Holiday Break

Apologies for the long delay in posts, but I'm taking a holiday break from the news. See you in 2013!

Random Kate Thoughts: Eat. Relax. Chill. Be merry.

Guest Post: A Fading Hero, Mandela Sick

Updated Sunday December 16

Guest Post by Syakaa, from Tanzania

South Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela is being treated for a lung infection, a term often used synonymously with pneumonia. Elderly people are at an increased risk of infections in general — more so if the person has many chronic medical problems, but as people age their immune systems are less capable of fighting off infections. South African officials say Mandela’s lung infection is “recurring.” edit: He is also recovering from surgery to remove gallstones. The former president is 94 years old.

The man is getting on in years...

It may seem surprising that it took so long for Mandela’s diagnosis to be made public.  However, it’s possible that it took this long to make a diagnosis. This is the first time officials have revealed why Mr Mandela was rushed to a military hospital in the capital, Pretoria, on Saturday. News of the hospital stay has prompted much concern in South Africa. 

Random William Thoughts: Mr Mandela led the struggle against white-minority rule before being elected the first black president of South Africa in democratic elections in 1994. Despite being imprisoned for 27 years by the apartheid government, after his release he forgave his former enemies and urged South Africans of all races to work together and seek reconciliation. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. He is now 94 years old and it is surely a matter of when rather than if his time will come. This is the day that threatens South Africa and its future most. Mr Mandela has for long been a symbol for the rainbow nation of acceptance and forgiveness, and some worry about what will happen when this symbol fades. His presence has been a constant  in the nation’s structure and if he dies there is a danger for that structure to disintegrate. If he dies some worry that it will be the end for the white population in South Africa and we could have a repeat of Zimbabwe in this nation. With the installation of the new bank notes with his face on it, some might argue that the government in already preparing for the inevitable. One thing we can be sure of is that Mandela’s Legacy will surely be tested after he leaves the nation.

Random Kate Thoughts: A teacher I work with is very convinced that Nelson Mandela is already dead. She believes that his body is simply being hidden until the "right" moment for the ruling party, the ANC, to reveal his death. The "right" moment being the right political moment, as Mandela not only symbolizes the struggle, but the struggle by the ANC specifically. His death will surely result in a vast outpouring of support for the ANC. Will that outpouring be timed for an important moment for the ruling, though flagging, party? Time will tell.

I like to remember him as the handsome young man he was. :)

Ghana's Election Controversy

This past week, Ghana, one of Africa's leading democracies, had its presidential election. The incumbent, John Mahama, became president when the country's previous president, John Atta Mills (there are a lot of Johns in Ghana), died in July. Mahama was Vice President and stepped into power then.

President John Mahama

The elections were ruled to be free and fair, but the opposition party of challenger Nana Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party, released a statement on Sunday claiming that the ruling party had rigged the elections. Protests go on in Ghana, but most international groups are encouraging the NPP to accept the result. Akufo-Addo also ran in 2008 but lost by a single percentage point. This year's electoral commission has him at 47.74% of the vote with Mahama at 50.7%.

Random Kate Thoughts: It is eerie how often this happens on the continent. Just last month in Sierra Leone, and in scores of countries before, the incumbent wins and the opposition protests and claims rigging. Is the American voting process so trusted that we happily (or un-happily) go on our merry ways the second week of November without protest? Ok, aside from that unfortunate "hanging chad" incident a while back, our votes tend to be pretty clean. Part of living in a 200-year-old democracy? Perhaps. Ghana is the oldest democracy on the continent and it's just been a republic for a wee 52 years.

Guest Post: Nigerian Becomes Richest Black Woman in World

Nigeria’s Mrs Alakija Becomes Richest Black Woman in the World, displaces Oprah Winfrey
Guest Post: Alheri from Nigeria 
 

Mrs Folorunsho Alakija was born into a wealthy Nigerian polygamous family in 1951 (she is 61 years old at present). She began her professional career in the mid-1970s, and took up work as a secretary at the International Merchant Bank of Nigeria (now defunct). She later resigned in the early 80’s for Fashion School in England. 

