From the Street: Protesting supporters of Cote D’ivoire’s president Laurent Gbagbo have burnt a United Nations truck, as tensions rise in the capital, Abidjan.
But the UN reports that six of their trucks have been attacked. Three UN peacekeepers have also been injured, according to media reports.
The UN and the international community recognize Gbagbo’s opponent, Guattara as the legitimate president.
UN boss, Ban ki Moon has denounced the attacks, calling the action crimes under international law.
Security in Africa
Machete wielding men on rampage in Nigeria
Elections in Africa
Nigerian president Jonathan Woodgate has won the primaries for the
Referendum elections underway in south Sudan, in a referendum to decide the fate of secession.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Tunisia Crisis
Africa in Context
Zine Ben Ali, Tunisian president, has promised not to stand in the 2014 presidential elections. This comes amidst violence against the high standards of living.
He has also ordered security forces not to open fire at the protesters.
Speaking on live television announcement, Ben Ali said he understands the grievances of the rioters. He has spent 23 years in power. However constitutional age limit bars Ben Ali from office after 2014.
Zine Ben Ali, Tunisian president, has promised not to stand in the 2014 presidential elections. This comes amidst violence against the high standards of living.
He has also ordered security forces not to open fire at the protesters.
Speaking on live television announcement, Ben Ali said he understands the grievances of the rioters. He has spent 23 years in power. However constitutional age limit bars Ben Ali from office after 2014.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Sudan Decides
Sudan Referendum
Southern Sudan is poised to have a say in a referendum scheduled for 9th January 2011. Sudan’s president, Al Bashir told Aljazeera that he has exhausted all avenues to convince southerners to vote for unity. He added that most southerners are separatists, and do not have the ability to cater for themselves.
The people of southern Sudan are mature, and have been running their affairs for the last six years, replied SPLM’s Secretary General, Pagan Amoum.
Sudan referendum is a result of 2005 comprehensive peace agreement that ended a two decade civil war between the north and south.
Sixty percent of registered voters have to turn up if the result is to be valid.
Southern Sudan is poised to have a say in a referendum scheduled for 9th January 2011. Sudan’s president, Al Bashir told Aljazeera that he has exhausted all avenues to convince southerners to vote for unity. He added that most southerners are separatists, and do not have the ability to cater for themselves.
The people of southern Sudan are mature, and have been running their affairs for the last six years, replied SPLM’s Secretary General, Pagan Amoum.
Sudan referendum is a result of 2005 comprehensive peace agreement that ended a two decade civil war between the north and south.
Sixty percent of registered voters have to turn up if the result is to be valid.
Social Unrest
Social unrest in Algeria
Algeria is covered with rioting youth, protesting against increased cost of living. Scenes of men barricading roads, burning tyres have been glued in the media. The media also reports that angry youth attacked police stations and torched government buildings.
The youth, aged below 30 years, account for 75% of Algeria’s 35 million people.
Wikileaks reports highlighted increased corruption in the Algeria.
Neighboring Tunisia is witnessing similar violent attacks. A Tunisian man even set himself on fire after police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling, dying of his wounds a month later, according to police and medical releases.
Algeria is covered with rioting youth, protesting against increased cost of living. Scenes of men barricading roads, burning tyres have been glued in the media. The media also reports that angry youth attacked police stations and torched government buildings.
The youth, aged below 30 years, account for 75% of Algeria’s 35 million people.
Wikileaks reports highlighted increased corruption in the Algeria.
Neighboring Tunisia is witnessing similar violent attacks. A Tunisian man even set himself on fire after police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling, dying of his wounds a month later, according to police and medical releases.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Coptics in Egypt under Scare
Differences in religion
Coptic churches under scare as they prepare to celebrate Christmas on 7th January. This comes after a suicide bomber detonated near a church on New Year’s Eve in Alexandria, killing 23 people. Coptic Christians make up an estimated 10% of Egypt’s 80 million people. About 200 churches exist in Egypt.
Coptic churches under scare as they prepare to celebrate Christmas on 7th January. This comes after a suicide bomber detonated near a church on New Year’s Eve in Alexandria, killing 23 people. Coptic Christians make up an estimated 10% of Egypt’s 80 million people. About 200 churches exist in Egypt.
New Times
Election Upbeat
Welcome into 2011, readers of the Apocalypse say its 2 years to the end of the world. But before that, we have business to attend to.
Elections in Uganda take the last bends towards the electoral finish line. All eight contestants are still in the field, even Lubega, whom I haven’t seen in the news, did I hear someone say even Bwanika. Well, now they are, at least. For those in, its more a kivulu (music fiesta) than a policy guided campaign. Today’s newspapers carry poll results saying the incumbent, Museveni has a projected 65% win. No surprise, his song Another Rap is leading the charts, with over four million hits on YouTube and counting.
Before that though, Sudan has a referendum earlier, 9th January and it will be a week long. I will be watching it closely from the fringes. President Omar El Bashir has promised to respect the outcome of the vote, despite repetitive reports of border tension between the north and south. Vote decision of which side Abyei is was postponed over indecision of who should vote.
I will be performing a listening post, on the way the media is reporting on the campaign.
Welcome 2011.
Welcome into 2011, readers of the Apocalypse say its 2 years to the end of the world. But before that, we have business to attend to.
Elections in Uganda take the last bends towards the electoral finish line. All eight contestants are still in the field, even Lubega, whom I haven’t seen in the news, did I hear someone say even Bwanika. Well, now they are, at least. For those in, its more a kivulu (music fiesta) than a policy guided campaign. Today’s newspapers carry poll results saying the incumbent, Museveni has a projected 65% win. No surprise, his song Another Rap is leading the charts, with over four million hits on YouTube and counting.
