insert_link Africa Tanganyika and Zanzibar: Tanzania’s 60-year-old union may need a restructure By Nicodemus Minde, United States International University On 26 April 2024, Tanzania celebrated 60 years of the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar. The union, which created the present-day United Republic of Tanzania, stands out among the longest lasting political arrangements of its kind in Africa, and has shaped the country’s construction of national identity. Nicodemus Minde, who has researched Tanzania’s politics, unpacks the union’s dynamics. […] todayMay 23, 2024 11
insert_link Africa The world is rushing to Africa to mine critical minerals like lithium – how the continent should deal with the demand By James Boafo, Murdoch University; Eric Stemn, University of Mines and Technology; Jacob Obodai, Edge Hill University, and Philip Nti Nkrumah, The University of Queensland Global demand for critical minerals, particularly lithium, is growing rapidly to meet clean energy and de-carbonisation objectives. Africa hosts substantial resources of critical minerals. As a result, foreign mining companies are rushing to invest in exploration and acquire mining […] todayMay 23, 2024 9
insert_link Africa Gunmen kill 40 in Plateau, Nigeria Over 40 people have been killed by gunmen in two communities in Nigeria's northern state of Plateau. The gunmen also injured several others and set many houses on fire. todayMay 22, 2024 14
insert_link Africa Kenya defends cost of jet for President Ruto’s trip Kenya's government has defended the cost of President William Ruto's trip to the US. The price of hiring the luxury private jet in which he and his delegation travelled is estimated to be $1.5m, according to Kenya’s private KTN TV station. More than 30 people, including a popular comedian, are reported to be accompanying the president, who landed in Atlanta, Georgia. Update Africa News reports that President Ruto and First […] todayMay 22, 2024 10
insert_link Africa bird basketball roundup: Ghanaian manager takes charge of WNBA team, new tournament in Kenya By Silalei Shani, bird story agency Ghanaian-American Ohemaa Nyanin has recently been named the General Manager of San Francisco-based club, Golden State Valkyries, a team playing in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Nyanin assumed office on May 13 making her the first GM of the recently formed team. Golden State Valkyries is the 13th franchise in the WNBA following the league’s first expansion since 2008. […] todayMay 22, 2024 19
insert_link Africa UK-Rwanda migrant deal challenges international protection law By Cristiano d'Orsi, University of Johannesburg In late April 2024 the British parliament passed a law – the Safety of Rwanda Act – enabling it to transport migrants arriving in the UK to Rwanda. When the legislation was approved by parliament, there were 52,000 asylum seekers who could potentially be sent to Rwanda. The law has been condemned by a range of UN actors, human rights […] todayMay 22, 2024 11
insert_link Africa Kenya is badly prepared for floods: four steps to reduce devastation and deaths By Augustine Kiptum, University of Sussex Floods in Kenya in April/May 2024 led to the deaths of over 250 people and caused damage estimated at 4 billion Kenya shillings (US$35 million). Not for the first time, Kenya’s lack of preparedness was apparent as flooding rampaged through rural and urban landscapes. There was also confusion as to who would deal with the disaster – the national […] todayMay 22, 2024 15
insert_link Africa Massive African “Gigawatt” wind projects to dwarf existing facilities, as private power companies and “wheeling” take root By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency Huge new wind power project under development in Egypt and Kenya will see independent power producers access national grids to sell power to private customers in other parts of the country, or region, accoding to a new report. "Wheeling" refers to the practice of allowing privately generated power to flow through the national grid to willing buyers in a seller-buyer model. […] todayMay 21, 2024 34
insert_link Africa Why Nigerian companies topped Africa’s fastest growing list in a difficult year By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency In early 2023, when Nigeria began rolling out its newly designed currency notes, the country was hit by a cash crisis. The reason? Nigeria’s apex bank had put a cap on the maximum amount of hard cash that individuals and corporations could withdraw as part of wider efforts to tame money laundering. While this scarcity of hard cash worsened […] todayMay 21, 2024 8
