Category: THE WORLD

By Ronald Joshua

KIGALI (IDN | GIN | The New Times) – Media practitioners from around the continent have called for more emphasis on principles of independence, fairness and accountability as prime kits to tell the African story through the African media.

Driven by the concept of ‘Africa that we want’ motto through the ‘Africa Media We Want’ mantra, the call was made when journalists gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, on November 7, for the Africa Information Day, which was celebrated in parallel with the eighth National Media Dialogue.

NEW YORK (IDN | GIN) – Africans were tweeting and messaging about the surprise outcome of U.S. elections that left many around world worried for the future. Kenyan-American and distinguished professor Makau Mutua was “quarterbacking” as a “day after” couch potato who second-guesses why his team lost.

“Hillary Clinton was defeated by “white-lash”, as opposed to “white backlash”, he wrote, an opinion shared with CNN analyst Van Jones, the African-American Harvard-educated lawyer,

By Kizito Makoye Shigela

DAR ES SALAAM (ACP-IDN) – Taxi driver Mwajuma Ramadhani adeptly steers her way through the crowded streets of the bustling Kariakoo business hub in Dar es Salaam. Suddenly, a motorcycle rider with two passengers cuts in, causing her to swerve abruptly to the right.

“You would have caused an accident had I not been careful,” she tells the rider, while he scowls at her, visibly shaken.

“I face these challenges almost every day,” says Ramadhani, hooting loudly at the rider. “I often ignore reckless riders like him. Just because it’s a woman behind the wheel, he’s trying to take advantage.”

By Kingsley Ighobor*

NEW YORK (IDN | Africa Renewal) – For environmentalists and development experts, green is not just a colour; it also refers to activities that benefit the environment – the careful use of the earth’s finite resources.

Africa’s policy wonks are already on the green bandwagon, having identified “green industrialization” as the Holy Grail of the continent’s socioeconomic transformation. They believe infusing green initiatives into value-chain activities – during the sourcing and processing of raw materials, and the marketing and selling of finished products to customers – can cure economic stagnation.

By Jeffrey Moyo

JOHANNESBURG (ACP-IDN) – For South Africans living in slums crowded with makeshift homes standing side by side, residents battle to draw water from the very few water taps available.

Like countries the world over, South Africa is mandated to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030, but for many South Africans like 24-year old Thembisa Mzwakhe living in Diepkloof, South Africa’s populous slum area in Johannesburg, growing up in the shanty area with inadequate water supplies has become normal.

By Justus Wanzala

NAIROBI (ACP-IDN) – Due to a rapid increase in population in African countries, boosting food production through increasing crops yields and livestock production to eliminate hunger is attracting the attention of governments.

However it is emerging that as Africa tackles food security challenges, it must also fight poor nutrition. Stakeholders in the agriculture observe that food and nutrition security issues require a multi-pronged approach that brings on board farmers, policy makers and researchers.

NEW YORK | PRETORIA  (IDN | GIN) – South Africa has taken the first steps toward withdrawing the country’s membership in The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) but it faces a tough fight from the Democratic Alliance (DA), the country’s major opposition party.

Parliamentarian James Selfe, a leading member of the DA’s legal affairs group, slammed the move which he said occurred before seeking approval from the South African parliament.

“The Democratic Alliance is disgusted at this decision. We think it sends out an entirely incorrect message around our commitment to human rights and our abhorrence of human rights abuses and of genocide…” said Selfe.