesterday the National Gay and Lesbian task force protested his attendance of the National Prayer Breakfast because the breakfast was hosted [...]
At Last Justice for Uzoma Okere

Misi Coker

2 Feb 2010 | 2:35 pm

Justice at last for Uzoma Okere after been brutually beaten by some naval officers simply because she didn't get out of the way on time for the Rear-Admiral Harry Arogundade's convoy.
President Jacob Zuma of South Africa Fathers 20th Child

Misi Coker

2 Feb 2010 | 8:20 am

Sixty-seven year old, President John Zuma of South Africa, a proud Zulu traditionalist, has finally managed to procreate a football team plus reserves all by himself. His latest offspring, a girl, was born to Sonono Khoza, 39 and the divorced daughter of his friend Irvin Khoza. By the way it so happens that [...]
Haiti: Contract with the Devil?

CareTaker

15 Jan 2010 | 10:19 pm

A jaw-dropping statement that puts Christianity in bad light: American televangelist Pat Robertson is at it again, he's made a bold claim, on TV, that that Haiti is cursed because it has a pact with the devil. Watch video...

Muti
How To Set Up MySQL Database Replication With SSL Encryption On Ubuntu 9.10

8 Feb 2010 | 5:36 pm
Bernard-Henri Lévy comes a cropper with fake philosopher

8 Feb 2010 | 4:02 pm
ADSL as low as R 10 per GB with split billing

8 Feb 2010 | 2:16 pm
Top Ten Most Difficult Jobs in the World

8 Feb 2010 | 11:23 am
Burj Khalifa, World's Tallest Tower, Closed A Month After Opening

8 Feb 2010 | 10:21 am

Muti
How To Set Up MySQL Database Replication With SSL Encryption On Ubuntu 9.10

8 Feb 2010 | 5:36 pm
Bernard-Henri Lévy comes a cropper with fake philosopher

8 Feb 2010 | 4:02 pm
ADSL as low as R 10 per GB with split billing

8 Feb 2010 | 2:16 pm
Top Ten Most Difficult Jobs in the World

8 Feb 2010 | 11:23 am
Burj Khalifa, World's Tallest Tower, Closed A Month After Opening

8 Feb 2010 | 10:21 am

Afrigator
نتيجة منتصف العام الدراسى 2009/2010 للمرحلة الابتدائية والمرحلة الاعدادية

الخوجة

8 Feb 2010 | 7:04 pm

2009/2010 ( ) 2009 - 2010---------- 2009-2010 --------- 2009/2010 --------- - - 2009/ 2010 ------ 2010 -------- 6 : 2009/2010 ----------- 2009-2010 ------------- 2009/2010 ------------ 2009/2010 ------- 2009/2010
Steps to Happiness

Beertjie "Hugs"

8 Feb 2010 | 6:33 pm

 Everybody Knows, You can't be all things to all people. You can't do all things at once. You can't do all things equally well. You can't do all things better than everyone else. Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's. So, You have to find out who you are, and be that. You have to decide what comes first, and do that. You have to discover your strengths, and use them. You have to learn not to compete with others, because no one else is in the contest of "being you". Then, You will have learned to…
Duur stokperdjie...

Thomas se Ramblings

8 Feb 2010 | 6:28 pm

Na aanleiding van Flenters se inskrywing oor visvang, die volgende storietjie: Koos besluit hy gaan begin visvang, koop dadelik die toerusting en sit af viswaters toe. Nà die uitstappie sit hy in die kroeg en bekla sy lot teenoor ‘n pellie. “Visvang is darem verskriklik duur,” sê hy. “Ek het R 1 000 vir ‘n visstok betaal, R 750 vir ‘n katrol en ‘n verdere R 500 vir al die ander los goed wat mens nodig het. En daar gaan vang ek net…
Tuesday - blert purr squeak

View from the sidE

8 Feb 2010 | 6:22 pm

Awakened just before the alarm by a silky little purr! Rather a sweet way to wake up. I had forgotten just how time consuming a kitten is. I last had a new kitten come into the house just after I got my first cell phone. Of course that’s not counting the kittens born in my home. They are so time consuming! You just have to sit and watch the antics, reach out an help them play with some toy you make move. The best toys at the moment are made from those things that look like large green pipe cleaners. Twisted around they are fun, except…
Catholic Relief Services, Kenya Program Jobs

Career Point Kenya

8 Feb 2010 | 6:18 pm

 Catholic Relief Services, Kenya Program is seeking candidates to fill the following positions; 1) Position: Partnership Support Officer(OVC/HCBC TCB Project ) Ref 2010/09 Location: Homa Bay Purpose: * To facilitate the implementation of the OVC/HCBC TCB project in Nyanza through partners. * The project covers HIV/AIDS impact mitigation through Home Based Care, orphan support, knowledge creation, de-stigmatization, BCC, VCT, ARV therapy, [...] This is a job summary.Please click on the job title…

AfriGadget
Recycling: From diving wetsuit to laptop bag

Juliana Rotich

1 Feb 2010 | 5:59 am

When Dipesh Pabari of Camps International sent me pictures of these laptop bags and bottle can holders, I just knew it would be something you AfriGadget fans would appreciate. The fact that discarded waste is converted to something very useful… Its definitely AfriGadget. I asked Sander Den Haring a few questions about these cool products. How did you begin your company? I was born in a small town called Hellevoetsluis in the Netherlands but only lived there till i was 5. At that point my family moved to Yanbu, Saudi Arabia where i grew up and ended up spending 16 years. Yanbu is an…
Motorized Bicycles in Nairobi

Erik Hersman

12 Jan 2010 | 9:28 am

I was driving down a street in Nairobi today and did a double-take when I saw a man standing by a motorized bicycle. One u-turn (of questionable legality) later and I was chatting with Samuel Magethe, a local carpenter who does house calls. Apparently, he usually carries his toolbox and wood supplies on the back of the bicycle, though he didn’t have them with him today. He has used the bike for 2 years and says that it’s a great help to him as he gets older and has problems with the hills. Motorized Bicycles in Kenya from WhiteAfrican on Vimeo. I talked with Samuel for a while and…
Flat parabolic mirror is not an oxymoron!

Paula Kahumbu

6 Jan 2010 | 6:40 am

Can a parabolic mirror be flat? Dominic Wanjihias latest invention may prove that this is the most efficient way of capturing solar energy. Everyone knows what a parabolic reflector is, right? It’s supposed to be a curved surface that collects energy by converging it towards a focus. Parabolic reflectors were invented a very long time ago and have been used in satellite dishes, spot lights and car headlights to name a few. They are also widely used for alternative energy projects to concentrate solar energy for heating and cooking. Dominic (designer of the flexible solar vest, the solar…
Video of home made bicycle repair tools and gadgets in Nairobi

Paula Kahumbu

11 Dec 2009 | 3:00 am

In Africa bicycle repair men can be found everywhere, from under a tree to in the local vegetable market, one of the best places to find African innovations. At the Karen market I met the charismatic Mohammed Makokha who proudly showed me two of his home made gadgets that are critical for his business. I’ve obviously been wasting my money in the bicycle stores.
Recycling car batteries in Rural Kenya

Paula Kahumbu

8 Dec 2009 | 12:01 am

Maina, Rhoda and little Winnie are a typical Kenyan family who live on the outskirts of Nairobi in an area that has no electricity. But they have solved the problem of getting the daily news When I visited their home I was impressed that despite the lack of electricity, Maina has come up with an innovative solution and is able to keep up with whats going on and listen to his favourite Kikuyu music all day long! Here’s a better look at the system – a second hand car battery hooked up directly to his radio The wiring is simple Fully charged the battery last 2 weeks. To recharge…

White African
Mobile Web East Africa – Stream

HASH

2 Feb 2010 | 10:45 pm

[I probably won't be able to keep this up all day, but I'll try to blog/stream what's happening here at Mobile Web East Africa as best I can. Refresh for updates] It’s day one of the Mobile Web East Africa conference in Nairobi. This is a new conference, started up in South Africa to great success, and now spreading to other regions of the continent. Paul Kukubo of the ICT Board Paul Kukubo, of the Kenya ICT Board, is talking about the future of tech in Kenya, and how the government’s aim is to be a major hub for technology in the region. Explaining how the changes in the industry…
Malili: Kenya’s Planned Technopolis

HASH

28 Jan 2010 | 1:52 am

I’ve had two meetings with Kenya’s Permanent Secretary Bitange Ndemo (Ministry of Information and Communications) in the last week. Both times a certain project kept coming up in the conversation. It’s called Malili – a 5,000 acre East African technopolis – a city built up for technology firms and it’s the Kenyan government’s way of creating a regional ICT brand. My first thought up on seeing the pictures: it looks like Dubai has come to Kenya. The Malili project is modeled off of other large technology and research parks around the world. One often…
iHub: Nairobi’s Tech Innovation Hub is Here!

HASH

25 Jan 2010 | 3:11 am

iHub – Nairobi’s Innovation Hub for the technology community – is here! It’s an open space for the technologists, investors, tech companies and hackers in the area. This space is a tech community facility with a focus on young entrepreneurs, web and mobile phone programmers and designers. It is part open community workspace (co-working), part investor and VC hub and part incubator. A number of us in the Nairobi tech community have been discussing the need for a physical nexus for the tech community here for a couple years, so it’s great to finally be so close to…
Working on Ushahidi’s Haiti Response

HASH

18 Jan 2010 | 7:25 am

Last Wednesday started out pretty normal for me. Then it stopped. The US-based members of the Ushahidi team informed me of the earthquake in Haiti, and then the madness began… 6 days later, what’s happened? Ushahidi is heavily involved in mapping and integrating crowdsourced information from Haiti into an aggregated map that is being used by both people on the ground who need help and those who can provide relief. Teams of volunteers in Kenya, Uganda and the US have been working to solidify the platform and make this effort work. Keep up-to-date in our Situation Room and our blog.
AfricaKnows: An African Photo Project

HASH

10 Jan 2010 | 3:07 am

Where do you go to find quality and *real* African pictures? How about the non-tourist ones, the ones that show everyday Africans, work places, bus stops and the lives of your neighbors? AfricaKnows is a new project by TED Fellows Josh Wanyama and Sheila Ochugboju. Their job: to tell a different story of Africa, through big pictures that let you see directly into the heart of African cities. “Africa Knows is about the challenges, triumphs, dreams and nightmares of being an African in a 21st century city that is straddling several revolutions at the same time; the technological…

Timbuktu Chronicles
Appeal of Peel

8 Feb 2010 | 5:53 am

In New Agriculturist:Rubbish and food waste dumped on the roadside is not only a health hazard for those living nearby, but also a wasted resource. Vegetable peel, fruit skins and other waste can be turned into animal feed, or even a source of fuel.More herephoto courtesy of New Agriculturist
BioChar contd.

7 Feb 2010 | 5:32 am

At Poptech founder of Re-Char Jason Aramburu on promise of BioChar:
Waistbeads

6 Feb 2010 | 4:39 am

Waist Beads by Swera "...uses large stones and various natural materials like shells, feathers, and bone and semi-precious stones..."Fatimata writes: In my country, Senegal, women start wearing them as babies, it is said to shape their waist...It has also a contraceptive power in some traditional cultures...As women, we enjoy them as a spice
Renewable Energy Ventures

5 Feb 2010 | 5:02 am

Afromusing spoke with Joseph Nganga whose:...company Renewable Energy Ventures (KE) currently a resells an innovative lighting solution called ‘The Solantern’. He was kind enough to give me a brief demo over lunch and I got to play a bit with a new solar device. It’s wonderful to see this device, because 2 years ago in Arusha we had a conversation about solar energy, gadgets, etc… I commend him for getting his business going, do look out for more collaborations from his company on a consumer guide for solar gadgets.Solantern from afromusing on Vimeo.
Faidherbia Fertiliser

4 Feb 2010 | 4:51 am

Georgina Smith writes about "...boosting soil fertility through planting of the nitrogen-fixing acacia tree, Faidherbia albida...":It may be counter-intuitive for farmers, but instead of ploughing a whole field, farmers are taught at field days and through farmer-led extension to dig small holes or "basins," about 25cm deep, 25cm wide and a metre apart...With the planting of F. albida every ten rows, conservation agriculture is complete. Unusually, the tree remains leafy during the dry season, thereby offering the crop some protection from intense sun, but sheds its leaves during the…

...My heart's in Accra
links for 2010-02-08

Ethan

8 Feb 2010 | 3:03 pm

Still Counting? 27 More Websites Opened in Xinjiang | Xinjiang: Far West China The internet in Xinjiang opens up a little bit… but as a constrained, whitelisted network. Is this the shape of things to come? Or specific to one of the more restive corners of China? (tags: internet censorship xinjiang china whitelist freespeech) Born Poor? | Santa Fe Reporter Interesting overview of Economist Sam Bowles on the need for American economic theory to consider inequality and build strategies that lessen it, otherwise we'll waste money on sectors of the economy which essentially exist to…
Geocaching: Augmenting Reality for Enhanced Serendipity

Ethan

1 Feb 2010 | 8:13 pm

We turned off the snowmobile tracks half a mile back, as they bent to the west and GPS pointed north to our destination. The trackless snow is knee-deep and I’m sweating as we push forward, one heavy footstep after another. 250 feet from destination. We scramble up a ridge, heading towards an outcropping of rocks beside a small stand of pine. 74 feet north by northeast. As we approach the largest of the rocks, the GPS reads “Arriving at destination”. One step ahead of me, Kris kneels down and extracts a box from a cavity behind the boulder. A nine-inch square tupperware…
Offline… yet again…

Ethan

1 Feb 2010 | 12:24 pm

Hi everyone. I’m going offline for about a month to recover from retinal surgery, which will take place tomorrow morning. I’ve had this surgery twice before – once in April 2008, and again in August 2009. This surgery is a repeat of August’s surgery, which was – unfortunately – not entirely successful, and I’ve continued to have vision problems with my left eye. There’s background on the procedure I’m having – vitrectomy – and the reasons I’m having the procedure in this blogpost here… and the success I had on the…
Yahoo!, Moniker: why is Mowjcamp.com still offline 6 weeks after hack attack?

