WHY DID THEY LIVE SO LONG

It is often said the good die young, but does that mean the opposite is also true and the wicked die old? Well, forgive us for thinking like this. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has just passed away at the ripe old age of 100.

He was responsible for implementing policies that propped up racist apartheid regimes in Africa. It was Kissinger's manoeuvres that extended the shelf life of the Rhodesian and South African racist regimes. He ensured that despite their brutal oppression of Black citizens, they continued to receive material and diplomatic support from the US. For instance, he visited South Africa in September 1976, a few months after the apartheid regime had massacred hundreds of school children. The trip was widely seen as a show of solidarity with the murderous government, which was facing international outrage over the atrocity. He also worked closely with South Africa in their futile attempt to overthrow Angola's leftist leaders in 1975.

Continued….However, Kissinger isn't the only one. Take former President Ronald Reagan, who kept going into his nineties.

It was Reagan who invaded the nation of Grenada in 1983. After the invasion, Reagan apologized to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for invading 'her colony', but the Grenadian people got no apology.
The Reagan administration also alleged to have funnelled Cocaine into inner-city predominantly Black communities to raise funds for the Contras, counterrevolutionary rebels fighting against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. It also supported and propped up Panamanian narco-dictator Manuel Noriega.

In a surprising twist of events, Reagan's predecessor, George H.W. Bush, who also served as his number two, invaded Panama in 1989 and overthrew and arrested Noriega. It is not sure if Bush's actions were motivated by a genuine change of heart about narco-dictators or just the fact that Noriega was no longer useful to the US. However, what is certain is that Bush also enjoyed a long and peaceful life.

Of course, we don't seriously think old age is a reward for wickedness.

But Kissinger's death did make us ask: How come they always live so long?

BARBADOS PM: AFRICA IS IN US IN SO MANY WAYS

On November 30th 1966, the Caribbean island nation of Barbados broke the yoke of British colonialism after more than 360 years. Since then, the day has been characterised by colourful celebrations to commemorate this historic occasion.
To mark this historic day and to celebrate the unity of African people all over the globe, we look back at a speech delivered by Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, at the first Africa-CARICOM on September 7th, 2021. The historic summit was a virtual event chaired by Kenya’s former president, Uhuru Kenyatta, and was attended by leaders of CARICOM and the African Union. The summit aimed to foster unity and integration between Africa and the Caribbean in various fields, such as trade, investment, health, climate change, culture and education.

Continued….It also recognised the historical and cultural links and the everyday challenges between Africa and the Caribbean. Mia Mottley acknowledged that the summit was historic and called for more flights, cooperation and reparations between Africa and the Caribbean. The PM said, rightly, that Africa and the Caribbean are not only connected by blood but also by destiny.

NOVEMBER NEWS WRAP

November, like the rest of the year, has seen its fair share of African stories; good and bad. From the ‘flood of the century’ hitting the Horn of Africa to Nigeria’s scandalous attempts to buy a presidential superyacht in the midst of an economic crisis.
Here’s our breakdown of events across the continent over the last month.

Continued…..Kenya's parliament has a history of outlawing African attire in a bid to maintain colonial dress codes within the premises.

In 2003, three MPs - Raila Odinga, Koigi wa Wamwere and Gor Sunguh - received a severe reprimand from then-speaker Francis ole Kaparo, before being thrown out of the House for entering the chambers donning African attire.

What do you think about this banning of traditional African attire in an African parliament whilst enforcing colonial dress codes?

CHURCHILL HONOURED KIMATHI BETRAYED

Today is the birthday of Winston Churchill who was born 149 years ago. But while his life is celebrated by the West, the same can’t be said of Kenya.

Many won’t forgive the British Prime Minister for overseeing horrors committed against the Mau Mau people. They rose up during colonial rule but were brutally suppressed and their leader Dedan Kamathi hanged.

To this day, Britain refuses to reveal where he was buried, denying Kenyans the chance to honour their hero.

DALY: END THE VIOLENCE AGAINST GAZA WOMEN!

Tireless defender of oppressed peoples around the world Clare Daly has reminded the European Parliament of its duty to protect ALL women.

Speaking on the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, she said it would be ‘hypocritical’ not to call for a ceasefire in Gaza - as this would amount to a failure to recognise the brutality being inflicted on the women of Gaza.

She recited a grim list of stats: 3,800 women killed (she says ‘murdered’) and 800,000 displaced (of whom 50,000 are pregnant).