Before that though, Sudan has a referendum earlier, 9th January and it will be a week long. I will be watching it closely from the fringes. President Omar El Bashir has promised to respect the outcome of the vote, despite repetitive reports of border tension between the north and south. Vote decision of which side Abyei is was postponed over indecision of who should vote.
I will be performing a listening post, on the way the media is reporting on the campaign.
Welcome 2011.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Uganda’s Press Freedom Declines
From the News Desk; According to the Freedom of the Press 2010 report, press freedom in Uganda steadily declined by 10-points over the past five years.
Out of 196 countries surveyed in the world, Uganda stands at 110.
According to the report, Uganda’s ranking deteriorated due to laws like criminal libel, defamation, promotion of sectarianism, inciting of violence, anti-terrorism Act 2002 and national security provisions which impinge on the work of journalists.
In East African, Uganda is second to Tanzania (102) among the nations that provide a better working environment. Kenya at 121 is partly free, while Burundi (159) and Rwanda (178) are not free for media practice.
In sub-Saharan Africa, only Mali, Ghana, Mauritius, Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe are rated free. Uganda at 15 is among the 19 countries with partly free media.
Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia are among the 24 countries that are ranked among those whose press is not free.
There are three broad rankings for press freedom; Free, Partly Free and Not Free. Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden lead the world. Libya, Burma, Turkmenistan and North Korea are the worst places for journalists to work in.
“Although the Constitution provides for the right to freedoms of expression and the press, several other laws negate these constitutional guarantees and the Government has increasingly cracked down on critical journalists and media houses,” a statement from the US-based Freedom House pointed out.
“Government support for media freedom and tolerance for critical or opposing viewpoints declined considerably, and official rhetoric against members of the press has increased,” the report explains.
So far this year, Uganda’s media has experienced mixed results. First, history was made when Timothy Kalyegira, became the first Ugandan editor and online publisher to be detained by police. He was arrested for his comments following the July 11th terrorist bombings in Kampala that killed nearly 80 people.
Another arrest was of Harrison Thembo, a WBS TV journalist, who was arrested by police at Bwera (Uganda-DR Congo boarder) for filming activities at the immigration offices. Thembo was arrested on 16th/08/2010 while filming the unusual and exasperating process Ugandans and non Ugandans go through while moving within or entering the country.
Kingdom FM reporter Rogers Matovu, was arrested and detained on the 19th/July/2010 and released without a charge. He was arrested by the Presidential Guard Brigade, while covering the African Union Summit which was taking place in Munyonyo Kampala. Circumstances that lead to his arrest are unclear.
The Special Forces, the elite brigade that guards President Museveni, maintains that journalists intending to cover the President’s 2011 election campaigns must fill out an accreditation form, which, in all honesty, is overly intrusive.
On the happy side though, the sedition law was scraped off the pages of the law, after a court challenge.
It’s a mixture of these events that contribute to the current position occupied by Uganda in the press freedom ranking.
Out of 196 countries surveyed in the world, Uganda stands at 110.
According to the report, Uganda’s ranking deteriorated due to laws like criminal libel, defamation, promotion of sectarianism, inciting of violence, anti-terrorism Act 2002 and national security provisions which impinge on the work of journalists.
In East African, Uganda is second to Tanzania (102) among the nations that provide a better working environment. Kenya at 121 is partly free, while Burundi (159) and Rwanda (178) are not free for media practice.
In sub-Saharan Africa, only Mali, Ghana, Mauritius, Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe are rated free. Uganda at 15 is among the 19 countries with partly free media.
Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia are among the 24 countries that are ranked among those whose press is not free.
There are three broad rankings for press freedom; Free, Partly Free and Not Free. Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden lead the world. Libya, Burma, Turkmenistan and North Korea are the worst places for journalists to work in.
“Although the Constitution provides for the right to freedoms of expression and the press, several other laws negate these constitutional guarantees and the Government has increasingly cracked down on critical journalists and media houses,” a statement from the US-based Freedom House pointed out.
“Government support for media freedom and tolerance for critical or opposing viewpoints declined considerably, and official rhetoric against members of the press has increased,” the report explains.
So far this year, Uganda’s media has experienced mixed results. First, history was made when Timothy Kalyegira, became the first Ugandan editor and online publisher to be detained by police. He was arrested for his comments following the July 11th terrorist bombings in Kampala that killed nearly 80 people.
Another arrest was of Harrison Thembo, a WBS TV journalist, who was arrested by police at Bwera (Uganda-DR Congo boarder) for filming activities at the immigration offices. Thembo was arrested on 16th/08/2010 while filming the unusual and exasperating process Ugandans and non Ugandans go through while moving within or entering the country.
Kingdom FM reporter Rogers Matovu, was arrested and detained on the 19th/July/2010 and released without a charge. He was arrested by the Presidential Guard Brigade, while covering the African Union Summit which was taking place in Munyonyo Kampala. Circumstances that lead to his arrest are unclear.
The Special Forces, the elite brigade that guards President Museveni, maintains that journalists intending to cover the President’s 2011 election campaigns must fill out an accreditation form, which, in all honesty, is overly intrusive.
On the happy side though, the sedition law was scraped off the pages of the law, after a court challenge.
It’s a mixture of these events that contribute to the current position occupied by Uganda in the press freedom ranking.
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