Ethan

1 Feb 2010 | 6:19 am

UPDATE. Mowjcamp.com is back up! Friends at EFF were able to broker a conversation between Yahoo, Moniker, Melbourne IT and Access Now. The situation is complicated, and I’m still trying to understand the details of the resolution, but it’s fantastic news that the site is back up. Special thanks to friends at Yahoo! who ended up taking the brunt of the criticism for the downtime. That wasn’t fair, and was in part my fault for not understanding everyone’s role in the situation. Yahoo! worked extremely hard to resolve the situation after being called out and deserve…
Julie Cohen – Internet policy and human flourishing

Ethan

26 Jan 2010 | 9:05 pm

Professor Julie Cohen of Georgetown Law School is visiting at Harvard Law this year and working on a book, “Configuring the Network Self”. Speaking at Berkman today, she explains that she’s had two motivations to undertake this work – an understanding of information technology possibility framed through the idea of the “structural conditions of human flourishing”. One is a sense that discourse about IT policy (in the US – she distinguishes US from European disrouce) tends to use “grandiose language” about poicy choices for free speech and…

Bankelele
Mobile Web East Africa: Day Two

5 Feb 2010 | 6:21 am

Day 2 of the Mobile East Africa that was held in Nairobi Kenya on February 3 and 4 2010. John Karanja, Founder, Whive.com, a social media platform targeting East Africans and also a blogger (his blog) ran the day’s forums Erik Hersman Director of Operations, Ushahidi (his blog) spoke about exploring the social and political opportunities presented by mobile’s expansion - Ushahidi was born out
Mobile Web East Africa: Day One

3 Feb 2010 | 7:00 pm

The Mobile Web East Africa conference is taking place in Nairobi, Kenya on February 3 and 4 2010 TMS Ruge (twitter @TMSRuge), Co-Founder, Project Diaspora (which engages the Diaspora towards African development) ran all the panels for the day; He started at 8:30 AM with a mention on how he took the bus from Kampala to Nairobi, and everyone on board was using their mobile phone, some even with
Nairobi iHub

1 Feb 2010 | 6:47 am

Visiting the Nairobi iHub today with Erik (@whiteafrican), which you can read more about at his post. while enjoiying the freat view of Naiorbi from the roof, and I test the wireless network Emer of butterfly works we chat about: - Getting people do cool stuff - at this connection point where you’ll met people to enable you to get things done - Get better developers – The need to open more
Uchumi 2010 AGM

31 Jan 2010 | 11:10 pm

On 29th January 2010 shareholders of Uchumi Supermarkets [in receivership] held a meeting at the Kenyatta international conference centre KICC). It was not t really an annual general meeting as the Specialist receiver manger (SRM) Jonathan Ciano noted in his opening remarks. It was a meeting of shareholders, and he was a guest (angling to be CEO though). There is no board, but the reorganization
Farewell RVR

28 Jan 2010 | 6:42 am

So it’s now clear to all that the Rift Valley Railways era of managing the Kenya to Uganda RVR railway concession may end in the next few days. And it’s now apparent to many that Roy Puffett, the RVR Managing Director, was a conman, who conned two governments (Kenya and Uganda), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and PAC who brokered the deal. Running railways is not easy it seems and

Kenyan Pundit
Recent blog finds

Ory Okolloh

5 Feb 2010 | 5:57 am

EDIT: broken links fixed Have come up across some gems recently that I need to share (and yes I should get back to blogging myself, I know, I know). - Mo’dernity Mo’problems - Solo Kinshasa - This is Africa
TJRC Kenya is hiring

Ory Okolloh

10 Jan 2010 | 11:31 pm

[EDIT - Link is fixed]. The Truth and Justice Reconciliation Commission is hiring. See TJRC-positions_BW for details. Closing date for applications January 25th.
Another resource to help understand the draft Constitution

Ory Okolloh

15 Dec 2009 | 8:44 am

CRECO and others have helped together this helpful breakdown of what’s contained in the draft constitution – changes, principles behind the changes etc.
DC People – Githongo speaks at CSIS

Ory Okolloh

10 Dec 2009 | 1:45 pm

Prospects for Political Reform in Kenya a discussion with John Githongo Kenyan anti-corruption campaigner moderated by William M. Bellamy Director of the ACSS and former ambassador to Kenya Friday, December 18, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. B1 Conference Room Center for Strategic and International Studies 1800 K Street, NW Washington DC Fresh from a six-month tour of Kenya, John Githongo will offer his insights into the political, electoral and constitutional reform process in his country and gauge prospects for stability in the run-up to presidential elections in 2011. Please RSVP promptly to…
Generation Firimbi – Theater in the Park

Ory Okolloh

9 Dec 2009 | 3:58 am

When: December 12th and 13th, 2009 Where: August 7 Memorial Park near Railways What: “We are presenting a piece of work Generation Firimbi that will redefine theatre in East Africa. The project dubbed Theatre in the Park is a new non conventional theatre production. The production is a devised work on generation Firimbi (Whistles). This is a generation that fights so hard for so long to replace the filth and muck that has been a norm in third world Africa. There is a sigh of relief with the feeling of the dawn of a new world and signals of the determination to end these practices.

Oluniyi David Ajao
Sighting Mount Kilimanjaro

Oluniyi David Ajao

8 Feb 2010 | 4:41 am

We were cruising at an altitude of about 34,000 feet from the coastal town of Mombasa headed for Nairobi when the voice of the Kenya Airways pilot broke into the quietness of the flight. I took it to be another routine announcement but it turned out to be different: ‘…for those seated on the left side of the plane, if you look out through the window, you would see Mount Kilimanjaro…’ Mount Kilimanjaro, as seen from a flight between Mombasa and Nairobi. Photo by Oluniyi D. Ajao. “Kili-what? Did he say left side of the plane?” I wondered as I didn’t…
Mobile Web East Africa 2010 Photos

Oluniyi David Ajao

3 Feb 2010 | 12:20 am

Mobile Web East Africa 2010 conference photos. Click on the photos for a larger view. Some rights reserved. Related posts:Mobile Web East Africa 2010 for Nairobi Kenya Mobile Web East Africa takes place between 3rd and 4th... Kenya: Mobile Web East Africa 2010. Free MobileWorld magazines. Nairobi, Kenya – Mobile Web East Africa, an event that... MFA 2009: Maker Faire Africa 2009 Photos I managed to take over a 100 photos last Sunday...
Erik introduces iHub @ Skunkworks in Nairobi, Kenya

Oluniyi David Ajao

2 Feb 2010 | 10:49 pm

I was privileged to be at last night’s Skunkworks meeting. The 2-hour meeting held at KCCT Teleposta Towers focused on a new project aimed at physically bringing the tech community in Nairobi & environs together. The audience included staff from Kenyan Youth Fund, staff from Kenyan ICT Board, freelancers, application developers, 4 members of the iHub project, a journalist amongst others. Erik making a point @ Skunkworks where the discussion focused on iHub Erik of Ushaidi spoke at lenght about the new iHub project. The following were extracted from his answers to questions to the…
Kenya’s Tourism Industry is back & a trip to Nairobi National Park

Oluniyi David Ajao

2 Feb 2010 | 7:17 am

Kenya’s tourism industry is back at full steam with earnings from tourism back to where they were before the 2007-2008 Kenyan electoral crisis. I watched Kenya’s Tourism Minister, Najib Balala, confirm the growth in an NTV news report a few days ago. Information available from Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism website further confirms the sharp decline in 2008: In the year 2008, the tourism sector in Kenya recorded one of its worst performances ever in real terms. The dismal performance was mainly occasioned by the post election crisis and the subsequent travel bans from…
Akon – Oh Africa (feat. Keri Hilson)

Oluniyi David Ajao

2 Feb 2010 | 5:52 am

Music video by Akon performing Oh Africa. (C) 2009 Universal Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. and I.G. Records, Inc. Related posts:Akon’s Pot of Gold Towards the end of the year 2005, I came across... Why I blog about Africa I recently got tagged by a fellow blogger at “Nigerian... New TV Channel for Africa This is interesting. An AFP report: Africa is mulling setting...

Ideate
1 min. with a Superhero: Rich Mulholland from Missing Link

Fred

7 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pm

This morning, we’re chatting to the president of presentations, the svengali of slide shows, Richard Mulholland, the founder of Missing Link, a specialist conference and presentation strategy company. Richard has the unique job of telling CEOs what and how they should present. Rich, we hear through the grapevine that you used to be a rockstar roadie – is this true? Yeah, I was a lighting tech and designer, I toured with bands like Iron Maiden, Deff Leppard, Bon Jovi… and Cliff Richard (?!) Awesome. I’m trying to picture the mosh pit at the Cliff Richard concert. So, is it…
Introducing Gareth Cotten!

Yolandi

4 Feb 2010 | 12:07 am

We’re happy and excited to introduce our latest contributor to Ideate, Gareth Cotten – our own Finance Coach. Gareth will be supplying us with personal finance and business tips which will cover essential money-management techniques, practical ideas of how to save money; as well as business insights, ideas and suggestions. A few years ago, Gareth started coaching informally; mostly to other small business owners who approached him for advice. This lead to him start his Facebook page named “Finance Coach (by Gareth Cotten)” in 2008 which soon became an extremely popular source for…
New York Times Charging Readers For Online Content

Yolandi

3 Feb 2010 | 1:59 am

America’s most popular newspaper website has now decided that its era of free online journalism is drawing to a close. Now, what does this mean for the consumer and how could it affect the industry? I did some research on what people are saying about this and here’s what they think: The New York Times has plans to set up a paywall around its digital offerings which will be introduced in the beginning of 2011. Readers will be able to view only a specific number of online articles for free per month and there after pay for other content. Here’s what people have been commenting on a few…
SA online retailer holds Woolworths to ransom

Fred

2 Feb 2010 | 11:37 pm

I’m a huge fan of guerrilla marketing. As a business owner, I’m well aware of the limitations of marketing budgets and the ongoing quest to spot snappy marketing opportunities. And so, when I saw this from my colleagues over at Yuppiechef, I rubbed my hands in glee. I’ve been tweeting about it like crazy, but I think this deserves a dedicated article – here’s the story: Recently, Woolworths launched a Valentine’s competition and advertised the wrong website address on posters nation wide. (Skande! For a digital dude like me, that’s like arriving naked…
The missing link in web development and design

Mike Saunders

2 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pm

The internet is becoming one of the most competitive environments to market yourself in. Search engine optimisation has become mandatory in all web development projects and we now see the world turning to social media in the search for internet users. Now more than ever we need to differentiate ourselves online. We need to stand out and we need to be clear in our offering to our customers. The missing link in most website is focus. Without focus we simply confuse our audience and alienate ourselves from their desicion making process. Finding our focus online can be tough because we are afraid…

Black Looks
Interview with Haitian activist Rea Dol

Sokari

8 Feb 2010 | 9:24 am

Rea Dol is grassroots community organiser and founder of SOPUDEP school in Port-au-Prince. Shortly after the earthquake they had to abandon the school which was being used as a shelter due to the stench of dead bodies and sturtural damage which made the building unsafe. For the school to continue it will [...]
Henrietta Lacks: Stolen cells

Sokari

7 Feb 2010 | 8:27 am

I never heard of Henrietta Lacks until a few days ago. But I have heard of the Tuskeegee Experiment in which 399 Black men were used as clinical samples for studying the late stages of syphilis. The men who were poor sharecroppers from Alabama, where never told they had syphilis and [...]
Seun on Fela

Sokari

6 Feb 2010 | 10:23 am

After intensive pressure from members of the National Assembly, the media, trade unions, political activists and the Nigerian people, President Yar’Adua has agreed to hand over the Presidency to his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan. I think Fela would have loved this – the beginnings of “people power” in Nigeria – here Seun talks [...]
Death of a language & invasions of the mind

Sokari

5 Feb 2010 | 6:55 am

Boa Sr, the last speaker of Bo’, “one of the ten Great Andamanese languages has died”. The death of Boa Sr and the language she spoke is the end of 65,000 years of linguistic heritage and culture. It is estimated that a language dies every two weeks and by 2100 90% of languages of the [...]
Kampala – Uganda – “Desperate. Distraught”

Sokari

3 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

From Uganda, Gay Uganda reports on continuing police harassment and roundups of LGBT people – “knock on the door” Desperate. Distraught. Now, the knock early morning on the door. We say we shall run. But, what if we cannot run? We have family, jobs, businesses. We are normal human beings. Common Ugandans. What of when we [...]