Folorunsho Alakija, richest black woman in the world

Upon her return, she started her own Fashion Label, Supreme Stitches, which catered for exclusive clients only- really exclusive: socialites and wives of extremely wealthy Army Generals, Politicians and business men (wives because it is was very rare, back in the day, to see a Nigerian woman who could boast such wealth and stand on her own feet, i.e., without having a wealthy husband).

Her business grew tremendously and in 1993, she founded and became the CEO of a Nigerian Oil company, Famfa Oil. Famfa produces about 200,000 barrels of oil a day, and she owns 60% working interest.

Although the Forbes Ranking pegs her wealth at about 600 million USD, a more recent report has been published by Ventures Africa, an African News and Business Magazine that she is worth at least 3.3 Billion USD, and is about 500 Million USD richer that Oprah Winfrey. 

Random Alheri Thoughts: It is really impressive to see that African women are on the rise! I am very happy that we have a Nigerian woman who has defied all odds. This gives me hope that indeed, a woman can go whatever she sets her mind! Several people, even women themselves are intimidated by the mere thought of being wealthy and powerful, which causes a huge lack of ambition. Here, we have Mrs. Alakija who ventured into the oil business, without minding that the business was, and still is, a more male dominated area. I am really impressed that she has made such a fortune, and I can only hope that other Nigerian women take after her example in the true spirit of entrepreneurship. I read somewhere that she is also a Philanthropist, which means she is one more source of funding for me when I set out to begin my own project of transforming Africa!

Guest Post: Egypt Dividing

Guest Post: Alhassan from Egypt

Almost two years after its revolutions, everyone in the world would think that Egypt got what it wanted, but apparently that is not the reality. Earlier this year in June, Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, got elected into presidency. Although many were not satisfied by the results, Egyptians chose to wait and see what Morsi got for them. Over the last six months, he has failed to achieve the goals he had set in his campaign: Egyptians experienced no improvement in their life conditions, and even worse, several accidents such as a train accident where 50 children died. All of these factors combined made Egyptians' hate for the new president grow very quickly. This hatred exploded when the president decided to sack the general prosecutor and assign himself power over the legislative and executive branches. Many perceived this as a huge decision that will create another dictator. His decree led the opposition to call for protests against the constitutional declaration, which were met by a demand from the Muslim Brotherhood Party for its members to have a counter protest. For two weeks, both sides protested for and against the decree. Morsi's only reaction was calling Egyptians to join an urgent referendum on the new decree, which still didn't satisfy the protestors. On Wednesday, the 5th of December, clashes took place between the two sides, with many claiming that members of the MB were the ones starting the attack with weapons and fire bombs. Now, sadly, the country is polarized between the two parties: Pro- Morsi/decree and anti- Morsi/decree.

President Morsi of Egypt

Random Alhassan Thoughts: Although I wasn't happy with Morsi getting elected, I was still satisfied by the fact that we had our first fair presidential elections. I could also understand that after a very long era of dictatorship, which created a very politically illiterate nation, why people elected the man who spoke in the name of religion. After hearing his decree, I wasn't very worried about the creation of a new dictator, knowing that we will act the second we sense the creation of one. I rather believed that we should trust him and see what he had for us. After all, the majority of Egyptians willingly elected this man. Nevertheless, I was saddened by the acts of the MB members, who are now speaking in the name of religion and anyone who opposes them is being called a hater of Islam. I was also disappointed by Morsi, who ever since he became a president, didn't try to have an inclusive government that would unify the nation. A very big division is being created between Egyptians and if Morsi doesn't act immediately, very bloody clashes might occur between his supporters
and people who would want him to step down as a president.

