Pambazuka News | Analysis and Debates for Freedom and Justice

African Women, ICT and Neoliberal Politics

The Zerai Model of gendered people-centred approach to governance, ICT and social justice

The author posits that from the perspective of African women, it is impossible to ignore racism and sexism while organising against poverty.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe presents fundraising check of $1 million to the AU Summit

by Abayomi Azikiwe

Zimbabwe proclaims former President Mugabe (1924-2019) a national hero

During the early morning hours of 6 September, a news item shook the international community saying that President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, known affectionately as “Gushungo”, had passed away at the age of 95.

by Akyaaba Addai-Sebo

Mugabe and Nkrumah: the tale of two red cockrells

Despite some shortcomings in his policies, Mugabe could not be pushed to betray the people of Zimbabwe and Africa in general.

by Stephanie Govender, Kanchan Aaron, Jasmina Soni and Jenny Soonderjee

We need to accelerate gender parity in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The authors write about the importance of the prospect of gender parity in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially in terms of how the digital economy could help shift the playing field towards greater women empowerment.

Presidents Joseph Kabila and Paul Kagame

by Ann Garrison

Foreign aid for Rwanda, suffering for Rwandans and Congolese

The Rwandan regime continues to receive billions of US dollars in aid while ordinary people in Rwanda and Congo remain in misery.drc

Features

Aug 16, 2019 BY Edwin Madunagu

Preliminary notes on #RevolutionNow

For the Nigerian Left, the strongest lesson of what may now be called Nigeria’s #RevolutionNow—that is, the 5 August mass protests organised by some young fragments of the movement—may be formulated as a warning.
Aug 07, 2019 BY Fredson Guilengue

Lamola’s decision: Is South Africa promoting the rule of law or pleasing the Greeks and Trojans at the same time?

To halt the decision to extradite Mozambique’s former Finance minister, Manuel Chang, could be a test case for President Ramaphosa’s long-term ability to bring about real change in South Africa’s regional relations by potentially making it a good example for the fight against corruption.
Aug 07, 2019 BY Karim F. Hirji

El-Shifa: A forgotten war crime

This article recounts a major war crime committed against the people of Sudan in August 1998. Reflecting on the rationale and unfolding of this crime, it examines the veracity of the official claims, the reactions and implications of the deed. The importance of remembering our past in an accurate and unbiased manner is underscored.
Aug 01, 2019 BY Leonida Odongo

Expanding access to justice through community paralegals

For many communities access to justice represents a near impossibility because of cost, distance, lack of knowledge and the fear of reprisal. Paralegals utilise rapport and trust to increase access to justice for their clients.
Aug 01, 2019 BY Leonida Odongo

Youth activism beyond borders

Africa is a youthful population, statistics show that the population of youth and children in Africa is rising. African youth are also among the most disadvantaged in the world. This ranges from economic refugees in Europe all in a bid to try and survive , to communities ravaged by the negative impacts of HIV and Aids to countries getting destroyed by election related conflicts.
Aug 01, 2019 BY Leonida Odongo

Reclaiming the narrative: Youth activism in the East African region

Going through education in an institution of higher learning is often a difficult process. For many students who come from disadvantaged families, they have to juggle side jobs (side hustles) in order to survive. Some are forced to skip classes to run errands and on top of that one is expected to pass exams.
Jul 23, 2019 BY Odomaro Mubangizi and Vick L. Ssali

Japan-Africa cooperation: world’s best kept secret and Africa’s game-changer

This paper’s authors argue that Africa could greatly benefit from increased engagement with Japan, and learn from the Asian giant’s experiences, as the continent has just ratified a comprehensive free trade agreement.

Food & Health

Dec 27, 2018 BY Abayomi Azikiwe

Universal healthcare in Africa is a necessity for genuine development

A recent conference in South Africa raised issues on whether universal healthcare should be a private or state-driven endeavour.
Jun 29, 2018 BY Bonolo Lovedelia Pelompe

The current state of South Africa’s public health care

The author, a public servant in the Department of Health of South Africa, offers an analytical view of the country's current state of the health sector, especially in rural areas of South Africa.
Nov 02, 2017 BY Alemayehu G. Mariam

WHO: I told you Tedros Adhanom is an empty suit!

What kind of a moron appoints Robert Mugabe as goodwill ambassador for health? That is what the new Ethiopian-born Director General of the World Health Organization did – sparking global consternation. The appointment, now reversed, underlines one fact: Tedros Adhanom lacks what it takes to head even a village clinic.
Jul 13, 2017 BY Various

Charter of the North African Network for Food Sovereignty

Activists from anti-capitalist militant organizations in North Africa met in Tunis on 4^th and 5^th July 2017 to set up the North African Network for Food Sovereignty. The network is a unifying structure for struggles in the region and will be involved in local, continental and international mobilisation.

Land Rights & Environment

Aug 30, 2019 BY Marc Wegerif

Another missed opportunity for meaningful agrarian change in South Africa

The report of the South African President’s Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture was released to the public on 28 July 2019 and is being reviewed by the cabinet. The important question is whether this report offers a vision and recommendations that can address the land issue in South Africa.
Apr 26, 2019 BY Farooque Chowdhury

The struggle for a just society is long, requiring action on many fronts

In this interview, conducted in March 2019 by Farooque Chowdhury, Magdoff discusses the problems caused by capitalist agriculture in rural Venezuela.
Feb 28, 2019 BY Julian Lahai Samboma

“Hit-and-run capitalism” targets Guyana’s oil and gas

The discovery of oil off the coastal waters of Guyana occasioned widespread speculation the small South American nation was in for a boom that could fund development efforts. However, that optimism may need to be tempered if details of the deal between the Georgetown government and the oil giants are any indication of things to come.
Feb 02, 2019 BY Thabang Bhili and Simon Rakei

Eskom and the crisis of energy democracy: A case for safe, socially owned renewable energy

This paper discusses the crisis facing South Africa’s state-owned company Eskom and its general relationship to people’s struggle and the pursuit for energy alternatives.
Feb 02, 2019 BY Aran Valente

NGOs, mining companies, and rock-splitters

In this article, the author talks about the complicity of non-governmental organisations and mining companies in impoverishing the people of Moroto, northeast of Uganda.