Mike Stopforth
WirelessG Now Offering In-Flight Wi-Fi In SA

Mike

18 Jan 2010 | 3:22 am

The news is finally out and I’m as excited as a 5 year-old on Christmas eve! I’ve just received a press release from the fine folks at Emerging Media informing me that their client WirelessG will soon be offering in-flight wi-fi to sub-Saharan Africa. No more boring flights for me! Here is the release in it’s entirety: Sub-Saharan Africans will soon be able to connect to the Internet pretty-much anywhere they are – even while on a domestic or long-haul flight – thanks to a new technology announcement from WirelessG, the company behind SA’s first converged, pre-paid…
I’m Published! (In Dion Chang’s 2010 Flux Trends Review)

Mike

13 Nov 2009 | 2:25 am

Not only has Dion Chang forged an enviable reputation as one of South Africa’s leading fashion authorities but since breaking away from that industry and into trend forecasting and commentary a few years back, he and the brilliant team at Flux have set the benchmark in strategic thinking for the future of and in South Africa. At the launch of Dion’s 2010 Flux Trends Review earlier this month Toby Shapshak described him as the “best incarnation of Ghandi’s ‘be the change you want to see in the world’ mantra’, which is no mean compliment. So…
The Bookmark Awards – Be Big In Digital

Mike

13 Nov 2009 | 12:34 am

Earlier this year I wrote about how impressed I was with the RAMP foundation and their efforts regarding the 2009 Net Prophet conference. Considering that, and how blown away I was with the second annual Bookmark Awards evening held last night at Movida in Jozi, it’s clear that digital in South Africa is definitely growing up and competing with it’s print, TV and radio cousins for quality. From the high quality of the judging panel, to the evening’s entertainment (1st Project and the Dirty Skirts) to the really funky awards themselves, it really was a world class event. Huge…
Report Back On 27dinner Jozi Last Night

Mike

29 Sep 2009 | 4:23 am

Last night marked the 44th iteration of the 27dinner social networking movement, held at FTV in Village Walk. With the dinners reaching unparalleled popularity (numbers peaking at 170+ on the attendance list at 27dinner.com), it is becoming increasingly challenging to organise and execute an event that now has some pretty high expectations around it in the geek community. All that considered I thought Melody Maker, who has made the event her own, did a pretty awesome job. Thanks needs to go to eBucks who sponsored cocktails for all in attendance and gave an insightful talk on virtual…
Stubble, Poker And Perceptions

Mike

18 Sep 2009 | 1:47 am

Philips (and their PR company) are awesome. The consumer electronics brand has really rallied behind online advocates – fans of the brand – engaging them in innovative and exciting ways to promote positive brand sentiment. I have been invited to events ranging from an ‘iron-off’ (which I was pretty darn good at) to last night’s poker evening at Movida in Sunninghill, all offering me an opportunity to sample Philip’s new products and meet the people behind the brand. To promote their new range of mens and ladies shavers, Philips linked up with the very…

Afro Spear
“Haiti’s calamity the hypocrisy of African rulers” by Nkwazi N. Mhango

asabagna

8 Feb 2010 | 8:37 am

The world is still grappling with what happened in Haiti recently. On 12 January, 2010 Haiti was hit by a killer earthquake that left tens of thousands dead and millions either injured or their properties destroyed. After the quake struck, the world, led by US, was racing to Haiti to help the victims. This is a good thing indeed. However, some African countries used it to show their hypocrisy and disregards of their people and their constitutions. The first African country to chip in was Senegal. Whilst other countries were trying to bolster quake efforts, some African rulers displayed poor…
The Legacy of the Rastaman Vibration

asabagna

6 Feb 2010 | 12:19 pm

I’ve been vibing to Bob Marley all day, as sort of a tribute to the man and an acknowledgment of the influence of his music on my life. As I listen to song after song, it takes me back… waaay back to my yout’… growing up in Jamaica, coming to Canada, struggling through adolescence and young manhood… into adulthood… until today. Through the various stages, however I want to divide and define them, the music of Bob Marley has been there for me. There was a time when I listened to Bob everyday. He was the musical prophet who soothed my raging soul. Even…
sat’day riddymz

asabagna

6 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am

Happy Birthday Robert Nesta Marley! Born: Feb. 6th 1945 Rest In Peace!
On Liberal, Conservative and Other False Dichotomies

thefreeslave

31 Jan 2010 | 2:52 am

Black folks can’t afford to buy into phony paradigms – but we buy them by the carton just the same. I was reading a congratulatory blog post here on the ‘Spear, by a member of the Project 21 Group, re. the recent Massachusetts Senate election. One white Republican candidate “upset” a white Democratic candidate endorsed by President Barack “Goldmund Sachs” Obama. Conservative values won the day, drove a stake through the evil liberal administration’s heart according to this commentator’s observation. Having been screwed by both Republicans,…
sat’day riddymz

asabagna

30 Jan 2010 | 6:00 am

Meskel Square
"I am a British journalist"

aheavens

25 Jan 2010 | 8:18 am

A visiting friend recently left us with a copy of Chris Cleave's bestseller The Other Hand. I particularly enjoyed the following scene, in which the heroine, a Nigerian refugee, is deported back to Abuja accompanied by her friend, a women's magazine editor. The military police were waiting for me in a small room, wearing uniforms and gold-framed sunglasses. They could not arrest me because Sarah was with me. She would not leave my side. I am a British journalist, she said. Anything you do to this woman, I will report it. The military police were uncertain, so they called their commander. The…
Cultures collide in the Ethiopian blogosphere

aheavens

19 Jan 2010 | 7:36 am

What happens when cultures collide? One of the best places to find out is the Ethiopian blogosphere, with its writers spread across the Ethiopian Diaspora, from China, through Europe to the United States of America. Bloggers spent the past few weeks writing posts inspired by the differences between Ethiopia and the far-flung nations which many Ethiopians now call home. Zewge A. Assefa, the writer behind Negere Ethiopia, was unnerved when he first moved to Norway as a student. At first, he wrote in First impression is not always the lasting one, everyone seemed so quiet and reserved. When he…
Searching for reasons to be cheerful in Sudan

aheavens

9 Jan 2010 | 9:42 am

Only the most foolhardy commentator would dare to say anything optimistic about the coming year in Sudan, four months away from highly charged elections and 12 months from an explosive referendum on southern independence. So here goes — five reasons why Africa’s largest country might just manage to reach January 2011 without a return to catastrophe and bloody civil war, despite the worst predictions of most pundits. Oil Often the cause of conflict, oil could end up helping to prevent it in Sudan. The country’s oil industry, as it currently stands, only works when north and south Sudan…
Sudan leaders scuffle as time runs out for peace deal

aheavens

8 Dec 2009 | 4:18 am

It started with a small scuffle over a confiscated bag of protest banners outside Sudan's parliament. And it ended in confrontations between baton-wielding police and protesters on the dusty streets of Omdurman. At the finish, once the tear gas and protests leaflets had settled, just one victor emerged - in the propaganda stakes at least - the protesters from a loose alliance between south Sudan's dominant Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and mostly northern opposition parties. The SPLM and opposition groups called Monday's protest to urge north Sudan's dominant National Congress…
A slick visit to Darfur's red carpet camps

aheavens

25 Nov 2009 | 4:34 am

There was a time when visits to Darfur were uncertain affairs, fraught with danger. These days - as long as you travel with the right people and stick strictly to the right route - they can be as comfortable as a coach trip. The African Union delegation plane touched down in El Fasher, North Darfur's capital, at 9.35 a.m. on Tuesday. We were on the bus heading back to the airstrip at 4.40 p.m. In between, the members of the African Union's peace and security council visited the governor's walled-in compound, where ambassadors watched tribal dancing and a PowerPoint presentation (complete with…

South Africa Rocks
AD:DYNAMO: FREE Digital Marketing Seminars

Nic Haralambous

4 Feb 2010 | 12:40 am

17th February 2010 in Cape Town, at the CTICC – to register visit http://www.addynamo.com Seminar Line Up: 9am-12pm: Advertisers: The Digital Marketplace…and the role contextual Pay Per Click advertising plays Speakers Katherine McChesney (Habari Media), Sean Riley (CEO of AD:DYNAMO) Feb 17th, CTICC Rm#160 Gain a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of digital marketing. The seminar is suited to businesses wanting to manage their own digital marketing initiatives, and to any advertising or marketing executive looking to beef up on the industry, terminology, trends and digital…
Support a good cause and win a celebrity dinner

Nic Haralambous

1 Feb 2010 | 12:43 am

That’s correct, not only can you do good for Africa but there is a little incentive in it for you too! You can win a celebrity dinner if you simply enter the Breadline Celeb competition. Breadline Africa, a local charity that believes in giving a hand-up not a hand-out, wants to take you out to dinner with one of your favourite local celebs. All you need to do is to make a small, or big, donation towards alleviating poverty in Africa and you could win an evening out with Just Jinjer, Heinz Winckler, Sasha Martinengo or 94.7 Highveld Stereo’s Bailey Schneider. The competition runs from…
South African ads from the 80’s – FLASHBACK

Nic Haralambous

31 Jan 2010 | 11:32 pm

This is insane. I can actually remember most of these adverts. Can you? Thanks to @buge for the heads up!Similar Posts: Should political parties be allowed to advertise? Blast from the past Mnet gets innovative in the dark My eTV debut with thanks to SA Rocks! It starts with you – new ad for South Africa
South Africans to become most protected consumers in the world

Nic Haralambous

25 Jan 2010 | 1:03 am

This post was written by Sikelelwa Gogo. It’s a New Year and South Africa is abuzz with excitement about all the impending changes coming our way – everything from the Guatrain to the World Cup. These 2 events alone are going to have a huge impact on socio-economic landscape. General South Africans, and businesses alike are looking for opportunities everywhere. But whether we strike it lucky or not, there are huge changes coming which will make all of us happy regardless. On the legal front, there are exciting legal and policy changes that will have a positive affect on us all. I want…
Customer Service Compliments to kick off 2010

Nic Haralambous

20 Jan 2010 | 11:00 pm

Most of us take a couple of days to dust away the cobwebs and get back into the swing of things after the festive season madness. The same often applies for suppliers and retailers, so it’s great to read a stream of compliments on the getclosure! website about SA suppliers that are already on the ball in terms of customer service (see below). In line with the Don’t Complain Campaign, remember that suppliers need your feedback to improve their service – if you’ve experienced great service, click here to share your story and it will be published in the getclosure compliments section;…

Ladybrille® Blog
Sade Soldier of Love Album Giveaway!!!

Ladybrille.com

4 Feb 2010 | 8:15 am

http://www.ladybrillemag.com/2010/02/sade-soldier-of-love-album-giveaway-for-2-lucky-ladybrillemag-com-readers.html Visit us for the full story! Also be sure to check Ladybrille Magazine at http://ladybrillemag.com for stories on Africa fashion,film, music and the arts!
Ladybrille Media Partners with World Diversity Leadership Summit-Europe 2010

Ladybrille.com

27 Jan 2010 | 12:15 am

Ladybrille Media Group, Inc. Partners with the World Diversity Leadership Summit, Europe-2010, a summit which brings global diversity CEOs, organizations and thought leaders to discuss 21st century... Visit us for the full story! Also be sure to check Ladybrille Magazine at http://ladybrillemag.com for stories on Africa fashion,film, music and the arts!
Chip in for Korto- New York Fashion Week Feb. 15th 2010 Show

Ladybrille.com

20 Jan 2010 | 2:38 pm

Hello Friends!Thank you for your continued support throughout 2009, and here’s to a great 2010! During the past year, I couldn’t have launched my online store, showcased my designs nationwide, or... Visit us for the full story! Also be sure to check Ladybrille Magazine at http://ladybrillemag.com for stories on Africa fashion,film, music and the arts!
Project Runway's Korto Momolu Partners with Dillard's to Design a Line of Signature Handbags

Ladybrille.com

20 Jan 2010 | 9:32 am

Project Runway's Korto Momolu Partners with Dillard's to Design a Line of Signature Handbags and Jewelry Scheduled to Launch February 2010.In-Store Appearances Planned For February and March in Major... Visit us for the full story! Also be sure to check Ladybrille Magazine at http://ladybrillemag.com for stories on Africa fashion,film, music and the arts!
Macy's "Celebrates You" This Black History Month

Ladybrille.com

20 Jan 2010 | 8:58 am

NEW YORK, Jan 19, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- This February, in celebration of the remarkable contributions made by African-Americans, Macy's commemorates Black History Month with special events that... Visit us for the full story! Also be sure to check Ladybrille Magazine at http://ladybrillemag.com for stories on Africa fashion,film, music and the arts!