Guest Post: Cows Slaughtered for Re-Election

Guest Post: Bonga from South Africa

South Africa’s president, Jacob Zuma, in preparation for the upcoming elections, had 12 cattle slaughtered in a ceremony to request help and guidance from the ancestors in the upcoming ANC presidential elections. Zuma is running against deputy president, Kgalema Motlante, who he had appointed after the recalling of former president Thabo Mbeki.  Motlante, who was care-taking president in the lead up to the elections at Mangaung, is a strong favourite to win the election with Zuma’s opponents pushing for him to be expelled from the top job. Analysts, however, have said that Zuma will get re-elected, this is despite his being investigated for using taxpayer’s money to renovate his residential complex which reportedly cost  $27,000,000. 

SA President Jacob Zuma

Random Bonga Thoughts: I wonder  if Zuma really believes in traditionalism and its practises or if it is just an image that he wants to put out to black South Africans, in order to show them that he is one of them, despite his excessive mansion and private  jet, and thus gain and keep their support for himself and the ANC at large. I question what the purpose of  having local chiefs act as judge, prosecutor and mediator, as was warranted by the Zuma government’s Traditional Courts Bill which was unveiled earlier this year, is, given the fact that South Africa already has a functional, though it may have flaws, judicial system. I think that in addition to seeking support through his action, President Jacob Zuma is creating a platform upon which he and South Africans, who are traditionalists when it is convenient, can get away with actions that are seen as unacceptable and even law-breaking to some extent. There may be a legitimate reason for something like making a local chief a decision maker on matters of the law, but I think that this should be on the basis of our already existing constitution.

Guest Post: Morocco Calls for End to Israeli Attacks

Guest Post: Zineb from Morocco
Random from Kate: This article is the opinion of the student below. I do not want to get involved in an extensive argument around Israel-Palestine, I instead wish to give you one perspective from a North African, which you might not get to hear too often.

Zineb: Morocco has strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing military attacks against the Gaza Strip and called on the UN Security Council to put an end to it “in the shortest possible time and without conditions.”

A Palestinian woman shouts anti-Israel slogans on the rubble of her home after the latest Israeli airstrikes in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, November 16, 2012

The Permanent Ambassador Representative of Morocco in the United Nations, Mohamed Loulichki, gave a speech at the Security Council meeting held in November 2012. He stated that Israel's latest aggression “is all the more reprehensible as it could last longer and spread to other parts of the occupied Palestinian territory.” The Ambassador stressed also “the dangerous implications of this new aggression in terms of destruction and targeted assassinations, led by the Israeli occupation forces in a region already rocked by other crises.”

Mr. Loulichki further said he feared that this new strategy would distract the international community from the strategic objective of a speedy resumption of negotiations leading to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

Ambassador Representative of Morocco, Mohamed Loulichki, at the UN

Ambassador Loulichki reaffirmed the position of the Kingdom emphasizing the goals of the Al-Quds Committee whose chairman is the Moroccan King Mohammed VI. The committee aims to preserve the character of the holy city of Al-Quds (Arabic name for Jerusalem), and protect what they view as the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people to achieve the existence of a state with Al-Quds as its capital.

Morocco took the initiative to organize an urgent meeting in order to discuss the situation in Gaza and was the first member of the Security Council to "strongly condemn the Israeli aggression."

Random Zineb thoughts: Morocco is one of only two monarchies present in Africa nowadays but its political system is carefully evolving from a strong centralized monarchy to a parliamentary system. Its freedom level according to the freedom house is quite low and Morocco itself still has numerous human rights issues to resolve, in addition to the international border dispute with the Polisario Front over the territory of Western Sahara. However, it is a country that supports democracy and freedom of speech. This is the reason why Morocco is attempting to end the Israeli attacks, given that the apartheid regime of Israel denies about 1.7 million people in Gaza their basic rights, such as freedom of movement, jobs that pay proper wages, and adequate healthcare and education.

Finding Togo

A couple of months ago, I told my students to pick an African country they didn't know much about and to do a simple google search on that country. One student picked Togo. Most of you have probably not heard of Togo. Unless you read my post about the sex strike there there, and even then, you've probably forgotten.

Obligatory reminder of the location of Togo

And part of the reason that Togo is so little known, other than that it's tiny, might be because, when you type Togo into google, as my student did, and start to look at the top hits, as I had instructed, you might soon find some unusual hits.

