Essential The Africa the Media Doesn't Tell You About

[Yehuda]

DRC opposition protests banned

Date 10.04.2017
Author Chrispin Mwakideu

DR Congo’s capital Kinshasa was empty on Monday after the government warned it would break up opposition rallies. The opposition is accusing President Joseph Kabila of not sticking to a power-sharing deal.

The usually bustling streets of Kinshasa were relatively calm and many business premises remained closed following a government decision to ban opposition demonstrations. DR Congo's largest opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), had called on supporters to carry out a nation-wide demonstration against President Joseph Kabila on Monday.

Public transportation was also limited as private buses chose to stay away. The public-run buses were however operational. Scores of military and anti-riot police were deployed at one of the biggest intersections near Kinshasa University.

Kabila is facing mounting protests for not implementing a power-sharing deal

"This ban shows just how worried the government is about large-scale discontent," Phil Clark, a political scientist at SOAS, University of London told DW. "Kabila realizes that anger is growing on the streets, people are becoming increasingly frustrated with the delays in elections," Clark said. The UN peacekeeping force MONUSCO has issued a press release calling on President Kabila to respect a power-sharing deal.



According to the power-sharing deal which was brokered by the Catholic Church, Kabila was to nominate a prime minister from the opposition rally known as "Rassemblement". Kabila's rule was to end last year, but the electoral commission cancelled elections citing logistical and financial challenges. Under the accord, Kabila is now to hand over power by the end of this year.

Congolese police said on Sunday evening that Monday's planned political protests would be considered illegal. They also warned that "any gathering of more than 10 people will be dispersed."

This comes after Kabila appointed Bruno Tshibala as the new prime minister of the DRC following a power-sharing deal. But Tshibala's appointment has been criticized by the opposition. UDPS have called the appointment "a reward for betrayal."

Battle to succeed Etienne Tshisekedi

Congo's new premier Tshibala was once a member of UDPS but he was expelled from the party following wrangling over who was best candidate to succeed UDPS leader Etienne Tshisekedi after his death in February. It is alleged that Tshibala did not support handing over the party's mantle to Tshisekedi's son Felix.

Felix Tshisekedi was tipped to become the next prime minister but was overlooked by Kabila

"Kabila appointing Bruno Tshibala is a deliberate attempt to divide the opposition," Clark said. The problem for Kabila is that Tshibala is not a popular figure on the streets. "Most Congolese believe Felix Tshisekedi should have been nominated as prime minister." Clark said Kabila's decision to pick Tshibala over Felix is likely to further inflame the tensions in DRC.

Exiled Congolese opposition politician Moise Katumbi has criticized Kabila's appointment of Tshibala saying; it is a move by the 45-year-old leader to extend his rule. "Our patience has its limits," Katumbi said. The former governor of Katanga Province who is also an influential businessman said the Congolese people had been subject to political repression for a very long time. "Enough is enough!"

Violence flares amid political bickering

Meanwhile violence continues to plague the Kasai province. At least 60 people were killed over the weekend in clashes involving government soldiers and the armed Kamwena Nsapu militia group in central DRC.

Violence in Kasai province of DRC has displaced more than 200,000 people

According to local authorities, most of those killed were members of the Kamwena Nsapu. On April 6, Kabila declared the region a military zone and has vowed to crush the rebellion. The Kasai insurgency which spread to five other provinces has become one of Kabila's biggest security challenges. The group opposes what it refers to as "unjust political domination" in the region.

Hundreds have been killed in sporadic fighting and more than 200,000 have been forced to flee their homes.

(AFP, dpa)

DRC opposition protests banned

 

[Yehuda]

President Magufuli launches modern railway project

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017

By Janeth Mesomapya @jmesomapya
jmesomapya @tz.nationmedia.com

Dar es Salaam — President John Magufuli has laid a foundation stone for the new 300km Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro.

During the event held Wednesday in Pugu, a few kilometres west of Dar es Salaam City, the President said the project will create 600,000 employment opportunities, stimulate trade relations within Tanzania and with its neighbours, improve tourism sector and other economic sectors.

"This is an opportunity to grow and excel in our industrial revolution drive which is the current national focus as we set our eyes to become a middle income country," he added.

