ROAD RAGE: VICE PREZ’S MEN ATTACK

A video showing four police officers, who are part of the deputy president’s security guard, assaulting motorists has sparked public outrage in South Africa. The officers are facing charges of assault, while the deputy president’s office has distanced itself from the incident. The incident is reminiscent of South Africa’s dark past where apartheid police used to beat Africans with impunity which is why it has caused such an uproar online.

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HOW ETHIOPIA BEAT ITALIAN COLONIALISTS

Have you ever wondered why Ethiopia was never colonised? The Italians had a good old go at it. But they were outsmarted by the African side. As a result, they suffered a humiliating defeat at the Battle of Adwa. Losses in the Italian army amounted to over 6,000 killed, and around 1,500 wounded soldiers were forced to retreat into Eritrea. Our sister Tanaïssa breaks down how Ethiopia accomplished this feat, which caused the incumbent government of Prime Minister Di Rudini to resign on this day, July 12th, in 1896.

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AFRICAN SKULLS IN EUROPE

We’ve seen a string of Western leaders lecture Africa about human rights. But their astonishing hypocrisy doesn’t go unnoticed.

The most morbid example being the skulls of Africans kept by foreign museums and their refusal to repatriate them. Many are the heads of those who fought against brutal colonial oppression. Often jam-jarred and given a front-row seat for the public to gawp at.
One of the most well-known is Chief Mangi Mali, from Tanzania, whose remains have been held by Germany’s Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation.

It’s estimated up to 95 per cent of Africa’s cultural heritage is hoarded by major museums outside Africa - with France having nearly 100,000 artefacts. However, the fight to bring them back home continues.

Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao is calling for a worldwide alliance of Black people to fight for justice and reparations.
And here she is doing what she does best.
Laying out the facts plain and simple at a recent National Action Network Convention.

The Western Money Trap

Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger famously said, 'Who controls money can control the world.' And guess what? Western financial institutions control the flow of money in and out of Africa and everywhere else. Pan-Africanist, P.L.O. Lumumba , explains how the global money system gives ultimate power to the US and Europe. But is it about to change?

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MALCOLM X: ONLY STRONG AFRICA WILL GET RESPECT

The Chinese have long faced racism but they also now command respect. According to Malcolm X, they became strong under Mao Zedong and are now a force to be reckoned with - culturally, economically and militarily. Malcolm X believed there was a lesson here for us Africans: unite! Just like the Chinese state could unite a population of over 1 billion, Africa needs a unified state to unite our growing population of over 1 billion! Watch him make the point by explaining how a particular racist saying quickly fell out of use once the Chinese became powerful.

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TULSA MASSACRE VICTIMS DENIED COMPENSATION

A US court has thrown out a case seeking to pay reparations to the last three living victims of 1921's Tulsa massacre. Hundreds of Africans in America were killed when a White mob invaded a booming Black town. Thousands of homes and businesses were razed and looted.

The ruling has been slammed as making a mockery of the American government’s talk of justice for the country’s diaspora community, especially when its military spending is astronomical while its reparations spending is zero.

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Thinking Beyond Colonial Boundaries

Ever contemplated the artificial nature of African borders? Here's a little history from Ghanaian Journalist Kwesi Pratt

Picture this: European leaders gathered around a map, yet no African was present. They casually drew pencil lines, made dots and dashes, which have now become our national boundaries. It's a shared past that is undeniable. But what about the future? Kwesi Pratt emphasises the importance of pan-Africanism - a beacon of unity in our diverse continent.

These borders shouldn't be seen as barriers, but as bridges connecting our diverse cultures. With the shifting sands of global economic power, it raises an intriguing question: When is Africa's moment to rewrite history?

A thought worth contemplating.

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RIOTERS BAD -WAR CRIMINALS GOOD?

In this episode of Africa in 90 Seconds, our man Ahmed Ghoneim takes on the French public and media's double standards when condemning rioters and ethnic minorities, versus when their own government commits war crimes. And he has a good old dig at Macron for ‘doing a Nero’ (dancing while Paris burns - at an Elton John gig!).

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KENYANS RAGE AT TAX HIKES

At least six people have been killed as thousands of Kenyans took to the streets of the country’s main cities, demanding that their government bring down the sky-high cost of living. Unofficial sources place the death toll as high as 15. Stone-throwing protesters clashed with police in what was a second round of demonstrations in less than a week. African Stream got reactions from some of the protesters.

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Continued - Kenyans Rage At Tax Hikes

President William Ruto last month signed into law a finance bill, hoping to generate more than $2.1 billion a year for the government’s depleted coffers.  The Finance Act introduces new taxes and increases on basic goods such as fuel, food and mobile money transfers, as well as a controversial levy on all tax-payers to fund a housing scheme. The administration says the taxes will help to create jobs and reduce public borrowing.  But as soaring food prices pile pressure on households, many Kenyans say they are angered by Ruto’s government for not only failing to deliver on election promises to improve their economic situation, but also for overtaxing low-wage earners.

A Kenyan court ordered a suspension of the implementation of the legislation, pending a legal challenge, but the government has raised petrol prices anyway.  Although there is a cost of living crisis in many countries around the world, Kenya’s situation is atypical in that the government is introducing hefty additional taxes during an already devastating economic crisis.