"Ms. K, why is skype my third hit?"

... (crud)

"Um, I'm not sure. Let me look at your computer."

I look at her computer, and this is what I see:

Oh goodness.

So I explain to the class that google does not know the difference between Togo and To Go,  recommend that she ignore it and leave the students to their work.

But that's not the end.

"Ms. K, what is Togo's?"

"Sorry?"

"Come look at my computer again please."

Back to the computer screen I go, and this is the final straw:

Yep. Togo's Sandwiches, a West Coast Original. Good luck explaining THAT to a student.

Random Kate Thoughts: As much as I love a good tuna on wheat, it seems that a little country in West Africa has a bit of a PR problem. When a third of the searches for your country aren't even your country and instead are video chatting programs and sandwich shops, and the rest are all CIA/BBC/USGOV sites, there isn't a lot out there by Togolese people themselves. And that's certainly not helping them get their own stories told. So the next time you google Togo (try it now, why not), go and find the government's website, and click on it. Help a little guy out. Everyone needs more hits these days.

Swashbuckling Coup in the Seychelles!

This past Sunday was the 21-year anniversary of a failed military coup in the Seychelles by a man nicknamed "Mad Mike." The Seychelles? Huh? Where's that?

Well I'm glad you asked, as the Seychelles is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean consisting of about 115 islands. In total, it has the smallest population of any African state.

The Seychelles

But on to the coup! Mike "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ringleader of the coup, was an Irish mercenary who had gained a reputation for himself in the Congo in the 1960s. With dubious involvement of South Africa and the US, on that day in 1981, he gathered a group of white middle-class mercenaries and dubbed them "Ye Ancient Order of Froth-Blowers," a beer-drinking rugby-playing group of gentlemen on vacation in the Seychelles. Little did the Seychellois (the demonyn for people from the Seychelles) know, but the bulky bags full of rugby balls intended for donation to children that the men carried had fake bottoms and were full of AK-47s.

"Mad Mike"

The men got on the plane that day intending to use those AKs to overthrow the government of socialist President France-Albert Rene, as overthrowing the socialists was pretty cool in the west back in those days.

Unfortunately for them, the last guy going through customs as they entered the Seychelles stuffed up and got his gun discovered. The customs agent ran away to sound the alarm and, in a burst of action movie fame, another man grabbed his disassembled AK-47, assembled it, loaded it, and shot the guy in the back before he could get away. Damn.

The mercenaries then found themselves in an extensive gun battle, so it became quickly clear that the mission had failed. So what did they do? An Air India jet full of passengers in the air above the airport had been told about the fighting but didn't have enough fuel to turn around, so landed in the Seychelles airport anyway. Mad Mike and his men negotiated a ceasefire and then hijacked the plane back to Durban. 

The following July, Mad Mike was sentenced to ten years in prison. His other colleagues got between six months and five years.

Random Kate Thoughts: Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction. It would be really interesting to see a movie made about this some day. I love little stories like this, from places most people have never heard of, that are so exciting and full of intrigue! Every country has something interesting about it, even the tiny ones. :)

RIP: Bryce Courtenay

Last Friday, South African-born author Bryce Courtenay died after suffering from stomach cancer. Courtenay was an Australian national and died at his home in Canberra at the age of 79.

Bryce Courtenay

He only started writing in his 50s and it was his first book, The Power of One, that attracted him so much attention. The account of a young boy growing up in apartheid-era South Africa, it is a tale of blood, sweat, and tears, following the boy, Peekay, as he becomes a boxer and learns about life.

Random Kate Thoughts: The Power of One is one of my favorite works of fiction. It's an easy read with the backdrop of a lot of really fascinating South African history. I would recommend that everyone read it, as it is a fun way to learn some of the culture and history of this rainbow nation. RIP, Bryce Courtenay. Thank you for your writing.