Annansi Chronicles
Kenya’s first Sci-Fi film hits Sundance

kofi

3 Feb 2010 | 12:57 pm

Made by writer/director Wanuri Kahiu, Kenya’s first science fiction film to hit Sundance, Pumzi, takes place “thirty-five years after World War III, the “Water War,” and tells the story of a woman from East Africa who flees an enclosed community in hopes of once again restoring life outside its walls. The film which screened last month at the Sundance Film Festival was made with grant money from Focus Features’ Africa First short film program, the Goethe Institut, and the Changamoto arts fund, and was part of the festival’s New African Cinema program. Like recent…
Video: “Warm Heart of Africa” The Very Best ft Ezra Koenig

Kofi

28 Jan 2010 | 2:40 pm

If you haven’t already heard of the group The Very Best, here’s your introduction. Made up of British production duo Radioclit and Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya, the group’s October 2009 release “Warm Heart of Africa” features guest appearances from M.I.A. and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and is a must listen. Singer Esau Mwamwaya who sings in Chichewa, Swahili, Portuguese, and English on the album is one to watch for 2010. via highsnobiety Video: “Warm Heart of Africa” The Very Best ft Ezra Koenig is a post from Annansi Chronicles - African business and…
Top 6 African business and culture trends to watch in 2010

kofi

31 Dec 2009 | 8:10 am

If, like me, you’ve been watching people and events surrounding Africa in mainstream and non-mainstream news, you’ll know that 2009 was a big year for Africa, From President Obama’s visit, to the new fiber-optic cable in Kenya, there was a lot of president-setting efforts going on in Africa. While there were the instances of political unrest, in all I think African countries had one of the better years. Looking forward to 2010, Africa seems in line to be put through some vigorous tests, From politics to agriculture and technology, in 2010 Africa will be challenged to show…
Video: Nigeria’s Brain Gain

kofi

9 Dec 2009 | 7:59 am

If you can’t see the video above click here. Video: Nigeria’s Brain Gain is a post from Annansi Chronicles - African business and culture trends “Africa:The Next Chapter” videos premiereDesigner Ozwald Boateng on dressing President Obama and his Made in Africa wealth initiativeGrowing middle class and Africa’s demographic opportunityForget aid and money, Africa needs IDEAS!The Paris Hilton effect on Africa’s developmentWho’s doing business in Africa?, Trade Forum Magazine updateHip-hop’s African ancestry at Odyssey AwardsAfrica’s next…
FELA! musical hits Broadway with rave reviews

kofi

7 Dec 2009 | 6:59 am

If you haven’t already heard FELA! The Musical has opened on the Broadway in New York City. For many people, myself included, this marks a milestone in African culture’s rise to global recognition. Nigerian musician and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti has been an major inspiration for many young Africans looking to re-define what it means to be African in the West. Ever the African icon, Fela’s music and ideas have been at the cornerstone of the growing Afropolitan culture in New York and other metropolitan areas around the world. He has inspired many creative expressions of…

matthewbuckland.com
Stopshop: A tale of exceptionally good service

matt

2 Feb 2010 | 1:22 pm

It’s an unfortunate fact that bloggers/consumers/people rarely write about their good experiences when it comes to service. Maybe it’s because we expect it should be the norm. Maybe it’s because we don’t get good service that often. Maybe it’s just that bad service motivates us to write in that single moment of frustration in the [...] Click on headline link to visit matthewbuckland.com for full article
Information hierarchy: The news pyramid in the social media age

matt

26 Jan 2010 | 1:04 am

Credibility and trust are the key issues in today’s information(overload) age where news emanates from multiple sources, including sources other than journalists. More so than ever, news is also real-time and unrelenting: there’s lots of it. Here, below, I created this pyramid which helps demonstrate news hierarchy and flow in the social media age. It proposes [...] Click on headline link to visit matthewbuckland.com for full article
Le Web 2009, Day 2: The good, the bad and the vacuous

matt

10 Dec 2009 | 8:44 am

For day two of Le Web, this Travelling Geek went to one of the side rooms for the “deep discussion” session. There was the word “future” in quite a few of the session titles, which caught my attention. Analyst Jeremiah Owyang gave an interesting talk, making provocative, juicy statements like the real-time seems “so yesterday” and [...] Click on headline link to visit matthewbuckland.com for full article
Startups of Le Web 2009, Paris

matt

10 Dec 2009 | 7:11 am

The winner of the Le Web Startup competition was announced as Stribe — it’s a plug & play application that turns your site into a social network (not too dissimilar from the Hub actually). The runners up were CloudSplit and Mendeley. The other startups that entered the competition included: • CloudSplit • FitnessKeeper • FriendBinder • Kukunu • Mendeley • Shutl • Siteheart [...] Click on headline link to visit matthewbuckland.com for full article
Le Web: Chris Pirillo's pillars of community

matt

9 Dec 2009 | 6:29 am

Chris Pirillo, founder of Lockergnome, is a philosophical and passionate person. He’s a humble guy and a funny, engaging speaker. He’s someone who loves technology, community and gadgets — and is a great speaker. At Le Web he gave us some original thoughts about “community”. It’s a bit fluffy (and if you’re a cynic, you [...] Click on headline link to visit matthewbuckland.com for full article

Global Voices Online: Sub-Saharan Africa
Opposition Mounts over Tanzania and Zambia Ivory Proposals to CITES

Samuel Maina

7 Feb 2010 | 5:43 am

Broken elephant tusk found in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, by Terry FeuerbornOpposition is mounting against Zambia's and Tanzania's proposals to be allowed by CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to sell their government held ivory stockpiles. With Kenya being the perennial opposition for any trade in ivory, it is no surprise that most opposition is coming from conservation groups in this country. Additionally, Kenya has renewed their push to have a 20 year moratorium on the sale of ivory after this same proposal resulted in…
As Liberia stabilizes, youth begin to talk about sex

John Liebhardt

3 Feb 2010 | 7:28 am

“I want all other children born in Liberia- and the world- to lead full lives free of pain and filled with the blossoms of love, like mine,” writes Mahmud Johnson at the blog for the youth-oriented HIV/AIDS group Global 40 Forum. He is an 18-year old former co-host of the Liberian youth radio show, “Let’s Talk About Sex”, which deals with issues relating to the spread of HIV/AIDS and pregnancy prevention. Liberia is gradually transitioning from the nearly 15 years of intermittent civil war that ended in 2003 and moving towards mainstream development. The barriers that remain…
Egypt: We Are The Champions

Tarek Amr

2 Feb 2010 | 9:57 pm

The Egyptian football team beat Ghana in the African Cup of Nations' final match, and achieved its third consecutive championship. This is also Egypt's seventh championship since the launch of the tournament in the 50's. Bloggers join the rest of the country in celebrating the achievement. Zeinobia wrote here about the Egyptian victory saying: We played a good game against Ghana, and at the end fate made Gedo the reason of making nearly 80 million Egyptian happy around the globe, uniting them in a very rare occasion regardless of its psychological meaning or political meaning or…
Africa: On Homophobia in Africa

Ndesanjo Macha

29 Jan 2010 | 4:01 am

Responses to Homophobia in Africa by Sokari: “I’m writing this post in response to number of articles on the prevalence of homophobia in Africa and to try and give some perspective and historical context.”
Africa:Mocality: Business directory for mobile phone

Ndesanjo Macha

29 Jan 2010 | 3:52 am

Mkaigwa writes about Mocality, Africa's business directory for mobile phone.

Mara Triangle Blog
Morani tracks three poachers.

William

1 Feb 2010 | 10:37 pm

On 27th January 2010, we had another deployment to track poachers across Mara river at a place known as Ingira. It was indeed a very good track that was least contaminated and the handlers carried MORANI across the river to start the track. The drive of the dog was very high and we tracked for a distance of about 3km when the dog made a clean find of three poachers. we arrested them . I congratulated Morani and all the handlers plus the rangers for a job well done. our training program is going on very well. Memusi had a small swelling on the shoulder following a vaccine injection. the…
New Year Update from AKTF/Care for the Wild Team

William

16 Jan 2010 | 3:51 am

Care for the Wild/Anne Kent Taylor Scouts work closely with Mara Conservancy rangers inside the Mara Triangle and also in the areas bordering the reserve. This is an update from Elias Kamande, Field Coordinator: The team is still going on with the patrols in the Mara triangle and the adjacent wildlife areas. We would like to report that wildlife habitat is diminishing in a very alarming rate due to the land clearance, logging and charcoal burning. Many hard wood trees are destroyed every day in the tune of clearing the land for maize fields. Few metres along the Oloololo escarpment is now…
Born Free Most Responsible Safari Guide 2009

William

22 Nov 2009 | 9:12 pm

Applications are now open for the Born Free Responsible Guiding Award 2009. The award is again sponsored by the international wildlife conservation charity, and long-term friend of Kenya, the Born Free Foundation, demonstrating this organisation’s continued commitment to wildlife conservation in the Masai Mara. We would also like to thank Robin Pope Safaris, Norman Carr Safaris and Flatdog's Camp for hosting the winning guide during his trip to Zambia. Launched last year, this prestigious award is the first of it’s kind in Kenya and is a collaboration…
Welcome Back Sergeant Kerua

William

20 Nov 2009 | 10:47 pm

Sergeant Kerua Today. On the 18th August, at 10am, Sergeant Kerua with the rangers from Iseiya was on an Anti-Poaching patrol. As they were traversing through one of the thickets, Sergeant Kerua came upon a lone male buffalo hidden in the bushes. The buffalo jumped up and charged Sergeant Kerua and, with no time to react, Sergeant Kerua was cut in the right thigh by the horns and thrown into the air, he was then struck a second time, tearing open his stomach. Kerua was immediately taken to Serena Hotel and was treated by Leonard Nyaga who works in the clinic at Serena. As…
Update from Kamande on Work of Care for the Wild/AKT Scouts

William

18 Nov 2009 | 10:42 pm

Care for the Wild/Anne Kent Taylor Scouts work closely with Mara Conservancy rangers inside the Mara Triangle and also in the areas bordering the reserve. This is an update from Elias Kamande, Field Coordinator: The team and Mara Conservancy rangers patrolled various places adjacent to the Mara Triangle. Most of these places are still in danger as the poachers are still roaming and killing our wildlife during the night. Dead elephant killed by poachers. The hide & seek game is the order of the day although arrests are still made almost every month. Poachers are still getting new…

The Zambian
Chola Mukanga - Feb 06,2010

JamesMwape

6 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

Please, join us as we host Cho discussing "Traditional Leadership and Development" The idea for this show is to explore the role of chiefs in political, social and economic life of Zambia e.g. historic role of chiefs, land issues, and what role if any in politics and in spearheading economic recovery. Chola Mukanga | Chiefs | Zambia | Leadership | James Mwape...(read more)
Emmanuel Sakala - Feb 06,2010

JamesMwape

6 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am

Pastor Emmanuel Sakala of Mufulira, Zambia share the secrets to having a long lasting, loving and enjoyable marriage. He explains that inspite of the recent assaults on traditional marriages, the institution of marriage will prevail. Emmanuel Sakala | Marriage | Love | Zambia | James Mwape...(read more)
Zambia’s unsung Afcon star

Zamfoot

6 Feb 2010 | 2:11 am

by Augustine Mukoka, The Post Newspaper SO Egypt are the African champions again? Not only once but in three successive editions. And that’s on a continent with 51 other countries. Maybe five of the countries – Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria, Nigeria and Cameroon – had exhausted their ammunition on World Cup campaigns. The rest dipped their efforts [...]...(read more)
Njobvu on target

Zamfoot

5 Feb 2010 | 11:15 am

International midfielder William Njobvu became the first Zambian player abroad to score a club goal in 2010 after he opened the scores for Israeli second tier side Hapoel Shmonne Kiyrat’s 4-2 win Hapoel Jerusalem. The 22 year old midfielder got his goal four minutes after the hour mark in his first game after returning from International [...]...(read more)
Who is Zambia’s best coach in the last 14 years?

