Kenya: Tributes Galore As Mama Lucy Is Laid to Rest in Othaya
Glowing tributes were paid to former First Lady Lucy Kibaki, with speeches by a number of leaders and family members, which offered Kenyans a peep into the extensive influence she wielded behind the scenes. Deputy President William Ruto told how during ceremonies to mark the endorsement of the Constitution in 2010, Mrs Kibaki called him […]
Zambia: Is Dowry System Fair to Women?
PAYMENT of dowry (referred to as Lobola) by a man who wants to marry a woman in most African societies, is one of the things that constitutes marriage under customary law. However, emphasis by the courts of law to validate marriage based on payment of dowry has become a source of concern to some women. […]
Arnado Debbo – Adamawa Community Where Only Women Can Rule
Yola — In a small rural community in the southern part of Adamawa State, women have established themselves on the throne, ruling the men for about two and a half centuries. Throughout the history of Arnado Debbo, it has been the exclusive right of women to ascend the throne of Dimgyeb. The small, rural settlement, […]
Rwanda: Genocide Perpetrators, Survivors Reconciled in Nyamasheke
Ten Genocide perpetrators, including two women, who showed remorse and apologised to survivors were Sunday forgiven during a mass at Ntendezi Parish in Ruharambuga Sector, Nyamasheke District. The ceremony was witnessed by Fidele Ndayisaba, the executive secretary of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), Aime Fabien Kamali, the mayor of Nyamasheke, security agencies, priests, […]
Kenya: MPs Fail Again On Two-Thirds Gender Vote but Get Lifeline
Nairobi — Speaker Justin Muturi has ordered a fresh vote on a bill that seeks the realisation of the two-thirds gender principle to take place next Thursday afternoon. This is after 195 MPs voted in favour and 28 against the Bill, which required the support of at least 233 to pass through the Second Reading […]
Burundi: Crisis Rages, One Year On
It is now one year since the political crisis hit Burundi after the incumbent President Pierre Nkurunziza publicly announced that he will move for another term in office sparking violent protests. Since then, more than 400 people have been killed and thousands have fled to neighbouring countries. Burundi’s capital Bujumbura has been the centrestage of […]
#WorldPressFreedomDay: Scared. Silenced. Shot. The Life of a Somali Journalist.
Journalists in Somalia are increasingly coming under attack. For many years, the main threat to the media has come from Al-Shabaab, the Islamist armed group that controls large parts of the country. But, as a new report by Human Rights Watch has found, journalists are also now being threatened, harassed, and attacked by Somalia’s government […]
Sierra Leone: The Forgotten Child Prisoners of Sierra Leone
Freetown, Sierra Leone – Sorie’s* last day of freedom was a few weeks before his 14th birthday, when the well-to-do father of a girl he liked got word that his daughter had been hanging around with a street boy. The girl’s father had him arrested for “conspiracy to commit sexual penetration”, and after a brief […]
Road to Lagos International Jazz Festival
The month of April has become increasingly popular for being advertised as the Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. This type of music, the musicians and museums, libraries, schools and all stakeholders are in focus throughout the month. It culminates on the last day of the month with […]
World dance day: 20 Black Female Choreographers And Dancers You Should Know
Misty Copeland made history when she became the first African American principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre Company. It is a big reason to celebrate the dance world, and also a great time to call attention to the other black female choreographers and dancers who are dominating the industry. Some of these women are […]
Africa: Corruption Indexes Must Look at the External Players
The current tendency of influential perception-based measures and indicators–i.e. Corruption Perceptions Index, World Governance Indicators, Ibrahim Index of African Governance and Afrobarometer, etc–in measuring corruption in Africa “is to focus on individuals’ perception of the extent of corruption,” explains Carlos Lopes, executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in his preface to the […]
UN Report Reveals Increasing Incidents of Female Genital Mutilation in Guinea, Including On Infants
Despite being forbidden by national and international law, according to a new United Nations report, female genital mutilation shows no sign of abating in Guinea – with more infants and very young girls undergoing the excisions than before. “Although female genital mutilation appears to be decreasing worldwide, this is not the case in Guinea, where […]
Hope, Frustration As South Africa Marks Freedom Day
South Africans celebrate Freedom Day on April 27 to commemorate the first post-apartheid elections in 1994. The ruling ANC will seek to boost its image while other groups protest against the government. On April 27, 1994, South Africa held its first free election where all residents, regardless of race, could vote freely. Nelson Mandela was […]
You should read this stakeholders view of Health and Safety at work in Nigeria
Health and Safety! This term is increasingly being used all over the world by experts, government officials, companies, and the public in general. The question therefore is, do they all know its importance? Or they are just paying lip-service or worse still playing to the gallery. Events in most parts of the western world suggest […]
Kenya: ‘Safe’ Abortion Debate is Rekindled
Controversy surrounding the abortion debate has returned to haunt the government five years later, as vested interests contest existing guidelines. The Constitution promulgated on August 27, 2010 allows abortion when the life or health of a pregnant woman is at risk. “Abortion is not permitted unless, in the opinion of a trained health professional, there […]