Guest Post: Zimbabwe: The War at Home

Guest Post by Lionel, Student from Zimbabwe
There is a lot of tension looming as Zimbabwe approaches its Presidential elections set for 2013. 

what used to be the "breadbasket of Africa"

The two main parties in the elections are the Zimbabwe African National Union-Political Front (ZANU-PF) and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). ZANU-PF has been the ruling party since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980 until 2008 when they signed a power sharing deal in which a coalition government was formed between ZANU led by President Mugabe, MDC led by Prime Minister Tsvangirai and another faction of the MDC led by Vice Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara. Over the past four years, there has been a lot of conflict within the coalition government. In a more recent controversy, ZANU-PF Politburo and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said in an interview that the military would not accept an MDC victory in the coming elections. Members of Zimbabwe’s security sector have also previously issued similar statements saying that they will not salute Tsvangirai if he wins elections because he has no liberation war credentials. 

President Robert Mugage "Uncle Bob" (left) and PM Morgan Tsvangirai (right)

The tension between the two parties has been made worse by their conflict in reforming the Zimbabwean constitution. The MDC has threatened to boycott the 2013 Presidential elections if a solid constitution hasn’t been delivered by then. Another source of tension is the recent imprisonment of Tsvangirai’s supporters. The fear is that Mugabe will have his way and the 2013 elections will be characterised by violence by ZANU-PF supporters, just like in the 2008 elections.

Random Lionel Thoughts: I think that coalition governments never work as long as the people involved think in terms of divisions rather than the good of the people. The situation of the Zimbabwean government right now reminds me of the Kenyan government- only that the Kenyan government is divided in terms of tribalism whereas Zimbabwe is divided according to the two main political parties. The failure of the government to agree on significant issues has resulted in inefficiency to an even greater extent.

Guest Post: Marrakesh Voted Best African Destination

Guest Post by Khaoula, student from Morocco:

Obligatory reminder of the location of Morocco

The “red city" of Morocco, so called because of its red clay, Marrakesh was voted Best African Destination of the Year 2012 by the 19^th World Travel Awards, an award chosen by travel agents around the world. 

www.moroccansightseeing.com

Marrakesh is the first Moroccan city to win this title that several other attractive African cities and regions competed for, such as Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg in South Africa, Luxor in Egypt, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and Victoria Falls in Zambia. Marrakesh was also selected as the sixth best destination in the world in 2012 by Trip Advisor, a leading review website used by travellers from around the world.

http://broadband.usamuslimworld.com/files/2011/08/marrakech2.jpg

Marrakesh, oasis city of Morocco, attracts tourists from Morocco and around the world with its charm. Historically, it has been the capital of Morocco twice and has many monuments that speak of the achievements of Yusuf Ibn Tachafin, its founder in 1062, such as Koutoubia Mosque, Djemaa El Fna Square and Menara Gardens.

Holding such a title is a great honor of Marrakshi and Moroccans in general, but a lot of work has to be done to accommodate more tourists and to develop the infrastructure of the city and its surroundings.

Marrakesh tour bus, http://usamuslimworld.com

Random Khaoula Thoughts: As a Marrakshi, I felt proud to hear such news, but I wondered what the future holds. The Moroccan government and especially the Ministry of Tourism are probably celebrating this and expecting more tourists to visit Morocco, but are they really aware of the implications this will create? Or rather: Are they ready to take action to solve the many internal problems before inviting outsiders to join?  When our leaders talk about shortage of water, they forget that most of the consumption goes to the hotels and their golf courses. When they complain about social moral values dropping, they ignore the growth of sexual tourism and its economic and social impacts. 

I have always wondered how the money coming from tourism in my city disappears, and why I should respect a foreigner more than my fellow Moroccan. Aren’t we all human? Why should I accept being given less priority, being treated like a sheep that has to follow without question, while foreign tourists are treated like kings and queens? The Moroccan authorities aim to develop the nation using the wrong means. Moroccans won't have the dignity they deserve without using the revenues of tourism to improve public service and provide basic needs, starting with health care, roads, and transportation. There is no valid reason for a normal citizen to encourage tourism and commend the strategies put in place by the tourism ministry. 