On top of that, amid the destruction of Gaza’s medical infrastructure, women are being forced to undergo caesarean sections on hospital floors without anesthetic, while premature babies cannot be provided with incubators due to the lack of electricity.

THE SONG THAT LED THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS

Every year on December 1st, World Aids Day is held in solidarity with those living with the virus and in remembrance of those who’ve died from it. But it’s also a day that celebrates people who’ve significantly contributed to the fight against the pandemic.

Late Zimbabwean musical maestro, Oliver Mtukudzi, used his talents to raise awareness of the disease and its impact on African society. His heart-puling song, “Todii” connected with victims, their families and spurred leaders to take action.

MANDELA: YOUR ENEMIES ARE NOT OUR ENEMIES!

Mandela’s timeless advice to the West: Your enemies are not our enemies! Watch a U.S. TV audience roar as the anti-apartheid hero and former President of South Africa effortlessly demolishes a critic who tried to get him to disown leaders despised by Western nations.

MALAWI EXPORTS YOUTH TO ISRAEL

A controversial deal to send Malawi youth to work on farms in Israel has been slammed by human rights groups. Around 200 were flown to Middle East county at the weekend to plug a labour shortage after thousands of Palestinians had their work permits revoked.

The Human Rights Defenders Coalition blasted the ‘secrecy’ surrounding terms of the agreement that's been called ‘evil’ by Malawi opposition leader Kondwani Nankhumwa. He said no sane parent could send their child to a country at war.

So why is the Malawi government doing this? Maybe it has something to do with the $60m aid package it received from Israel two weeks ago? Officially, Malawi’s government says it’s a way to create jobs for its youth and will continue to send workers to Israel and other countries.

With Kenya’s debt currently at $6.6 billion, Kenyans feel like they are getting the short end of the stick. Inflation this year is at 6.9%, with heavy tax burdens plaguing the economy. It doesn’t help that President William Ruto is globetrotting on taxpayers’ backs.

Ruto and his deputy have currently incurred a staggering KSh 1.3 billion ($8.5 million) in travel costs, having made 51 trips to 34 countries between July 1st, 2022 and June 30th, 2023 since coming to government

His travels go against his earlier promises to cut expenditure by over KSh 300 billion ($2 billion). Also contrary to that, his office received the highest additional funding among all cabinet members in the supplementary budgets.

There has been strong criticism of Ruto's relentless travels. Many call it insensitive amidst the country's economic challenges and high cost of living. Ruto has defended his trips, stating they’re all for the benefit of the country’s development.

Do you think Ruto’s travels are justified?

Continued….Her arrest for civil disobedience motivated the African community to boycott Montgomery buses for over a year and ignited the civil-rights movement that changed America. This act of defiance became an important symbol for the civil-rights movement and Rosa became an international icon of resistance against racial segregation.

In her autobiography, My Story, she wrote:

"People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in."

SOUTH AFRICA RECORDS DROP IN HIV CASES

Every year, World AIDS Day is commemorated on 1 December. It is in memory of those who lost their lives to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, in solidarity with people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and as a way to celebrate victories in the fight.

Today, one country will observe the day with some success on its back: South Africa. According to a survey conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council, the number of South Africans living with HIV has decreased from 14 per cent in 2017 to 12.7 per cent in 2022. That amounts to about 100,000 fewer infected people in that 5-year period.

Continued…..While there is no single contributing factor for this drop, it is believed that enhanced access to anti-retroviral medication has helped to reduce the number of new infections. That is because infected people who consistently take the medication can have what's referred to as an "undetectable" viral load, making it nearly impossible to pass the virus to uninfected partners. Further, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) medicine, taken to reduce the possibility of contracting HIV after exposure, has a 99 per cent success rate.

News of the reduction may be a ray of hope for South Africa, which is one of the worst affected countries in the world and accounts for over 25 percent of the HIV cases on the African continent. Throughout the continent, 25 million people are infected with HIV, according to the World Health Organisation.

U.S. HYPOCRISY EXPOSED

Is Nigeria the most corrupt country in the world?

Just a month ago, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu attempted to allocate public funds to buy luxury items, kicking off new public outrage over the country's corruption. Before the supplemental budget—meant to fund remaining 2023 expenditures—was approved, $38 million was allocated for a presidential air fleet, sport utility vehicles, and a renovation of the official residences for Tinubu, his wife and top government officials. When the news broke, it rightfully stoked anger among ordinary Nigerians. But it is important to note that, in response to the public's concerns, lawmakers redirected $6 million Tinubu had put aside for a luxury yacht to the student loan budget line.