POLITICIANS ARE LIKE BAD SCIENTISTS

We’ve all seen it. Politicians make a slew of pre-election promises, get elected to deliver on their vows, but leave office, washing their hands of their responsibility to constituents. Vusi Thembekwayo, a public speaker, author and businessman, attempts to explain this phenomenon in a podcast interview hosted on @cliffcentralcom.

He likens politicians to scientists who run experiments in their labs, then walk out before the results are ready. According to Vusi, as their time in office concludes, it’s as if politicians have orchestrated a captivating performance, only to fade away before the repercussions of their choices fully unfold.

Continued…..Take Kenya or Zambia as examples. Their respective former presidents, Uhuru Kenyatta and Edgar Lungu, promised grand transformations of their countries. They both had insatiable appetites for international loans to finance construction projects. But, as the curtains closed on their respective tenures, citizens and successors were left to deal with a host of challenges: Depleted government coffers, skyrocketing inflation and plunging currencies that sent debt repayment costs soaring.

As former US operative John Perkins describes in his book, “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man,” the United States controls many leaders, by first convincing them to take out unpayable loans for projects that don’t benefit the masses.

Why do you think might this be happening? Let us know your thoughts.

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Rodrygo Goes, the Brazilian Real Madrid striker, called out the many racist messages on social media he received after a recent argument with Argentina's captain Lionel Messi.

The incident occurred during Brazil's 1-0 defeat to Argentina in Rio de Janeiro, marred by violent clashes.

Rodrygo expressed his frustration at the overwhelming racist messages that followed from Argentinian fans in a country with a troubling long history of racism towards black people.

Former Argentine President Carlos Menem infamously once declared: "In Argentina, blacks do not exist; that is a Brazilian problem."

And he is right because many Afro-Argentinians were purposely placed on the frontline in Argentina's wars for independence.

Continued…..In 1778, the black population comprised 37% of Argentina's population today; today, it is only 5%, making it the lowest of all Latin American countries.

So it should come as no surprise that the Argentinian fans are so comfortable expressing their racism.

Rodrygo summed it up perfectly:
“If we don't do what they want, if we don't behave as they think we should, if we wear something that bothers them, if we don't lower our heads when we are attacked, if we occupy spaces that they think is theirs, racists take action with all this criminal behavior”.

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SAHEL ALLIANCE - FIRST MEET

The alliance between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger goes from strength to strength.

Bamako and Ouagadougou this week played host to Niger’s leader, General Tchiani. His message was that the trio should now also extend cooperation beyond the security sphere.

Mali and Burkina played a key role in the consolidation of power by General Tchiani’s administration following the ouster of Western-backed Mohamed Bazoum. When Niger was threatened with invasion by regional bloc ECOWAS, the two countries warned it would result in a wider conflict, as they would regard it as an attack on them.

Security remains a challenge, which the alliance is working to address. But there has been notable progress, especially in Mali, which recently recaptured the town of Kidal from terrorists.

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FIDEL CASTRO- AFRICA’S SHINING KNIGHT!

On this day, November 25th, Fidel Castro made his final salute . A towering figure in history and a revolutionary leader and statesman. Castro’s charismatic leadership and unwavering commitment to the struggle for independence and anti-imperialism for the African people earned him respect and love.

May he continue to rest in peace.

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CEASEFIRE IN TIME FOR BLACK FRIDAY?

You might be forgiven for thinking that the negotiators who brokered the Gaza ceasefire had humanitarian relief, hostage safety and general security considerations first and foremost in mind. But this sister begs to differ.

She sees the hidden hand of capitalism pulling the strings here. As she notes in this clip, the ceasefire comes just in time for the Black Friday bonanza. It, along with Christmas, is one of the most profitable periods of the year for businesses - businesses that, she argues, do not want to lose out on profits to any kind of boycott action inspired by the horrors of Gaza.

It’s a pretty wild theory. Would anyone who was seriously considering a boycott really change their mind just because of a few days’ pause in Tel Aviv’s devastating bombing campaign? You might think their principles were a bit firmer than that!

But let us know your thoughts on her theory! Is she on to something?

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BIBI TITI MOHAMED: HEROINE OR TRAITOR?

Bibi Titi Mohamed played a crucial role in securing Tanzania’s freedom from the British. Together with Julius Nyerere, she pioneered the independence of her country. Many call her the mother of the nation and remember her as a heroic freedom fighter who fought for women’s equality, education and empowerment. But others felt that she betrayed the struggle when she turned against Nyerere.

She, alongside other politicians, were charged with secretly planning to stage a coup and to assassinate Nyerere. They were accused of seeking help from South Africa’s apartheid regime to expel Nyerere - treason charges she vehemently denied, but which landed her in prison.

African Stream’s Brenda Mwai takes a look back at her complicated life. Let us know if you think she’s hero or villain!

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MANDELA'S WISH

Cuba and South Africa were once the best of friends. In this video, Nelson Mandela reminds us of what Cuba did to support South Africa in the anti-apartheid struggle. The Caribbean island nation supplied South African anti-apartheid forces with weapons, training and logistical support, while losing more than 5,000 soldiers in the fight against apartheid South Africa and its allies in Angola. After apartheid ended, Cuba trained South African doctors through the Nelson Mandela/Fidel Castro Medical Collaboration Programme. In July 2023 alone, more than 450 South Africans graduated from medical school in Cuba, set to serve in disadvantaged communities.

So, it is understandable why Mandela was so keen on Castro visiting his country—a wish that was granted in 1998, shortly after this brief meeting.

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ANTI-PALESTINIAN BIAS EXPOSED

Following the announcement of a four-day ceasefire in Gaza, Western media coverage of the exchange of hostages has again exposed just how prevalent White supremacy is.

In this video, this African sister in America makes an astute observation on how the media shapes and controls narrative. Mainstream media refer to Israeli hostages aged under 18 as ‘children’ - but to Palestinians who are as old and in captivity as ‘teenagers.’ This raises concerns of a deliberate attempt to play down the fact that Israel, the so-called only democracy in the Middle East, seizes Palestinian children and, in some cases, tries them in military courts.

One of the many such cases is that of Ahmed Manasra, who was arrested at 13 by Israel in 2016, held until 14, and then slapped with a 12-year prison sentence. He isn’t alone.

Continued….Another high-profile detention is that of Ahed Tamimi, who was arrested in 2018 at the age of 16.

The anti-Palestinian bias goes even further. Throughout Israel’s destruction of Gaza, much of mainstream media referred to Israeli casualties as ‘killed’ but to Palestinians as ‘dead,’ removing context that might have shed light on how exactly these Palestinians ‘died.’

Language matter. Do you agree?

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