I am not saying that I don’t want tourists or that I must see immediate change from the Moroccan authorities.  I, like most Marrakshis, welcome thousands of tourists every day. I feel happy to share my culture, to see people from all over the world coming to visit my country, eat my food and learn a few Arabic words. It makes my day to hear that people enjoy being around Marrakesh, going sightseeing or traveling to its suburbs. I am just raising questions and asking that the Moroccan government use this new boom in tourism for the betterment of its people.

Ivory Coast Dissolves Govt Over Women's Rights Law

The Ivory Coast, or Cote d'Ivoire for you French-speakers out there, has had a rough past couple of years. The November 2010 elections resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 people, as incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept his loss to now-President Alassane Outtara. Outtara was barricaded in a hotel in the capital city well into 2011, but eventually peace was reached and his victory confirmed by the international community. (side note: former President Gbagbo was known as "Le Boulanger," meaning "the baker," for his tendency to roll his opponents in flour, aka screw them over)

Outtara's blockaded hotel, note the UN tents outside, Feb 2011

Last week, President Outtara dissolved his 36-person cabinet, citing conflict in the ranks of his coalition government. Back during the blockade, the 3rd place winning party in the elections agreed to back Outtara in the run-off in exchange for a high position in the new government. It is that party, the PDCI, that disagreed with Outtara's bill in Parliament, causing Outtara to throw them out of his cabinet, essentially.

Alassane Outtara, President of Cote d'Ivoire

The bill would make women equal heads of the household in Cote d'Ivoire. Like a lot of places on the continent, men are legally in charge of the family and responsible for all major decisions. Women don't have many rights once married, and President Outtara is trying to change that law.

In case you forgot where Cote d'Ivoire is, it's in west Africa

Random Kate Thoughts: I remember speaking with an Ivorian student two years ago during all of the craziness in the election. While the international media had been extremely pro-Outtara, my student was on the side of Gbagbo, which I found interesting. Was it her nation's propaganda that convinced her of that position, or was the west being one-sided again? While I still haven't completed decided, I'm pretty glad that Outtara is trying to do such good for women in Cote d'Ivoire by making them joint heads of household. Dissolving your cabinet might not be the best way to get people on your side, but who knows. This stand of Outtara will certainly keep him the darling of the west for a bit longer.

Egyptian Train Kills 50 Children

In a similar story to the pick-up truck hit by a train in South Africa a couple of months ago, over the weekend a school bus in Egypt was hit by a train, killing around 50 children ages four to six and injuring several others.

a crowd around the wreck of the train

The "train crossing minder" was asleep on the job and hadn't lowered the crossing bars, so the bus crossed the train tracks only to be T-boned by the oncoming train. The train then pushed the bus for about a kilometer (about half a mile), dragging the bloody limbs of the children along with it.

looking into the rubble

Random Kate Thoughts: This is a horrible tragedy for Egypt. I've taken a night train in Egypt before, south from Cairo to Luxor (this crash was actually south of Cairo, I do wonder if it was the same train...), and it was an extremely sketchy experience. The transit system in general is pretty terrible and needs vast improvement. The change of regime after Arab Spring didn't make a ton of concrete domestic changes. Various transportation ministers have resigned over this crash, but that won't bring back the children who were lost, or stop the future loss of innocents. President Mosni had spent the week before touting Egypt as the main ally to Palestine in the region among his international friends, but it does seem like his focus on foreign policy has left some rather large holes domestically. I admit that it has to be a balance between foreign and domestic focus for any government, but perhaps the lever needs to swing the other way now for Egypt.

Sierra Leone Election Finishes

In the wake of the US election, many forgot that sometimes, other people go to the polls too. And just that happened today, in Sierra Leone.

You found it!

Sierra Leone has had a horrible history of violence, with a civil war raging from 1991-2002, killing over 50,000 people. Too many children of Sierra Leone were child soldiers, so the nation as a whole has a lot of healing to do. You might remember Sierra Leone from the movie "Blood Diamond," which was supposed to be about Sierra Leone (never mind that it was filmed in South Africa).