Zamfoot

5 Feb 2010 | 2:20 am

by Dinamo, WHO IS ZAMBIA’S BEST COACH IN THE LAST 14 YEARS??? After Zambia’s passage to the quarter finals at the 2010 AFCON in Angola for the first time in the last 14 years, there has been a lot of talk on the performance of Herve Renard and some pundits have argued that the French gaffer [...]...(read more)

Appfrica» Appfrica | Ideas, Development, Data and Design.
About the Appfrica Labs Fellows Program

Jon

31 Jan 2010 | 7:12 am

The Appfrica Labs office has an open door policy, encouraging people of all cultures, creeds and nationalities to work with us. It’s often the case that people who come to Kampala just need some space with an internet connection and a few friendly faces to help them get their work done. Over the past year, we’ve hosted a number of people who’ve fit into this category, but a few individuals have taken it upon themselves to really get involved and actually work with us. A few months ago I formalized this nature of the company as the Appfrica Fellows program. The mission of…
The Apple Tablet’s Role in Emerging Markets

Jon

27 Jan 2010 | 10:42 pm

At a little more than double the price of the One Laptop Per Child’s XO-1 and equal in price to nearly every decent netbook on the market, the Apple Tablet has been announced and it’s entry level price is only $499. It’s certainly cheaper than most full fledged laptops making it a not-so-luxury choice for Mac fans across Africa. Principal Analyst Julien Blin of JBB Research feels differently: While Apple is set to experience strong success in developed markets such as North America, Western Europe, and Japan, it is likely to have almost zero impact on emerging markets like…
Unicorns Happen: Apple Tablet, Zune Phone

Jon

27 Jan 2010 | 4:14 am

The internet has a complex. Sometimes we want things to exist so bad that we, the public, simply hang on to any shred of potential evidence that points to their existence. The tech community calls these beasts ‘unicorns‘, items that would be magnificent if they did exist but theres simply not enough proof. Case in point, for the last FOUR years I’ve been reading rumors about an Apple Tablet. Enough time for a high school senior to, read the rumor, go to college, graduate, get a job at Apple, find out it doesn’t exist only to find himself working on the development team…
The Open Source Embargo

Jon

26 Jan 2010 | 10:17 am

Or “Separate but Equal hits the Open Source Community”. I wrote a blog post a while back about location based profiling on the web. Many websites do it, particularly television and movie sites and financially sensitive websites. The reasoning I can often gather from looking at the terms of service and other language is that these sites are simply trying to ‘protect’ their users who happen to usually be primarily North American or European. They can’t rely on foreign authorities to police the hackers, phishers, and scammers coming from those countries, and since…
Microformats for Macroevents

Jon

20 Jan 2010 | 10:32 am

Around two years ago I had the pleasure of meeting some of Silicon Valley’s brightest developers for a conversation on microformat open standards. Among this group was Tantek Çelik, a member of microformats.org and one of the early contributors to the open standard for hcards and vcards. At the time, I was interested in micro-formats as part of the next evolution of web applications, it was only recently that I began to see the need for micro-formats that could be applied to more urgent real-world scenarios. While developing Haiti Tracker at Ushahidi, I discovered two new sets of open…

naijablog
When owambe styling goes ragga...

8 Feb 2010 | 9:38 am

I think these ladies are related to Mr. SG, or have some knowledge of him...
CODER Nigeria

6 Feb 2010 | 5:38 am

I love this: yoking the surging desire for genuine democracy (via electoral reform) in Nigeria with web 2.0. The genie is out of the bottle..
On hausa literature

6 Feb 2010 | 1:42 am

Carmen McCain gave an excellent talk on hausa fiction last night at an ANA Abuja event. Although she grew up in Jos, she wasn't aware until a few years ago of the vast body of popular fiction written in hausa. She is now on the way to becoming an expert in the field, via a PhD she is completing at the University of Wisconsin.Her talk reviewed some of the more popular works, which can sell into the hundreds of thousands of copies. As publishers, we could only listen with envy. The majority of the writers are women, although the nature of northern culture means that they women writers get less…
Riazat Butt on Soyinka's cesspit...

5 Feb 2010 | 8:19 am

Here.
Talk with Funmi..

5 Feb 2010 | 1:06 am

Starts this Sunday on Africa Magic at 7pm. Here.

Africa Unchained
France retreats from Africa?

8 Feb 2010 | 4:39 am

In LRB Stephen Smith writes about France's slow withdrawal from its erstwhile colonies:It’s hard to date the death of Françafrique precisely: the exquisite corpse still haunts many minds, and ghost stories are a lucrative business. Even so, three events in 1994 adumbrated the end: the (unprecedented) devaluation of the CFA franc and with it the crumbling of the monetary wall around the Franco-African enclave economy; the genocide in Rwanda, which left blood on the hands of Africa’s gendarme (having failed to understand a country outside its historical zone of influence, France had thrown…
The Failings of the Nation-State

7 Feb 2010 | 5:17 am

In Pambazuka Amira Kheir writes:Perhaps it is time we re-examine the dilemma of African statehood through a different prism – as a crisis of inheritance rather than a crisis of capability. And by inheritance I am not predictably alluding to colonial legacy, rather to a very specific transition that occurred in the decolonisation era. While one is not independent of the other, pursuing a deterministic approach to the current status quo – one governed by cause and consequence, and not by simplistic notions of ‘nature’ – is perhaps where our answer lies.More precisely, what I am…
Confronting the Legacy of Torture

6 Feb 2010 | 5:38 am

At Poptech Paul Van Zyl, contends that America must "openly and publicly” confront human rights abuses:
JK Rowling: The fringe benefits of failure

5 Feb 2010 | 4:52 am

JK Rowling's 2008 Harvard commencement address:J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.
Benin Moat Foundation

4 Feb 2010 | 5:28 am

The Benin Moats (Iya) have been described as "a complex system of moats and ramparts spread over some 6,500 square kilometers". The aims of the Benin Moat Foundation are to:Restore the integrity of the moats integrate them into park systems for tourism. Find the sites of the Nine Gateways into old Benin and in each, acquire land large enough for buildings for the needs of history, relaxation, transportation and tourism.Do the utmost to realize the moats’ tourism potential for Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria and the World.Work to find the moats their respected, permanent and revered places,…

Jamati Online » Columnists
Staying in shape with Evans Amoako

Ameyaw Debrah

21 Jan 2010 | 5:51 am

Budding US-based Ghanaian fitness and sports model, Evans Amoako is committed to working hard, staying in shape and becoming one of the best fitness models out of Africa. Born in Ghana, Evans was always very passionate about sports. It is therefore no surprise that at age 24 he has been involved in college cross-country, track & field as well as soccer. He has been working out for nine years with dreams of becoming a fitness and sports model, drawing inspiration from fellow models, Obi Obadike and Sebastian Siegel. Evans Amoako His love for fitness and sports began during his school years…
Fresh and chic, KNAF Couture

Ameyaw Debrah

20 Jan 2010 | 7:22 pm

Young talented budding fashion designer, Kayda Nana Afriyie Frimpong is gradually making her KNAF Couture clothing line a household name in Ghana and eventually across the continent. As a graduate of the International Academy of Design with a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design, Afriyie’s highly stylish, custom-made and original clothes are designed to accentuate the female figure; and to compliment the male build or to make them look twice at any woman wearing the signature piece. Knaf Coutoure Afriyie is a complete fashion talent; she sketches, drapes, makes her own patterns and sews.
Ghana movie industry gets Ghallygold Awards

Ameyaw Debrah

19 Jan 2010 | 6:47 pm

The Ghanaian movie industry, Ghallywood, recently received a boast with the launch of GhallyGold awards that would honour excellence in that industry. GhallyGold Statue The launch was characterized by well structured presentations on the history of film (movies) in Ghana; the spokes of the industry and the role each of them play or have to play in moving the industry forward; as well as projecting excellence in the industry. A symbolic statuette of a performer standing on a base with 5 divisions, holding a sphere with a film roll and an Adinkra symbol (Nsaa) up in his hands, was also…
Hakeem Kae-Kazim shoots new film in Nigeria

Ameyaw Debrah

11 Jan 2010 | 6:19 pm

Hakeem Kae-Kazim who is known for Hollywood blockbusters like ‘X Men Origins: Wolverine’, The Fourth Kind and Hotel Rwanda, is back in his home country of Nigeria filming his latest flick ‘Inale’. Hakeem Kae-Kazim Hollywood actor Hakeem Kae-Kazim rose to fame playing George Rutuganda opposite Don Cheadle in the oscar nominated ‘Hotel Rwanda’. It wasn’t long before he played in amazing films like ‘The Librarian’, ‘King Soloman’s Mines‘ and the family favourite ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and the hit TV show ‘24’. This award-winning actor…
Meet producer Selasi ‘The African Kid’ Duse

Ameyaw Debrah

7 Dec 2009 | 12:00 am

Atlanta-based, Ghana-born Selasi Duse is a musical talent well noticed for incorporating a lot of diversity into his music. Now sporting the Moniker ‘The African Kid’, Selasi traveled all over Africa as a child, setting foot everywhere, from Cameroon to Nigeria, and Malawi to South Africa. His journeys around the world enabled him to pick up different music influences, and he incorporates a lot of elements from these cultures in his work. Selasi Duce Selasi first discovered his love for music when he saw a band playing at church. As a self-taught musician, Selasi started playing the drums…

Mara Triangle Blog
Morani tracks three poachers.

William

1 Feb 2010 | 10:37 pm

On 27th January 2010, we had another deployment to track poachers across Mara river at a place known as Ingira. It was indeed a very good track that was least contaminated and the handlers carried MORANI across the river to start the track. The drive of the dog was very high and we tracked for a distance of about 3km when the dog made a clean find of three poachers. we arrested them . I congratulated Morani and all the handlers plus the rangers for a job well done. our training program is going on very well. Memusi had a small swelling on the shoulder following a vaccine injection. the…
New Year Update from AKTF/Care for the Wild Team

William

16 Jan 2010 | 3:51 am

Care for the Wild/Anne Kent Taylor Scouts work closely with Mara Conservancy rangers inside the Mara Triangle and also in the areas bordering the reserve. This is an update from Elias Kamande, Field Coordinator: The team is still going on with the patrols in the Mara triangle and the adjacent wildlife areas. We would like to report that wildlife habitat is diminishing in a very alarming rate due to the land clearance, logging and charcoal burning. Many hard wood trees are destroyed every day in the tune of clearing the land for maize fields. Few metres along the Oloololo escarpment is now…
Born Free Most Responsible Safari Guide 2009

William

22 Nov 2009 | 9:12 pm

Applications are now open for the Born Free Responsible Guiding Award 2009. The award is again sponsored by the international wildlife conservation charity, and long-term friend of Kenya, the Born Free Foundation, demonstrating this organisation’s continued commitment to wildlife conservation in the Masai Mara. We would also like to thank Robin Pope Safaris, Norman Carr Safaris and Flatdog's Camp for hosting the winning guide during his trip to Zambia. Launched last year, this prestigious award is the first of it’s kind in Kenya and is a collaboration…
Welcome Back Sergeant Kerua

William

20 Nov 2009 | 10:47 pm

Sergeant Kerua Today. On the 18th August, at 10am, Sergeant Kerua with the rangers from Iseiya was on an Anti-Poaching patrol. As they were traversing through one of the thickets, Sergeant Kerua came upon a lone male buffalo hidden in the bushes. The buffalo jumped up and charged Sergeant Kerua and, with no time to react, Sergeant Kerua was cut in the right thigh by the horns and thrown into the air, he was then struck a second time, tearing open his stomach. Kerua was immediately taken to Serena Hotel and was treated by Leonard Nyaga who works in the clinic at Serena. As…
Update from Kamande on Work of Care for the Wild/AKT Scouts

William

18 Nov 2009 | 10:42 pm

Care for the Wild/Anne Kent Taylor Scouts work closely with Mara Conservancy rangers inside the Mara Triangle and also in the areas bordering the reserve. This is an update from Elias Kamande, Field Coordinator: The team and Mara Conservancy rangers patrolled various places adjacent to the Mara Triangle. Most of these places are still in danger as the poachers are still roaming and killing our wildlife during the night. Dead elephant killed by poachers. The hide & seek game is the order of the day although arrests are still made almost every month. Poachers are still getting new…

Nubian Cheetah
Chembe Urban Security Competition 2010 - East Africa

Nii Simmonds

19 Jan 2010 | 4:33 pm

Chembe Ventures is an Irish owned company which provides seed capital to mobile application developers, social media start-ups and web ventures in East and Southern Africa. We’re sponsoring this competition to encourage innovative mobile solutions to assist residents in urban communities address a specific or general security problem. One prize of US $5,000 will be awarded to the winning entry. On top of that, we’re offering a potential further US $5,000 or more of investment and pilot testing capital to the winning team or individual.Entry Criteria:Entrants must be registered as a…
LimbeLabs - Cameroon startup incubator for startups

Nii Simmonds

19 Jan 2010 | 4:27 pm

From site:Limbe Labs is a unique community / collaboration space in Cameroon for startups, freelancers, designers, entrepreneurs (esp. internet entrepreneurs) and independent thinkers. Limbe Labs provides not only a great space to work but also opportunities to interact with other like-minded individuals.
African Capital Alliance - Private Equity fund manager West Africa

Nii Simmonds

19 Jan 2010 | 4:23 pm

From Site:African Capital Alliance (ACA) is a leading private equity firm focused on Nigeria and West Africa. ACA was founded in 1997 with a mission to build Africa’s premier private equity investment firm by mobilizing capital, technology and management resources from local and international sources to unlock Africa’s private sector potential. Through our funds, we strive to improve the economic landscape of Nigeria and Africa while earning superior returns for our investors based on management excellence through professionalism and unquestionable integrity.
Grand Challenges: Point-of-Care Diagnostics Grant Opportunity

Nii Simmonds

19 Jan 2010 | 4:18 pm

The Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative is seeking innovative ideas for diagnostics in the developing world. $30 million in funding is available for Phase I of a new grant program to create technologies and components that can be used to assess multiple conditions and pathogens at the point-of-care in a variety of settings. Letters of inquiry will be accepted December 1, 2009 through February 16, 2010. Specifically, we seek to create a new class of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics that will be easy to use, low cost and otherwise appropriate so that these new tools achieve significant…
Mobile Web East Africa - Feb 3,4 Nairobi, Kenya

Nii Simmonds

19 Jan 2010 | 4:11 pm

Conference on African mobile technologyMobile Web East Africa is the next in a series of progressive and innovative events to focus on one of the most important technological advances of the 21st century.By utilising the exceptionally interactive roundtable format, the 2 day conference promises to be one of the leading events of 2010, where the future development of the mobile internet, mobile applications and mobile ecosystem in the region will be discussed and mapped.