He further ordered the Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Prof Makame Mbarawa to ensure that Pugu residents were the major beneficiaries of the employment chances which will be created by the project whose construction time has been pegged at 30 months.

The modern railway will be able to transport 10,000 tonnes of cargo at once. Its passenger train will travel at the speed of 160km per hour.

President Magufuli launches modern railway project

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

 

[Frangala]

Africa
Nigeria suspends intel chief over $43 million cash stash




By Bashir Adigun | AP April 19

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s president on Wednesday suspended the country’s intelligence chief over the recent discovery of $43 million in cash in a Lagos apartment.

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an investigation into how the National Intelligence Agency came to claim the money and whether any laws were broken, a government statement said.

The discovery of the cash in both local and foreign currencies by the country’s anti-corruption commission caused a sensation in this West African nation where graft is rampant.

Buhari has ordered the suspension of the director-general of the intelligence agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke, until the investigation is complete, the statement said.

The investigation has been given two weeks to report to the president.

Today's WorldView

What's most important from where the world meets Washington




Separately, Buhari has ordered an investigation into alleged wrongdoing in the award of contracts under the government office that coordinates the humanitarian response in Nigeria’s northeast, which for years has suffered from the Boko Haram Islamic insurgency.

The secretary to the federal government, David Babachir Lawal, has been suspended pending that investigation, the statement said.

Buhari won election in 2015 on a promise to halt corruption.

 

[The Singularity]

I need to find a job in the Nigerian government. I would retire early.

 

[Frangala]

 

[Yehuda]

Why is Africa importing $35bn in food annually? - AfDB boss asks

Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban with AFDB 21/04 - 06:00

President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, says his outfit has achieved major milestones in this year alone but a lot more needed to be done to improve the continent’s economic fortunes.

Top of the AfDB’s proposals on how to ‘fast-track’ Africa’s economic potential is to improve the power sector and to turn to agriculture.

The AfDB believes that the continent must break the food import chain and aim for self-sufficiency in food production within the shortest possible time.

Adesina, a former Nigerian Agric Minister, was speaking at the Center for Global Development event held in Washington DC. He lamented the negative effects that huge food imports had on the continent.

‘‘Africa’s annual food import bill of $35 billion, estimated to rise to $110 billion by 2025, weakens African economies, decimates its agriculture and exports jobs from the continent. Africa’s annual food import bill of $35 billion is just about the same amount it needs to close its power deficit.

‘‘To rapidly support Africa to diversify its economies, and revive its rural areas, we have prioritized agriculture. We are taking action. The Bank has committed $24 billion towards agriculture in the next 10 years, with a sharp focus on food self-sufficiency and agricultural industrialization,’‘ he added.

Adesina also touched on recent drought and famine facing some countries (South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda). He said the situation called for swift action, as 20 million face food insecurity and severe malnutrition.

‘‘The Bank is taking action and is planning to deploy $1.1 billion, following Board approval, to address the crisis and ensure that drought does not lead to famine,’‘ he further disclosed.

Other areas of interest for the AfDB
Other areas where the bank was looking to improve in order to advance the continent’s economic potential included the power sector. He described low access to electricity as ‘Africa’s growth decelerator.’‘

The AfDB was also looking at the area of women empowerment in the financial sector through its Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA), they were also looking to cure rising youth unemployment and to also equip Small and Medium Enetreprises (SMEs).

The High 5s – the AfDB’s vision for Africa
According to him, the bank’s vision bordered on 5 main areas, the High 5s:

• Light up and power Africa
• Feed Africa
• Industrialize Africa
• Integrate Africa; and
• Improve the quality of life of Africans.

‘‘An independent analysis of these High 5s by the UNDP has shown that if Africa focuses on these High 5s, it will achieve about 90% of its SDGs and 90% of its Agenda 2063. In short: The High 5s are the accelerators for Africa’s development.

‘‘They bring the future to the present and make life worth living now for hundreds of millions of Africans. For we must not postpone all good things for Africa into the future. Africa’s future is now,’‘ he stressed.

Why is Africa importing $35bn in food annually?