The election results will be announced in the next ten days. Incumbent president Ernest Koroma and his All People's Party are running for re-election, with eight other challengers for president and two other main political parties giving them a run for their money. 

Any students reading this? Write me a paragraph analyzing this for extra credit.

Random Kate Thoughts: It is very exciting to hear about peaceful elections in a country that for so long understood only the barrel of a gun with regard to power. Even though democracy is often (too often) cited as an imposition of the west, I truly believe that letting everyone have their voice heard is universal. And as flawed as voting can be, it's a sure way to let your voice be heard.

Oh and a couple last things: although the elections were peaceful, one polling place had to be moved because of a "swarm of bees." And the counters didn't have electricity, so used handheld cell phones for light. Did I mention that Sierra Leone is an extremely poor and under-developed country? There is a lot on the plate of whomever wins this election.

Man Swallows 220 Diamonds

The South African police are not the absolute best in terms of customs control and I know this from personal experience (you can buy lighters full of lighter fluid after security in both major international airports and my friend was handed his full bottle of sunscreen back to him to take on the plane once). Please watch Trevor Noah's "any weapons?" skit for hilarity around this topic.

But they finally caught someone! A diamond-smuggler swallowed 220 diamonds and tried to leave South Africa with them. Didn't work so well for him, as a body scan at OR Tambo airport (the Joburg international airport) revealed them in his stomach.

How much is 220 diamonds worth? A cool 2.3 million USD. No big deal.

don't they look fake? too beautiful to be real

Random Kate Thoughts: South Africa is famous for its diamonds, as is neighbor-to-the-north Botswana. The minerals are so incredibly valuable but again it's usually the company that makes the profit and not the workers themselves. Hopefully many of you have seen the movie "Blood Diamond," which I actually loved, though it does perpetuate the "white savior" model of African story-telling. Many people have died over diamonds, as well as over the other vast resources that the continent has, (see yesterday's post about rubber). It's sad, but I'm glad the smuggler was caught. Back to this specific story, try to not think about how "the diamonds...were recovered." (thx NYT)

November 15 in African History

Today is my birthday, so in order to celebrate I will keep this post short.

Today in African History! Sometime in the 80s, I was born! (my students read this ;) )


In 1902, Gennaro Rubino, Italian anarchist, attempts to assasinate King Leopold II of Belgium.

What does this have to do with Africa?

Just that King Leopold II of Belgium OWNED THE CONGO. He never visited his personal colony, but he made a ton of money out of the blood of the natives. Rubber was booming and rubber trees were harvested by the slaves of the state. Most famously, the soldiers of the Force Publique were given boxes of bullets and required to bring back as many right hands as they had bullets. No wasting bullets on anything but the natives. Estimates say as many as 10 million Africans died during his reign of terror.

one of the most iconic pictures of the time

Random Kate Thoughts: Someday, I will write a book about Leopold II. His reign in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo boggles my mind in so many ways, it's hard to express. It is an untold horror of Africa and the story must be told. Hopefully, I can do it. Watch this space.

p.s. for more info, watch "White King, Red Rubber, Black Death." (here)

Guest Post: Electronic Passports for Lesotho

Guest Post: Thato from Lesotho

The Prime Minister of Lesotho mentioned in a conference in Johannesburg last week that his government, through the department of Home Affairs, is working on steps to produce electronic passports for all of its citizens. This new system is a response to the high number of people who fraudulently acquired Basotho (citizens of Lesotho) passports during the previous government’s tenure, and are committing crimes in other countries, thus tainting the image of Lesotho in international eyes.

Mr. Thabane, on left, SA President Zuma on right

Mr Thabane hopes that the electronic system will reduce the number of fake passports produced, and to therefore restore Lesotho’s name in the international world.

The number one victim of these crimes has been South Africa, as it surrounds Lesotho, and many convicted criminals escape and disappear into South Africa.