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GOOD NEWS FRIDAY: EPISODE SIX

Let's recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of Africans in different areas such as art, culture, science, and business. Their trailblazing efforts are inspiring and will contribute to a better future. We should appreciate and acknowledge their excellence together.

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IRAN COURTS AFRICA DEALS

Middle Eastern heavyweight Iran is on a three-country Africa tour. The first stop was Nairobi, where bolstering trade opportunities dominated the talks. Iranian Present Ebrahim Raisi also visited Uganda and is expected in Zimbabwe.

Kenya's hosting of Russia's Lavrov, Eritrea's Afwerki and now Iran's Raisi calls into question claims that it's in the West's camp. The recent high-level visits by anti-West figures exemplify Kenya's sovereignty. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the West has pressured countries to break ties with its adversaries.

Iran is among the most sanctioned countries in the world. The visit is seen as an attempt to diversify its economy. Rich in energy, minerals and technical expertise, Iran-Kenya cooperation carries immense potential for developing both countries. The political goodwill is there - the rubber just need to hit the tarmac.

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MUSEVENI‘S INSANE NATO
STORY

Watch Uganda’s president share an anecdote that will make you laugh but also cry - if not your blood boil.

Yoweri Museveni relates how six African presidents had decided to fly over to Libya to mediate peace. But NATO stopped their plane mid flight and ordered them to turn back - even though it was going from Africa to Africa via African airspace!

The impromptu peace mission was conceived at the residence of the president of Mauritania, who was hosting other African heads of state at the time, including the chair of the African Union.

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Continued MUSEVENI’S INSANE NATO

Museveni tells his audience it’s a sign of just how much contempt the West has for us. The fact that the plane did as it was told, he says, shows how weak some African leaders still are. It’s the kind of weakness that saw us colonised in the first place, he claims.

He peppers his tale with a few jokes to take the sting out.

Libya is still suffering today from NATO‘s actions in 2011. Next time, will the African Union be strong enough to stop it from happening and mediate its own peace on African soil? Let us know what you think.

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WHEN SOMALIA DEMANDED PORTUGAL ARMS EMBARGO

This is what pan-African solidarity looks like! In 1972, Somalia asked the United Nations Security Council to impose a total arms embargo against Portugal until Lisbon granted independence to the African territories it colonised. Portugal had been embroiled in a bitter war against independence movements ever since the early ‘60s. It was a costly affair, consuming 40% of its budget. So expensive was the war effort that it resulted in the 1974 coup.

Continued - WHEN SOMALIA DEMANDED PORTUGAL ARMS EMBARGO

Watching Somalia’s envoy make the case, we’re reminded of the importance of internationalism as one of the tools used in the struggle for liberation.  A sense of shared struggle has rallied Africans around anti-imperialism throughout the decades.  In the same way, as the call for independence became more pronounced, the settler administrations of Rhodesia, South Africa and Portugal saw safety in numbers.

Portugal was among the earliest colonisers and was a pioneer of the slave trade, despite its tame appearance today.  Its 400-year rule in Angola culminated in a 15-year war for independence that took 500,000 lives.

Angola was the last Portuguese colony in Africa, gaining independence in 1975 before plunging into a CIA-fuelled civil war until 2002.

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EGYPT THE CRADLE OF MATHEMATICS

Egypt played a critical role in the development of mathematics, and its impact can be seen today. The ancient Egyptians were skilled in various areas of math, such as algebra, geometry, and arithmetic, and they applied it to many aspects of their society. They were particularly adept at fractions, which they represented using hieroglyphics. Despite not having a symbol for zero, they were able to perform complex calculations involving angles, measurements, and spatial relationships to build impressive structures like the pyramids. Their understanding of astronomy also allowed them to develop a 365-day calendar based on astronomical observations. The Egyptians' practical approach to math influenced later civilizations and is still relevant today.

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THEY MUST NOT DIE: STORY OF SCOTTSBORO

The Scottsboro Boys case was a pivotal moment in Black history in the United States that had rippling effects that would impact generations to come. The international struggle to free the Scottsboro Boys led to the largest resistance movement against racism in the US justice system in history.

Continued - THEY MUST NOT DIE: STORY OF SCOTTSBORO

The international impact of the Scottsboro case was so far reaching that a Sedition Bill was passed in Ghana (then the British colony of the Gold Coast) to prevent Africans from agitating in support of the Scottsboro Boys.

While the case did officially bring about certain legal reforms to the carceral system, such as mandating the presence of Black jurors in cases with Black defendants, this would often go unenforced throughout the 20th century and into the present.  In one example, Black revolutionary Assata Shakur would go on to be sentenced to life in prison by an all-White jury.  In 1986, a court ruled that race could not be used as a factor in the initial establishment of a jury pool.  In 2021, there were two high-profile cases in which nearly all-White juries acquitted White men for shooting and killing Black men - the murders of Jake Blake and Ahmaud Arbery.

Africans in the United States and throughout the diaspora continue to struggle against a racist criminal justice system in which they are disproportionally incarcerated.

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