 

[Yehuda]

White people in South Africa still hold the lion’s share of all forms of capital

April 24, 2017 12.00pm EDT

The legacies of clonialism persist with white people still controlling a large chunk of the South African economy. Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

The role of “white monopoly capital” in post-apartheid South Africa has been in the news lately. In the South African context, it can be understood as the white population’s extensive control over the country’s economy.

The debate reflects a recanting view against the rainbow nation dream sold when the country gained political freedom 22 years ago. The idea is that white monopoly capital is the source of the problem of multiple failures of the South African political economy.

The response has been a rising chorus of white monopoly capitalism deniers who argue that the governing African National Congress (ANC) is using the concept as a shield against criticism. Instead of addressing its failings such as a faltering economy, widening inequality, unemployment, corruption and incompetence, the argument goes, the ANC is deflecting attention for the country’s difficulties by blaming white monopoly capital.

Some in this camp add that South Africa has recorded significant progress in redistributing the country’s wealth, mainly via the allocation of equity in formerly white companies to black economic empowerment groups. They quote figures that they say reflects rising levels of black ownership on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

But by relying on a single indicator, they ignore other key pointers which are critical to understanding the stranglehold that white capital has over the South African economy. The exclusive focus on the JSE ignores the fact that the stock market is just one of many forms of capital. Others include land – probably one of the most contentious of all forms of capital in South Africa’s history – home ownership and human capital, in the forms of knowledge, skills and education.

A multifaceted enquiry into the state of South African economy that includes all these forms of capital leaves no doubt that white capital continues to dominate the economy.

To reject this reality shows a clear lack of understanding of “capital” and the link between historic and contemporary forms of “capital accumulation”. This is because the historical legacies of colonialism and apartheid – which saw the transfer of a vast amount of the country’s resources into the hands of white European migrants – continue to shape the political, economic and social life of the country.

Persistence of white privilege

Legacies of white privilege still persist. High levels of poverty and rampant unemployment still haunt black communities.

This inequity is also evident in patterns of ownership.

Despite claims to the contrary, a study of black ownership on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange shows clearly that black South Africans remain small time players. According to a recent study, only 23% of the shares traded on the exchange are held – directly and indirectly – by black South Africans.

On top of this, capital, in its varied forms such as the land, property and human capital, remains heavily skewed to white ownership.

The land is particularly important in the South African context as it carries most colonial scars. The country’s colonial and apartheid regime (both white minority) used expropriation to remove people from their land. They then used this stolen land to accumulate capital in the forms of mining and agriculture.

At the time of apartheid in 1994, more than 80% of the land was in the hands of white minority. Data from the Institute of Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies suggest that just under 60,000 white-owned farms accounted for about 70% of the total area of the country in early 1990s. Land reforms programme has been slow. Some suggest that less than 10 % of the total land has been redistributed from white to black ownership since 1994.

Another cornerstone of the colonial as well as apartheid designers was to deny all black people access to economic opportunities as well as to limit their scope in both education and jobs.

These developments have had sequential implications and generational effects. The result is that racial inequalities continue to be reproduced.

There are a great many examples that can be cited to show this. For example, white people continue to be more skilled and attain higher education levels than their black counterparts. They are, therefore, more likely to attain higher positions in the labour market and, on average, earn higher wages.

Black South Africans remain heavily under-represented in the skilled jobs market because they are largely unskilled and hence most affected by the country’s high unemployment.

The colonial and apartheid legacy can also be seen in asset ownership. White people own houses, hotels, resorts, shops, restaurants, savings, cash, foreign assets and other forms of complex financial products. They leverage their ownership and control to extract rents and increase their wealth, while majority of the blacks are still poor.

Capital accumulation and wealth creation

The adoption of the market-based reforms in post-apartheid South Africa meant that the already skewed distribution of wealth in the country got worse. Whites continued to reap the rewards of their previous privilege under the new economic system.

There’s no doubt that the country’s new ruling party elite has also benefited from the political system, many through black economic empowerment deals. The alliance between the white monopoly capital and corrupt ANC government afflicts devastating consequence on the poor.