The principal secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tebello Metsing said countries such as Britain, Ireland, India and Malaysia had convicted numerous criminals who claimed to be Lesotho citizens. “Many of those criminals were Nigerians,” he said. (side note from Kate: southern Africans tend to blame Nigerians for their problems.)

Random Thato Thoughts: Lesotho is a small and landlocked country in southern Africa, and its economy heavily relies on South Africa because everything that is going in or out of Lesotho has to pass through South Africa. Relationships with other countries as well are very important since Lesotho imports most of its commodities. This was a very clever move by the Prime Minister, not only to secure peace but also to re-assure Lesotho that the government is being proactive about this issue.

CAR President Detains His Son

The President of the Central African Republic, Francois Bozize, detained his son Kevin this past weekend for running up a huge hotel bill in the capital, Bangui. The bill? About $15,000 USD.

Day-um! How many mini-bars did his room HAVE?

Central African Republic (CAR)... it's pretty central!

Turns out he's not the only one, as several other high officials have run up bills of a similar nature at the same hotel.

Lucky for them, its not THEIR Dad who dragged them in front of the hotel manager and demanded they own up. But that's just what President Bozize (boh-zee-zeh) did--drag Kevin in front of the hotel manager, make him admit that the charges were his, and then detain him by the country's security force.

President Bozize, father of Kevin Bozize, derelict hotel-goer

 Random Kate Thoughts: First off, I'll put it out there, no one knows anything about CAR. BBC says it's a "failed state in permanent crisis." Pretty epic rainforests and diamonds, but other than that, illegal weapons trade and unrest. Kevin Bozize is a Captain in the nation's army, but clearly hasn't grown up yet. I'm glad that the President has decided to take action and make a point of not letting his family get away with murder. Although the country is a mess, he can go to the local five-star hotel, pay up, and send his own son to jail. Baby steps.

Guest Post: Nigerian Unemployment is Crazy

Guest Post: Jeffrey from Nigeria

Dangote Group Receives Applications From 6 P.H.D, 704 Masters and Over 8460 Bachelor Degree Holders for The Position of Truck Driver in Nigeria

The rate of unemployment in Nigeria was recently highlighted when chairman of the Dangote group, Mr. Aliko Dangote, revealed that over 13,000 people had applied for the post of Truck driver in his company.

Mr. Aliko Dangote revealed at a mentorship meeting of the World Bank Youth Summit that over 13,000 graduates, comprising of 6 PhD-holders, 704 Masters-holders and over 8460 Bachelor Degree Holders from reputable universities in Nigeria had applied for only 100 vacancies.

Aliko Dangote

The Group introduced a scheme that would pay the drivers additional trip allowances over their salaries and would have them own the trucks at no extra fees or interest after they covered 300,000 kilometers, hence making them self-dependent.

Initially, there had been a lot of complaints regarding the qualification requirement, which was termed unfair by the unemployed masses, as it required a minimum of a Bachelor’s certificate to apply. There were speculations that the job would pay a 3,200 USD salary, and for a country where over 60% of the population live under a dollar per day, this was mouthwatering.

Jeffrey’s Random Thoughts: Today in my Entrepreneurial Leadership class, I was made to assess my methods of earning and spending money. I and the other Nigerians ranked highest in the Status quota, meaning we often earn and spend our money in ways that tend to provide us with some higher level of social ranking. Upon hearing this news I wondered: has the poverty level back home become so unbearable that a fairly high salary would erase the lack of reputation in being a truck driver in the mind of a P.H.D holder?

The lack of jobs and the poor standard of living in Nigeria provides very little incentive for education in the country. The government has since spent millions of dollars in an attempt to combat terrorism and insecurity in the country but they neglect the underlying cause: UNEMPLOYMENT. It has been overly reiterated to me at my school that addressing a problem is not complete without addressing the underlying cause and I wish my government officials could sit in on my entrepreneurial leadership class.

While I question; ‘Would I become a truck driver too?’ I do hope this serves as a wakeup call to the various policy makers in the country who need to go back to the drawing board and devise a means of solving this problem.