Sturvs / Hot Sturvs
Randy Millionaires

8 Feb 2010 | 6:50 pm

So, what is it about sports personalities and the daughters of eve?7 Vote(s)
Interview with La Pooza (Exclusive Lingerie Designs)

8 Feb 2010 | 6:50 pm

Dbanj – CriticalWARNING!!!! The following post could induce perspiration and has the capability of keeping your eyes glued to the screen6 Vote(s)
Lukando from Zambia Clinches Face of Africa Title

8 Feb 2010 | 6:47 pm

Face of AFrica Winner Lukando Nalungwe (Zambia)After a night of what can only be described as high fashion with most of Nigeria's and Afr5 Vote(s)
Bracket’s Poor Outing In Kenya

8 Feb 2010 | 3:52 pm

Bracket's New Year performance in Kenya was average at best6 Vote(s)
160 Senators, Reps give Yar’Adua Thursday deadline

8 Feb 2010 | 3:52 pm

AHEAD of the meeting between the Governors Forum and senators this morning, 160 senators and members of the House of Representatives have signified i5 Vote(s)

Sudan Watch
Historic visit: Chad President Idriss Deby Itno arrives in Khartoum Sudan after a recent security deal

Editor

8 Feb 2010 | 12:28 pm

Quote of the Day"We have come here like a dove... we came to show our will, our availability, our commitment to see peace, tranquillity and confidence return...we came and wish to leave with peace" - Chad President Idriss Deby Itno upon his arrival in Khartoum, Sudan on Mon, 08 Feb 2010Photo: Chad President Idriss Deby Itno (right) was greeted at Khartoum airport today (Monday, 08 February 2010) by Sudan President Omar al-Bashir (left) before the two men held talks. The historic two-day visit of Mr Deby comes after a recent security deal. The visit is expected to help seal last month's accord…
ICC Haskanita Darfur Sudan: United Resistance Front (URF) leader Bahar Idriss Abu Garda will not be tried

Editor

8 Feb 2010 | 9:14 am

Photo: International Criminal Court Headquarters in The HagueDarfur rebel chief not to be tried by International Criminal CourtReport from RNW - Radio Netherlands WorldwidePublished on: 08 February 2010 - 5:58pmBy Thijs Bouwknegt (ICC-CPI)Darfur rebel chief Bahar Idriss Abu Garda will not stand trial for the killing of 12 African Union peacekeepers in 2007, the International Criminal Court ruled on Monday.The Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court was not satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Bahar Idriss Abu Garda could…
UNAMID Sudan: Security situation in Darfur, 03 Feb 2010 - Justice Mohamed Chande Othman tours Darfur incl Abu Shouk camp & Swilinga

Editor

8 Feb 2010 | 5:50 am

Source: United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)El Fasher (Darfur), Sudan, Wednesday, February 3, 2010/via APO:UNAMID Daily Media Brief / 2010-02-03Security situation in Darfur The security situation in Darfur remains relatively calm but unpredictable.UNAMID military forces conducted 55 patrols including routine, short range, long range, night patrols, and Humanitarian escort patrols, covering 66 villages and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps during the reporting period.UNAMID police advisors also conducted 108 patrols in villages and IDP camps.Independent Expert on…
ICC Haskanita: URF's Bahar Idriss Abu-Garda dismisses Sudan Tribune report

Editor

6 Feb 2010 | 8:00 am

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service (SRS) on Monday, 01 February 2010, from Doha in Qatar, URF Commander Bahar Idriss Abu-Garda described a report by Sudan Tribune as inaccurate. The report in question (from Washington, Monday, 30 January 2010, entitled "Two Darfur rebel commanders expected to appear before ICC next week: sources") was published at Sudan Tribune on Sunday, 31 January 2010. Read more here below.AMIS peacekeepers slain at HaskanitaPhoto: Troops stand behind the coffins of Nigerian peacekeepers killed in Darfur during a funeral ceremony in Abuja October 5, 2007 (Reuters) Credit:…
AFP misquoted UN chief Ban Ki Moon - How a translation error led to an international incident - UN chief clarifies erroneous reports re Sudan unity

Editor

6 Feb 2010 | 6:14 am

How a translation error led to an international incidentFrom Foreign Policy.com by Colum Lynch, Tuesday, 02 Feb 2010 - 4:16 PM:On Saturday morning [30 January 2010], Ban Ki-moon appeared to be breaking with five years of standing U.N. policy toward Sudan, telling two French news agencies in an interview that he would try to prevent Africa's largest country from splitting into two nations in a 2011 referendum on independence for southern Sudan. "We'll work hard to avoid a possible secession," the wire service Agence France Presse reported him saying.Ban's remarks were little noted in…

Congo Watch
UK gov't job vacancy: A2 Statistics Adviser based within World Bank Nairobi Country Office, Kenya

6 Feb 2010 | 10:39 am

Seen on twitter:RT with correct link #DFIDjobs New vacancy: Statistics Adviser, Kenya. Apply now: http://ow.ly/12ExI Closing date: 27 Feb6:29 AM Feb 5th from HootSuitedfid_ukBased within the World Bank Nairobi Country Office, you will support the KNBS reform process, the design/implementation of the next KNBS strategic plan, and lead the sector's donor co-ordination. The closing date for applications is 27 February 2010. LAST UPDATED: 28 JAN 2010. Click here for specific vacancy information [PDF - 88 KB] and apply online.Thank you for reading Congo Watch.
Back to Africa: A new Haitian homeland?

2 Feb 2010 | 10:50 am

If a proposal under consideration by the African Union this week were to bear fruit, Haitians made homeless by the earthquake could start afresh in a new homeland in Africa.From The Independent (UK)By Leo HornakMonday, 1 February 2010Back to Africa: A new Haitian homeland?African Union (AU) President Jean Ping yesterday announced that the idea of resettling displaced Haitians in Africa would be part of the AU's formal agenda during its annual summit this week. According to Mr Ping, Haiti's history as a creation of the slave trade and the world's first black republic creates a special…
DR Congo & Rwanda - Land disputes at the root of African wars

30 Jan 2010 | 2:32 pm

Land disputes at the root of African warsA selection of the African continent's fights over land that have turned into violent, conflict, or threaten to.From The Christian Science MonitorBy Jina Moore Correspondent, 30 January 2010Land battles that sparked African conflictsWestern Sudan (Darfur) In the 1970s, the government eliminated the country's native administration – a quasi-government and colonial holdover of traditional elders – and rejected traditional land rights, depriving Darfur's pastoralists of access to grazing lands. When famine exacerbated disputes about land in the 1980s,…
Paul Kagame speaks to This is Africa about Rwanda’s remarkable success story

28 Jan 2010 | 1:19 pm

From The Office of Tony BlairWednesday, January 27, 2010The following interview with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda appeared in the latest edition of This is Africa.“A lot is changing. The voices of Africa are becoming more pronounced. There is insistence on Africa being taken seriously by Africans themselves, and Africans are trying to assert themselves and not only say the right things but also be seen to be doing the right things”International capital investment will be vital for African development, but governance reform should be indigenously driven and not imposed by external…
"A Prosperous and Exciting Africa in Our Lifetime" Tony Blair talks to African Investor magazine

22 Jan 2010 | 5:40 am

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair has the utmost faith that Africa will succeed, something the continent needs from investors and advisors. His ultimate vision for Africa is to see the continent achieve its own goals. "It's up to Africa and its leaders. I believe that we will see a prosperous and exciting Africa in our lifetime and we are approaching a point where the business community is waking up to the opportunities of Africa at a time when Africa has this new generation of leaders."Source: "A Prosperous and Exciting Africa in Our Lifetime" Tony Blair talks to African Investor…

Museke
Muthoni the Drummer Queen

mkenya

8 Feb 2010 | 4:16 am

In her previous lives, the girl currently known as Muthoni Ndonga was among other things the head of shaka zulu’s harem, a cunning street urchin who converted into a renown mystic healer in current day Armenia, a polar bear, a Chinese dumpling maker, a fierce general under Napoleon. Her adventures run concurrently with 300 wars, the invention of the envelope and the discovery of whisky. In this life, Muthoni Ndonga is a living breathing singer of the hero variety. This embodiment of talent is a songwriter-flow-poet- by night and creative-social entrepreneur by day. read more
GNL Zamba

matimuta

8 Feb 2010 | 3:56 am

Ernest Nsimbi Zamba aka GNL is a Ugandan hip-hop artist and a major Luga flow rapper. GNL means Greatness of No Limits. GNL has been a part of Hip Hop projects such as the Hip Hop Canvas, which seeks to provide a platform for young artists to nurture their talents and speak to the public through positive music. Some of his songs are Kikankane, Soda jinjale, Koyi koyi, etc
Boda boda

Chale

8 Feb 2010 | 3:55 am

I got a call a night ago from this girl who makes my blood flow If you delay me, then she might go You don't know what she means when she says she will go She means walking out of my life and leaving me all alone Boda boda, hurry up, hurry up, I need my baby
Rabadaba

matimuta

8 Feb 2010 | 3:19 am

Faisal Sseguya aka Raba Daba is a Ugandan dancehall/ragga artist. He is popularly referred to as the King of Ugaragga (Uga ragga) or Luga ragga. He attended Lohana Academy, Kampala Parents and Green Hill before going to Muk for a Bachelors Degree in Information Technology.
Mukyaamu (Rabadaba)

matimuta

8 Feb 2010 | 3:18 am

Raba daba the ragga lover Everyday is a seminar Mulamu gwange There you have it It's mr RabaDaba The style is called Ragga lagga We no stop They can't stop me now

kenyaimagine feed (main magazines)
TJRC: The Wagalla Massacre

5 Feb 2010 | 5:00 pm

On 11 January 1985, the Principal State Counsel, M. Ole Keiwua, wrote on behalf of the Attorney General to Ibrahim Khamis Adan and Alinoor Yussuf Mohamed Hussein through their lawyers, Munikah and Company Advocates, asking them, in accordance with the rules of civil procedures, to supply specific information about the death of their fathers. Read more...
Death by Dominoes

3 Feb 2010 | 12:08 am

When the assassins come they kill everyone. That is what you must understand. Death is coming. It's at the door. Though uttered weeks earlier, on a different cellblock, I still recall leaning forward in concentration, struggling to hear the words, striving to discern the meaning, if any, conveyed by Wannamaker's frog-like voice. Read more...
Draft Constitution from PSC on Constitution Review

2 Feb 2010 | 10:05 am

Published below is the actual proposed constitution for Kenya that came out of the Naivasha conference of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review. The document has been forwarded to the Committee of Experts appointed to collect views and put them together in a form that could be presented to the Kenyan people for their approval. Read more...
PSC report on the Draft Constitution

2 Feb 2010 | 9:48 am

Published below is a report from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review. Read more...
From Imperial President to King: a people betrayed

31 Jan 2010 | 10:39 pm

Members of Parliament have betrayed the people of Kenya, particularly the majority poor and exploited and the struggle for a new progressive national constitution. Read more...