The South African government needs to do more to address widening inequality, rampant unemployment and deliver on the promises of development for all and not just few. It needs to prove its detractors wrong – that it’s pursuit of what it terms “radical economic transformation” fulfils the promise of addressing the country’s skewed economic ownership patterns.


Mohammad Amir Anwar, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, University of Oxford

White people in South Africa still hold the lion's share of all forms of capital

 

[Poitier]

Unlocking the potential of South Africa's ocean economy
Claire Muthinji with Emmanuel Boungouanza 30 minutes ago

FOCUS AFRICA


Endowed with picturesque beaches and a coastline stretching for more than 2,500 km that is surrounded by waters from both the Indian and Atlantic oceans, South Africa is a tourist’s play ground.

The Western Cape province is home to Cape Town, that is described as the crown jewel of South Africa’s tourism. A sector that contributes about 3 percent to the country’s GDP.

Tim Harris, CEO of Wesgro, the tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and Western Cape delves into tourism prospects in Cape Town.

It's a new area and these are strategies that are contained within our National Development Plan. To really invest more resources in the ocean economy to try see some development. So we hope that would change the dynamics moving forward

“Obviously tourism has been a big earner for the Cape particularly business tourism. I mean the World Economic Forum has been coming to Cape Town every other year for the past decade and I think most of the WEF delegates have a real appreciation for there conference when its hosted in Cape Town because it’s a chance to enjoy the lifestyle factors of the Cape on top of these critical conversations of the World Economic Forum.”

Apart from tourism, South Africa’s waters have a huge potential for further boosting economic growth. The government is already undertaking an ambitious plan dubbed ‘Operation Phakisa’ a Sesotho word meaning ‘hurry,’ which identifies key opportunity areas within the ocean.

According to government estimates the ocean economy could lift national growth by 4 % by 2019 and create over 1 million jobs by 2033.

“Generally, the oceans economy is offshore oil and gas, aquaculture, ports and ports services, coastal tourism and specifically what we in the environmental departmental affairs are looking at is marine protection and governance, setting up support systems for the oceans economy,” said Ashley Naidoo, chief director for oceans and coasts research at the department of environmental affairs.

A factor supported by Dr. Kingsley Makhubela, CEO, Brand South Africa.

“It’s a new area and these are strategies that are contained within our National Development Plan. To really invest more resources in the ocean economy to try see some development. So we hope that would change the dynamics moving forward.”

Even with all these grand plans, marine conservation remains priority.

“What we decided to do two years ago as part of our planning was to identify those areas that require more protection and there maybe varying reasons. To this end we are undertaking surveys on our research ships.

We are working with other national departments, we are collating the existing information and we’ve published some areas about 22 that we are saying these areas are potential areas that require some protection,” added Ashley Naidoo, chief director for oceans and coasts research at the department of environmental affairs.

Going forward, economic diversification offers an opportunity to take advantage of the demographic dividend in order to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth in South Africa.

“Longer term really the growth prospects for South Africa and of Cape Town and the Western Cape are very strongly linked to our ability to position ourselves as access points to the rest of the continent.

Essentially the African growth story, the growth of the largest consumer population in the world, demographers estimate by 2050 the population of Africa will be 2.4 billion, that is the biggest economic story of our lifetimes,” said Tim Harris, CEO of Wesgro.

Unlocking the potential of South Africa's ocean economy | Africanews

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

 

[Trajan]

Nairobi leads EA arms race with Sh96 billion military budget

Kenya’s military spending last year rose to a new high of Sh96 billion to stand above those of neighbouring Ethiopia and Uganda combined for the first time, according to a newly released global report.

Nairobi spent $933 million (or nearly Sh100 billion) on its military last year, a 10.5 per cent growth from $844 million (Sh86.9 billion) in 2015 — a move that is seen as having the potential to upset the power balance in the region.

The data released by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), an independent global security think tank, yesterday shows Kenya’s Defence bill is the eighth largest in Africa.

The report shows that Kenya has more recently continued to lead its East African peers both in budget size and annual spending growth, causing fear that it could spark an arms race in the volatile region.

More money doesn't necessarily mean better. Ethiopians are probably just more efficient IMO. Kenya has a huge graft and corruption problem. Just means money is being skimmed off the top.

