February
February
February
- Zimbabwe
Mugabe seeks divine intervention as defeat stalks him
As the March Presidential poll looms and President Robert Mugabe continues to come under domestic and international pressure over his rule, the ageing leader has turned to the church to shore up his dwindling power base. Will divine intervention come to his assistance?Rodrick Mukumbira - Zimbabwe
Catholic Archbishop ZANU PF's latest scapegoat
Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Alick Mvundla Ncube of Bulawayo has earned the wrath of Zimbabwe's increasingly desperate President Robert Mugabe, who accuses the cleric of everything from being a tribalist to delivering inflammatory homilies.Rodrick Mukumbira - Ethiopia
Stolen monument causes uproar
In 1937, Italian troops serving in Ethiopia were ordered by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini to ferry to Rome a sacred monument to mark his ascendancy to power fifteen years later. The 1,700-year-old, artefact has provoked a fierce verbal war between Italy and Ethiopia.Matthias Muindi - Kenya
The thorn in the rosebush
A recent conference by the Kenya Human Rights Commission highlights the plight of workers in Kenya's cut flower industry, while industry, government, and top-level union officials say that such worker abuses are few and far between.Cathy Majtenyi - Sudan
'God, Oil and Country'
The aftermath of the 11 September terrorist attacks on New York and Washington last year has opened a window of opportunity for peace in Sudan, says a recently released report by an NGO, the International Crisis Group.Clement Njoroge and Boro Klan - Sudan
Oil firm's exit: The first crack?
An oil firm has quit Sudan for the second time in as many years. Citing insecurity, the firm's officials stressed that only a comprehensive ceasefire will make it resume operations. But that is unlikely as fighting escalates. Suddenly, the future looks bleak for oil firms.Matthias Muindi - Ghana
Ghost names killing Ghana softly
In Ghana, "ghosts" have invaded government payrolls, enabling heads of departments and accountants to siphon money from the public purse into their pockets in the name of a fictitious, or former, employee.Amos Safo - Ghana
Muslims cry foul over population figures
A recent protest by the Coalition of Muslim Organisations about Ghana's population statistics concerning religion highlights the age-old fear that Islam is playing second fiddle to Christianity, and points to the difficulties of gathering statistics in Ghana.Amos Safo - Botswana
Government changes tack in war against AIDS
The Botswana government together with some donors have thrown their support for community based programme to deal with AIDS. If successful, the project could stem a pandemic in a country that has the highest prevalence rate in southern Africa.Rodrick Mukumbira