AfricaCan
Pitfalls of “voice” and transparency

Stuti Khemani

3 Feb 2010 | 8:27 am

A new paper by David Yanagizawa finds tragically large effects of access to radio on violence in Rwanda, concluding that “hate radio” may explain as much as 9 percent of the genocide. Aside from such blatant risks of propaganda through mass media, there are more subtle arguments cautioning against wholesale enthusiasm for greater transparency and information to improve governance and accountability.
Somber Prospects for Madagascar’s Economy

Noro Andriamihaja

2 Feb 2010 | 11:36 am

Madagascar’s economy has been in recession since the beginning of the political crisis in March 2009, and prospects for 2010 don’t look too promising. The prudent fiscal policy adopted by the Government will be increasingly difficult to sustain in 2010. Key financial indicators continue to be vulnerable to policy shifts and shocks, and export competitiveness losses have begun to create pressures on the balance of payments. All in all, a major turnaround in the downward trend of economic activities is unlikely to occur in 2010. See an assessment of the Madagascar…
Hard Choices in Botswana

Zeinab Partow

29 Jan 2010 | 8:08 am

Despite being pummeled by the global crisis--diamond production and exports contracted by 50 percent in 2009--Botswana was in the enviable position of being able to cushion its people and the economy, thanks to large savings accumulated over the years and access to inexpensive financing. But it may have overdone the cushioning. The fiscal deficit for the 2009/10 budget year is projected at 14 percent of GDP. Although diamond prices are expected to rebound, production and exports will remain below pre-crisis levels, and another double-digit deficit is expected in 2010/11. Not…
L’UEMOA à Quinze Ans

Shanta

25 Jan 2010 | 11:41 am

Mon ami, l’économiste togolais Kako Nubukpo, avec qui j’ai eu l’occasion de débattre lors d’un de mes voyages à Lomé, a fait part de son analyse sur le bilan des quinze années d’existence de l’Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (UEMOA) lors d’un entretien pour le site Ouestaf.com. D’après lui, même si l’Union est parvenue à gérer l’équilibre macroéconomique et budgétaire entre les États membres, la combinaison…
Teachers and politics

Shanta

20 Jan 2010 | 9:42 pm

One of the reasons why schoolchildren in low-income countries, despite being in school most of the time, seem to be learning very little is that the teacher is often not there. In Uganda, for instance, the teacher absence rate in public primary schools was estimated at 27 percent.

Africa The Good News
Burkina Faso: $40m for rural electrification

8 Feb 2010 | 4:56 am

The African Development Bank Group based in Tunisia has approved a loan of 40 million US dollars for Burkina Faso to fund a rural electrification project. The ministry of mines and power said the fund will boost the country's ambition to considerably increase electricity supply to rural and urban areas, while improving quality and reliability of the service. The demand for electricity in Burkina Faso increases by 10 percent every year. Read more...
Madagascar's opposition groups back power-sharing deal

8 Feb 2010 | 4:32 am

The three political groupings opposed to Madagascar's strongman Andry Rajoelina all said Friday they favour going ahead with the African Union's proposals to implement an August power-sharing deal. Read more...
African leaders meet to strengthen NEPAD

8 Feb 2010 | 4:11 am

The 14th African Union Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, decided to strengthen the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) by transforming the organisation into an implementation agency. Read more...
Egypt eyes 2010 tourism revenue of $11.5 billion: minister

8 Feb 2010 | 4:04 am

Egypt is targeting 2010 tourism revenues of $11.5 billion and wants 14 million tourists to visit, the tourism minister said on Monday. Read more...
North African country attracted by SA nuclear reactor technology

8 Feb 2010 | 3:53 am

The Algerian Atomic Energy Commission (Comena is its acronym in French) has expressed interest in South Africa's pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) technology. Read more...

The Guardian Katine Project
Explainer: The education system in Uganda

Richard M Kavuma

8 Feb 2010 | 6:16 am

Richard M Kavuma explains how the education system in Uganda worksNursery/kindergarten (duration: three years)This is the pre-school level of education in Uganda. Children usually start at the age of three and complete nursery school by the age of six. Until recently rural areas like Katine sub-county did not have nursery schools. But more and more villagers, inspired by the early start in the education of children in towns, are wanting nurseries for their children. Katine has at least one nursery, located within the premises of a charitable organisation.Primary school (duration: seven…
Schools record improvement in exam results

Richard M Kavuma

8 Feb 2010 | 4:15 am

No Katine pupil achieves top score in national primary leaving exams, but a number of schools register year-on-year improvements in resultsFor the third year running, no pupil in Katine sub-county received a first grade pass in the national primary leaving examinations (PLE), but officials see cause for optimism as other indicators show improvements.According to the 2009 PLE results, released in Kampala at the end of last month, the best performing pupil in Katine was Abraham Oloka from Kadinya community primary school, a school still under construction. Oloka missed out on the top grade by…
Sands shifting for Africa's nomadic herders

John Vidal

7 Feb 2010 | 2:36 pm

Millions of hectares of land used by pastoralists have been lost to sedentary farming and conservationGallery: Africa's nomadic herders under threatNomadic herders who move their cattle ceaselessly across some of the harshest environments in the world in search of grazing land are vital for Africa's economic prosperity, but their way of life is being undermined by governments, conservationists and large-scale farmers, according to a study.Millions of hectares of land traditionally used by pastoralists in Ethiopia, Senegal, Mali, Chad, Kenya and other sub Saharan countries have been lost to…
Local leaders receive bikes from Amref

Richard M Kavuma

5 Feb 2010 | 7:38 am

Members of the sub-county's six parish development committees given bicycles to help them with their workSome 122 bicycles have been donated by the African Medical and Research Foundation (Amref) to local authorities in Katine sub-county, to help local leaders in their work to encourage the community to get more involved in drawing up development plans for their parishes. This brings to 406 the number of bicycles that Amref has given out in Katine over the past two years.Local leaders cheered and clapped yesterday as Amref's project officer for community empowerment, Richard Opesen, handed…
Katine health centre gets solar power

Richard M Kavuma, Joseph Malinga, Liz Ford

4 Feb 2010 | 7:58 am

After almost two years of talks between the Katine community, Amref and SolarAid, and with funding from rock band Maroon 5, solar panels are fitted at Ojom health centreSolar panels have now been fitted to the roof of Ojom health centre, in Katine, the result of a collaboration between the community, two NGOs and a rock band.The installation of the panels in December is an example of "crowdsourcing" and follows almost two years of discussions between Katine residents, the African Medical and Research Foundation (Amref), which is carrying out the development project in the sub-county, funded…

Kenyan Jewels
Uduak Amimo-London, United Kingdom

alusainc

7 Feb 2010 | 5:43 pm

Uduak Amimo was appointed as the Senior Editorial Advisor, supporting the Director of the BBC World Service. Her role is to advise on the editorial leadership and management of the world’s leading international radio broadcaster and its New Media operations,and facilitate editorial collaborations between the World Service and the BBC’s international news services. She is an avid journalist who started the first campus newspaper at United States International University in Nairobi. She then went on to work as Assistant Producer at Reuters Television with Reuters News Agency in…
Lawrence Olum – Minneapolis, Minnesota

alusainc

30 Dec 2009 | 11:09 am

Lawrence Olum currently plays for the Minnesota Thunder soccer team. He transferred to Minnesota Thunder from the Portland Timbers in March 04, 2009. Olum started his career with the Portland Timbers in 2007 where he played as a midfielder. He attended college at Missouri Baptist University where he led the Spartans to the conference championship his senior season. He also received three All-American honorable mentions in his career. He went on to play with the St. Louis Lions in 2006 and led them to a 7-3-6 record in their inaugural season. Olum led the Lions with nine goals. The…
Christine Thaiya – Atlanta, Georgia

alusainc

15 Dec 2009 | 8:15 am

Christine Thaiya attended both college and dental school in the Ukraine, Russia. After graduation from Dental School, Dr. Thaiya had a two year Dental Internship in Nairobi, followed by advanced training in Washington, D.C. at Howard University, and then in Baltimore at the University of Maryland. It was here that she gained considerable experience in both Implant Dentistry and Endodontics. Dr. Thaiya now lives in Alpharetta with her husband and their two young children (a son and a daughter). In her spare time, Christine enjoys tennis, reading nonfiction biographies, watching movies, travel,…
Sidney K. Gicheru – Dallas, Texas

alusainc

15 Dec 2009 | 7:36 am

Sidney Gicheru is an ophthamologist based in Irving, Texas who founded LaserCare Eye Center. A skilled Board-Certified Ophthalmologist (Eye Physician and Surgeon), Dr. Sidney Gicheru received his undergraduate degree from Southern Methodist University (SMU). He obtained his undergraduate degree in both Electrical Engineering and Pre-Medical education. He received his Medical degree from the University of Texas–Southwestern Medical School. Thereafter, he completed a Medical Internship at the prestigious Beth Israel Hospital /Harvard Medical School training program. He then went on to…
Jeremy Awori – Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

alusainc

29 Nov 2009 | 7:56 pm

Jeremy Awori is the current CEO of Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), Tanzania. He was previously with SCB, United Arab Emirates as the Head of Consumer Banking. He started off at SCB, Kenya and worked as an Area General Manager for the East Africa region; Head of Operations; Head of Service Quality; Executive Director Kenya, and Head of Consumer Banking. Jeremy Awori holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of Manchester, UK, and a Masters of Business Adminstration, from McGill University, Canada.

Video journalist Africa
karate grandmothers kick back

Ruud Elmendorp @ GMT+3

6 Feb 2010 | 4:29 am

No ones dares to attack elderly ladies in Nairobi anymore. For sales and more information Video Journalist.NL
small change to great effect

Ruud Elmendorp @ GMT+3

28 Jan 2010 | 1:06 am

New lay-out Video Journalist.NL goes live.
kenyan fishermen eating well after somali piracy

Ruud Elmendorp @ GMT+3

20 Jan 2010 | 8:16 am

'We're having good business after the pirates chased away the foreign fishing trawlers.' Scripts and info VideoJournalist NL
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Ruud Elmendorp @ GMT+3

15 Jan 2010 | 8:39 am

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Video Journalist Ruud Elmendorp jubileum.

Ruud Elmendorp @ GMT+3

4 Jan 2010 | 12:31 am

Now ten years online video reporting by Ruud Elmendorp Video Journalist NL First video reports came from Turkey and Japan, and the initial domains were travelcam.nl and videoreporter.nl. Now the video reporting is focused on news and current affairs from Africa.

Africa Business Source
Strive Masiyiwa

Strive Masiyiwa is a Zimbabwean businessman, founder, Chairman and CEO of Econet Wireless - a diversified international telecommunications group based in South Africa with operations on three continents. A devout Christian noted for his determination and social conscience, Masiyiwa was called a hero for helping millions of Africans gain access to ...
Africa ICT Trends and Countries to Watch in 2010

It's that time of the year when any expert worth their salt makes some predictions for the New Year. I too couldn't resist a peek into my crystal ball and here I share what I believe will be the major ICT trends and some of the countries to watch this ...
Yingli Green Energy Becomes First Chinese Company to Sponsor 2010 FIFA World Cup

A Chinese renewable energy company, Yingli Green Energy, has joined the list of 2010 FIFA World Cup sponsors. In a statement released jointly with world football's governing body, FIFA, the company said it was the first Chinese company to seal a global sponsorship deal with FIFA. The announcement was ...
Uganda to Host International AgriBusiness Forum

Kampala, the bustling capital city of Uganda, has been announced as the host city for the 2010 edition of the AgriBusiness Forum. At a press conference held late last year, the Government of the Republic of Uganda and Brussels-based EMRC jointly made the announcement that this year's edition of ...
FIFA OKs Over the Counter Ticket Sales for South African World Cup Fans

South African soccer fans will be able to buy world cup tickets over the counter from April, football governing body FIFA and the Local Organising Committee confirmed on Wednesday. The decision was taken at an executive meeting of the FIFA ticketing committee in Zurich this week. BuaNews, the official South African press ...