At $933 million, Kenya’s military spending is more than the $469 million that Ethiopia and the $403 million that Uganda spent on their Defence last year, the Sipri report shows.

Tanzania stands behind Kenya in the region’s military spending order, having spent $544 million (Sh56 billion) on its Defence, followed by Ethiopia and Uganda.

Efforts to get a breakdown of Kenya’s military spending were unsuccessful.

“Unfortunately due to transparency issues in many African countries, it is very difficult to get breakdowns on the spending. This is the case for Kenya. The government provides only a total figure,” Dr Tian said.

Kenya shocks rivals with Sh96bn military budget





I remember reading a few years ago that the regular attacks in Kenya was a symptom of corruption...military lacked equipment and resources due to looting.

Some Kenyans will feel that the conditions in which the attacks have happened have arisen because of economic growth in a vacuum of governance. Money that should have been spent on security and other aspects of national infrastructure has been disappearing for generations.



===

Mwai Kibaki’s presidency saw the Anglo Leasing tendering scandal, involving 18 military and security contracts signed with phantom Western companies; the episode that spurred John Githongo’s resignation and three-year ex

The first of the 18 suspended Anglo Leasing deals, after all, involved a tamper-proof, passport printing system, something that might have helped the authorities control how many Somalis migrate to Kenya. Another promised a forensic laboratory, which would have come in handy when Kenyan police needed to establish whether the four al-Shabab gunmen responsible for Westgate had escaped its smoldering ruins. Yet another deal promised a military surveillance system that might have enabled the authorities to track al-Shabab’s movements across Kenya’s porous border.

"The chickens have come home to roost," says Githongo. "All those dodgy contracts I spent my time investigating were security-related. People were all over those contracts to make money. There was no concern about whether they were fit for purpose."

 

[kwazzy100]

While it is impressive, however, lots of competition with Chinese immigrants taking land and resources and use it to profit themselves. My dad is from Ghana. He wants to build more houses and stores on an area in Kumasi, but now some Chinese folks are trying to outbid my dad so they can put property on that land. Not sure if it's the same in Nigeria, but I've been told it happens a lot in Western Africa

 

[Frangala]

While it is impressive, however, lots of competition with Chinese immigrants taking land and resources and use it to profit themselves. My dad is from Ghana. He wants to build more houses and stores on an area in Kumasi, but now some Chinese folks are trying to outbid my dad so they can put property on that land. Not sure if it's the same in Nigeria, but I've been told it happens a lot in Western Africa

You should move to Ghana. I heard it's nice if you have a solid foundation there like employment or good entrepreneurial opportunities plus it's political stable and just elected a new President.

 

[Frangala]

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

Nairobi leads EA arms race with Sh96 billion military budget

More money doesn't necessarily mean better. Ethiopians are probably just more efficient IMO. Kenya has a huge graft and corruption problem. Just means money is being skimmed off the top.







Kenya shocks rivals with Sh96bn military budget





I remember reading a few years ago that the regular attacks in Kenya was a symptom of corruption...military lacked equipment and resources due to looting.

Some Kenyans will feel that the conditions in which the attacks have happened have arisen because of economic growth in a vacuum of governance. Money that should have been spent on security and other aspects of national infrastructure has been disappearing for generations.



===

Mwai Kibaki’s presidency saw the Anglo Leasing tendering scandal, involving 18 military and security contracts signed with phantom Western companies; the episode that spurred John Githongo’s resignation and three-year ex

The first of the 18 suspended Anglo Leasing deals, after all, involved a tamper-proof, passport printing system, something that might have helped the authorities control how many Somalis migrate to Kenya. Another promised a forensic laboratory, which would have come in handy when Kenyan police needed to establish whether the four al-Shabab gunmen responsible for Westgate had escaped its smoldering ruins. Yet another deal promised a military surveillance system that might have enabled the authorities to track al-Shabab’s movements across Kenya’s porous border.

"The chickens have come home to roost," says Githongo. "All those dodgy contracts I spent my time investigating were security-related. People were all over those contracts to make money. There was no concern about whether they were fit for purpose."

Ethiopia builds its own guns, tanks and artillery shells. They're a model for African military logistics.