Abesha Bunna Bet
Cuban Ambassador to Addis Ababa Meets with Ethiopian Deputy Foreign Minister

DrEthiopia

5 Feb 2010 | 6:31 pm

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 5 (acn) Javier Viamontes, the Cuban ambassador in Addis Ababa and special envoy to the Summit of the African Union, had a fraternal meeting earlier this week with Ethiopia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tesfaye Girma. According to the website of the Cuban Foreign Ministry (www.cubaminrex.cu), both diplomats reviewed the state of bilateral relations, which they qualified as excellent, as well as the Caribbean nation’s extended cooperation in different African nations. Girma highlighted the long history of friendship between his homeland and Cuba, and the way in which these…
Disputed dam fuels Ethiopia-Kenya border attacks

DrEthiopia

1 Feb 2010 | 1:07 pm

Six Kenyans have been killed and over 2,000 villagers forced to flee home in Lokitaung district in attacks by Ethiopian militia, a Kenyan official said on Tuesday. Merrile militia attacked Todonyang, a remote Kenyan village near the Ethiopia border, last Friday and shot death two police officers and a civilian. Lokitaung District Commissioner Jack Obuo said the Ethiopians stole two rifles from the slain officers and abducted three local fishermen. The bodies of the abducted fishermen were on Monday discovered floating in Lake Turkana and the organs missing. “Their bodies were found…
Putting Lipstick on a Pig, Ethiopian Style

DrEthiopia

1 Feb 2010 | 1:04 pm

Putting Lipstick on a Pig, Ethiopian Style Last week, there was a great deal of teeth-gnashing, knuckle-cracking and gut-wrenching by Ethiopia’s dictators over Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) 2010 report. The dictators belched out much sound and fury that signified nothing. Their fury had to do with HRW’s conclusion that “Ethiopia is on a deteriorating human rights trajectory as parliamentary elections approach in 2010.” In blunt and unequivocal language, HRW whipsawed the dictators with the facts: Broad patterns of government repression have prevented the emergence…
Ethiopian Airlines Jet Makes Emergency Landing in Chad

DrEthiopia

28 Jan 2010 | 10:25 pm

Jan. 29 (Bloomberg) — An Ethiopian Airlines plane flying to Addis Ababa from Dakar in Senegal made an emergency landing in Chad because of a radar problem, Agence France-Press reported, citing an unidentified airport official and passengers. The incident, involving a Boeing 737 with 150 passengers, comes after another Ethiopian Airlines 737 with 90 people on board crashed into the Mediterranean minutes after takeoff from Beirut on Jan. 25, the news service said.
Ethiopian Airlines ‘black box’ found

DrEthiopia

28 Jan 2010 | 10:13 pm

Ethiopian Airlines 'black box' found Searchers located the black box from an Ethiopian Airlines. plane that crashed into the Mediterranean shortly after takeoff from Beirut, Lebanon, officials said. The flight data recorder, critical to the accident investigation, was located about 4,300 feet under water and would soon be retrieved, CNN quoted the Lebanese army as saying Thursday. Twenty-six bodies were recovered as of Thursday, the army said. It identified five of the dead as Ethiopians. The Boeing 737-800, carrying 82 passengers and eight crew members, crashed into the sea Monday…

Web AddiCT(s);
PayPal South Africa?

Rafiq Phillips

8 Feb 2010 | 1:36 am

Can this be true? If so, I hope FNB don’t rip us off with crazy expensive fees. This will be huge for South African who want to accept payments from overseas without that R150+ bank charge per foreign transaction. First National Bank (FNB) executives are expected to convene a fiery meeting on Monday morning following [...]
And the Google Adwords voucher winner is…

Yasser Buchana

6 Feb 2010 | 1:21 am

On Thursday, We ran a competition to win a google adword voucher worth R700 and promised to announce the winner by Friday @ 15H00. However, We decided to extend the deadline for an extra day. Now, Before the winner is formally announced, let me first explain how the selection came about. Random.org allows you to choose [...]
Win a google AdWords voucher worth R700

Yasser Buchana

4 Feb 2010 | 6:11 am

It is fair to say that, The year 2010 got off to a very good start. We’ve given away a few prizes and to show a little appreciation to our loyal readers , We’re giving away yet another prize — A google adword voucher worth R700. All you have to do to stand a chance of [...]
The Winner of the OpenMoko is…

Rafiq Phillips

4 Feb 2010 | 12:03 am

We gave you the opportunity to enter the win a Google Android phone contest right here about a month ago. Today we announce the winner. There were 4 ways you could enter the contest to win. Post a comment on the competition post. 63 comments were recorded. Sending a tweet. 131 entries were received via Twitter. Join the [...]
Wordpress for Android 1.0 is out

Rafiq Phillips

2 Feb 2010 | 1:41 pm

Soon you’ll have a Google Android phone and you’re a Wordpress blogger. You’ll then be happy to know that Wordpress have just released the Wordpress for Android app on the Andoid Market based on the previous WPtoGo app. Features of the WordPress for Android 1.0 Release include the ability to: Configure and manage multiple Wordpress blogs Comment moderation [...]

The Gamelian World
Young Achievers to Share Ideas at TEDxYouthInspire

gamelmag

25 Jan 2010 | 4:32 pm

TEDxYouthInspire has joined the rungs of the increasing number of African youth-focused development programmes to be hosted in Ghana. Other events recently hosted here that immediately come to mind are BarCamp Ghana and Maker Faire Africa. The brilliant thing about TEDxYouthInspire, and other programmes like it, is that it is the initiative of private individuals and youth groups who are determined to inspire positive change on the African continent. In addition, local startups, corporate organisations and academic institutions have been quick to lend their support, resulting in tremendous…
Nations Cup 2010: A Mixed Bag of Experiences

gamelmag

20 Jan 2010 | 6:05 am

The 2010 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, variously called CAN 2010 (by French speakers) and AFCON 2010 (by English speakers), is earnestly underway in Angola. The biennial tournament brings to the battlefield the powers that be in African football, resulting in the emergence of the continent's ultimate footballing power. While this fiesta has always been exciting, colourful and musical, entertaining global football enthusiasts, this year's tournament has carved for itself a special mix of drama, action, upsets and controversy that is worth observing.The Togolese team attackThe horrific…
Racing With Africa's Cheetahs at BarCampGhana 2009

gamelmag

11 Dec 2009 | 4:59 am

I've been following events organised around the BarCamp concept since participating in Ghana's first BarCamp held at AITI-KACE last year. I shared my thoughts on the event here. This year, BarCampGhana is coming up on 21st December. Below is a press release from the organisers.On December 22, 2008, over a hundred young Ghanaians met in Accra for BarCamp Ghana '08 to exchange ideas on entrepreneurship, innovation and development for a rising Ghana. This summer, the conversations moved to Washington, DC on July 25, 2009 where BarCamp Diaspora '09 brought together the African Diaspora to…
Ghana's Facebook Picture

gamelmag

18 Nov 2009 | 10:38 am

Facebook use has caught on in Ghana over the past two years just as it has caught on in other parts of the world. There are many stories concerning how this social networking utility is used. CNN has this interesting piece about the different types of people you're likely to run in on Facebook. Some Ghanaian bloggers have also taken a shot at the subject but Esi Cleland's hilarious piece on Ghanaian Facebook status updates is one of the best that i've encountered to date.Startup Africa last April wrote a piece on African Facebook demographics based on data gleaned from Nick Gonzalez's…
My11: The New Twist to Fantasy Football League

gamelmag

25 Oct 2009 | 5:55 pm

Theydon International Limited recently released a new fantasy football league game called My11. According to their website, My11.com is an exciting online fantasy football games community. We aim to enhance the way football is enjoyed by offering an extensive range of online fantasy football games; live football news and results; and a thrilling live football challenge.They have this exciting video campaign, also reported by the Keta Sandlanders FC blog, going on:The My11 package features three free games: My African 11, My Premier 11 and My Champions 11. The unique thing about these…

AdvanceAid
Do we want to stop natural resource wars?

admin

6 Feb 2010 | 5:09 am

Africa is poor. Africa is rich in natural resources. Some Africans are rich. Africa is rent by wars over natural resources. This is not a logic puzzle, but a series of true statements that are inter-connected. Back in September last year this blog covered a lecture on the management of natural resources given by Professor Paul [...]
Fighting corruption in humanitarian operations

admin

5 Feb 2010 | 7:11 am

Where there are vulnerable people, masses of money (and goods like food aid) with little accountability and people in positions of power over the people and the assets, corruption is always liable to raise its ugly head. Transparency International (TI) has been in the forefront of the battle against corruption worldwide for 17 years and it [...]
Two cheers for ASEAN

admin

25 Jan 2010 | 10:45 am

Four and a half years after it was agreed in Vientiane, ASEAN’s Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response came into force at the end of 2009. Why just two cheers? Well, whilst it is a significant step forward when regional groups of nations – especially ones in such a natural disaster prone part of the [...]
Spare a thought (and a $) for the refugees from the DRC

admin

20 Jan 2010 | 10:15 am

The eyes of the world are, quite rightly, fixed on Haiti at the moment. But emergencies carry on happening elsewhere and it has to be a worry that donors and aid agencies are (or will be) so stretched by what is going on in the Caribbean that they will be unable to respond in other [...]
MapAction flies into Haiti, mapping madly

admin

19 Jan 2010 | 9:19 am

Advance Aid is indebted to work that MapAction has done for it in the course of last year. And so it is a pleasure to be able to report that MapAction has sprung into action (if you’ll forgive the pun) in Haiti. Having accurate and up-to-date maps of disaster-hit areas is crucially important for humanitarian response [...]

Celebrate South Africa
Take our poll: How do your friends influence where you go on holiday?

Heidi Schneigansz

20 Jan 2010 | 2:47 am

Click here to see the poll & results
Eating the South African Way

Varaidzo Mubaiwa

6 Jan 2010 | 1:31 am

Food, glorious food! No holiday is complete without the guilty pleasure of eating until one’s stomach aches. South Africa boasts fantastic food and diverse menus that even the most stringent dieter could not resist. Take for instance the wide variety of fine quality meat available in South Africa. Top grade beef, tender lamb, juicy chicken, fresh fish and seafood and not forgetting, the selection of game meat. With such an array to choose from, it’s no wonder that South Africans have come up with some fantastic meaty dishes. Bobotie - a popular choice – is the South African version…
The Festive Season in South Africa

Varaidzo Mubaiwa

16 Dec 2009 | 10:13 pm

South African Festivities It is always a fantastic feeling when the year comes to an end. You have a few weeks to do absolutely nothing, or for those who can’t sit still, travel and adventure are sure to feature over the festive holidays. Because South African Christmases are so sunny and beautiful and not snowy and white, a number of people from within South Africa and international visitors take to the beaches and spend their Christmas basking in the sun, jumping from one beach party to another and of course, shopping. There is nothing better than enjoying Christmas under the sun with…
South Africa launches the official 2010 site

Varaidzo Mubaiwa

14 Dec 2009 | 7:31 am

South Africa is opening its doors to welcome the world for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Millions of people will be visiting South Africa to witness this historic event. South African Tourism has launched its new 2010 website which provides exciting and useful information for anyone who wants to travel to South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The site gives you the chance to learn a little more about the host country, South Africa with an introduction to the South African story, it’s icons including Nelson Mandela and Table Mountain, visitor’s essentials with practical information…
Lights, Camera, Action!

Heidi Schneigansz

4 Dec 2009 | 7:30 am

(LOC) Monday 30 November 2009 Cape Town got into the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ spirit last night with the official switching on of the festive season lights in Adderley Street, in downtown Cape Town. The event which officially kicks off the festive season in Cape Town is part of week-long preparations for the Final Draw on 4 December. More than 120 000 Capetonians lined the streets as FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valcke was welcomed on stage by Cape Town mayor Dan Plato. South African defender Matthew Booth was also on stage to greet the crowd. Valcke was overwhelmed by the large crowd that had…

Izibongi - Let's go on an edventure
20 Years Free

Kay Robertson

5 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

This year’s opening of Parliament will commemorate the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from jail. President Jacob Zuma will honour Madiba in his State of the Nation address on 11 February 2010. Nelson Mandela has inspired the world with his humanity after having been imprisoned for more than 27 years and dedicating his life to freedom: ‘to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others’ – Nelson Mandela If you are inspired by Nelson Mandela’s life, his words and actions, you can visit and view:…
Chadventure SA has the X factor…

Kay Robertson

22 Jan 2010 | 4:45 am

The UK travel trade has named South Africa as a top destination for 2010 in its latest ABTA Travel Trends report – did I say we’re the hot and happening destination for 2010? We have the X-factor - with the latest popular offering being ‘chadventure’ – combining adventure tourism and voluntourism, which are key trends in the British travel market for 2010. Travellers giving their time and effort to take part in conservation and community projects, not only make a major difference to our wildlife and our people, get as close as possible to understanding our country and its…
The ONLY destination for 2010!

Kay Robertson

8 Jan 2010 | 5:29 am

2010 - the most historic year in South Africa since 1994, has arrived! South Africans are buzzing with excitement and energy to give you, not only the first African World Cup, but the best one! Consider yourself invited to set foot on our soil and take in the celebration that is in the air the whole year round – if you’ve ever met South Africans or seen our sports fans, you’ll know just how we can rock. So, if you can’t be here at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, be here in 2010 - no other destination is as hot and happening this year – Zayikipa!
Get your ticket to history now!

Kay Robertson

4 Dec 2009 | 10:35 pm

It’s real now. Teams and opening matches are set and the fans are scrambling for tickets to see their favourites compete for the ultimate football trophy – the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The opening game at Soccer City, Soweto in Johannesburg will be played between South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana and Mexico. And for a whole month, electrifying matches will be played by the world’s best national teams. Don’t miss this historic event and the star-studded music concert the night before the kick-off! Never in 2010 FIFA World Cup™ history has there been such excitement…
Only in South Africa

Kay Robertson

24 Nov 2009 | 6:32 am

You have to give South Africans credit for some very unusual, colourful and innovative behaviour and beliefs… here are some of the best - inspired by a unique place and space, where: • stars are San bushmen ancestors • ‘half-human’ plants, called the ‘halfmens’ grow • one person’s rubbish is another’s artwork • Zulu beads are admitted as evidence in marital disputes • diamonds could really be found on the soles of your feet - back in the day, unfortunately • there are still places where manual telephone exchanges operate • gumboot dancing started as a means to…