KENYAN COURT DENIES DEPUTY PRESIDENT IMPEACHMENT REPRIEVE

A Kenyan court has rejected Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's attempt to block the Senate debate and vote on his impeachment, following the National Assembly's overwhelming decision to impeach him on 11 charges, including corruption. Gachagua, who denies the allegations, will continue in office while the Senate deliberates his fate. His legal team plans to appeal the ruling, with the High Court judge noting that the petition raises significant legal issues to be heard alongside other petitions challenging the impeachment process.

This case marks the first impeachment of a deputy president under Kenya's 2010 constitution, with over two dozen legal challenges filed against the proceedings. Six of these petitions have been consolidated and will be heard by a three-judge panel.

Continued……The Senate requires a two-thirds majority to remove Gachagua from office. Critics say it’s all a distraction from bigger problems facing the nation, such as wider rampant government corruption and the controversial proposed lease of Kenya’s main air hub to a foreign investor.

SOURCES:

News
http://doc.afp.com/36K27H2

Sale of airport
https://citizen.digital/news/the-adani-jkia-deal-a-deep-dive-into-kenyas-most-controversial-aviation-project-n349437

Sale of power transmission
https://citizen.digital/business/inside-adanis-ksh95-billion-30-year-deal-for-kenyas-power-lines-n351348

'AFRICAN STREAM BANNED FOR TELLING THE TRUTH'

Why did YouTube, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, TikTok, and Gmail ban African Stream? Could it be because African Stream spreads the truth online? Could it be because African Stream provides an authentically Pan-Africanist and anti-imperialist perspective on geopolitics and critical current events?

In this video, Nigerian political analyst Adamu Garba II suggested African Stream was plain too honest to last on corporate social-media platforms. Forget about the Russia boogeyman claims. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken most likely knows we do not receive Russian funding. We think it was always about finding a way to silence dissenting African voices and anyone else who refuses to submit to US global hegemony.

Continued......
So, what can you do about it? You can continue to share African Stream videos across social media. Use the hashtag #WeAreAllAfricanStream. Follow us on Telegram, Patreon, Rumble and X. Ask others to do the same! We will not be silenced.

#WeAreAllAfricanStream

Video credit: @adamugarbaii on TikTok

THE FORMIDABLE QUEEN ASANTEWAA OF ASHANTI

Today, we honour Yaa Asantewaa, queen of the Ashanti Kingdom, who died on 17 October 1921 in the Seychelles, where the British had exiled her from what is now Ghana.

Born in the mid-19th century in the Ashanti Kingdom, in the southern part of modern Ghana, Yaa Asantewaa began as a skilled farmer. When her elder brother, Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpase, became king of an Ashanti Kingdom state known as Edweso, he anointed her Queen Mother in the 1880s, according to the Ashanti culture's matrilineal tradition. Yaa Asantewaa was responsible for safeguarding the Golden Stool, a symbol of power in the kingdom. She was instrumental in presenting candidates for the Golden Stool when the position became vacant.

During her brother's reign, the British sought to colonise the Ashanti people, usurp the ruling king, and seize control of their wealth to create a colony.

Continued.....In 1896, the British captured and exiled Asantehene Prempeh I, the King of Ashanti. That's when Yaa Asantewaa formed an army. Her articulate and persuasive leadership sparked the Anglo-Ashanti War, commonly called the 'Yaa Asantewaa War of Independence' or the 'War of the Golden Stool,' which began on 28 March 1900.

The rebellion k*lled 1,000 British soldiers and allied African troops, while the Ashanti forces lost 2,000 soldiers. Yaa Asantewaa's resistance earned her the respect and admiration of many men who had remained passive. Unfortunately, the British captured and exiled her to the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean, where she died in 1921. 

However, her legacy is immortalised in history. For example, in 2000, a museum opened in the Ejisu-Juaben District of Ghana to honour her. Additionally, an award called the 'Nana Yaa Asantewaa Awards' recognises women who embody the values and leadership of Yaa Asantewaa.

Yaa Asantewaa is known by many names: Queen Mother, the Lioness of Ashanti, and Queen Yaa. These noscripts embody her fearless and relentless spirit.

Rest in peace, Queen Yaa. Your contributions will never be forgotten.

SOURCES:

https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/yaa-asantewaa-mid-1800s-1921/

https://www.ghanaweb.com/person/Yaa-Asantewaa-175

https://www.kuntacontent.com/yaa-asantewaa

Birthday
https://www.jstor.org/stable/40026704

https://www.jstor.org/stable/43306258

Queen Mother position
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41857049

https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/19/article/722532/pdf

https://www.jstor.org/stable/42982051

Museum
https://www.modernghana.com/news/697476/us10-million-reconstruction-of-yaa-asantewaa-museum-to-star.html

Exile queen mother
https://www.nation.sc/archive/251467/queen-mother-yaa-asantewaa-honoured-on-95th-death-anniversary

Exiled king
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/history-in-africa/article/abs/asantehene-agyeman-prempe-i-asante-history-and-the-historian/3203D5FDBDC2D4E26BF42386380DCCFB

Yaa Asantewaa Awards
https://thebftonline.com/2022/03/21/ngozi-okonjo-iweala-receives-guba-yaa-asantewaa-award

Nana Akwasi Afrane Okpase
https://guardian.ng/sunday-magazine/nana-yaa-asantewaa-unforgettable-warrior-queen-mother

UAE WANTS TO BE AMERICA’S BEST FRIEND

According to the website of the United Arab Emirates in Washington DC, the Gulf state and the US have shared interests and common values, and work together to promote regional security, create economic prosperity and address pressing global challenges.

However, Abu Dhabi plays a key role in Sudan’s devastating war, backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary, which is accused of multiple atrocities - yet Washington, the self-declared leader of the free world, has done nothing to rein in its ally.

A five-member panel of UN experts has presented convincing evidence of the UAE's complicity in fuelling the flames of Sudan's 17-month war. So why hasn’t the US used its considerable leverage to compel the UAE to stop weapons shipments to the rampaging RSF?

The explanation could lie in a revealing admission by retired UAE Air Force general Abdullah Al Hashmi, who said that the Gulf state desires to be America’s ‘best friend,’ on a par with Israel.

Continued......This, of course, only serves Washington’s interests in the region too well. As always, principles go out of the window when it suits the US.

SOURCES:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/09/23/u-s-uae-joint-leaders-statement-dynamic-strategic-partners/

https://www.uae-embassy.org/uae-usa-united

https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n24/005/64/pdf/n2400564.pdf

https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n24/005/64/pdf/n2400564.pdf

https://www.theafricareport.com/177622/libya-united-arab-emirates-yemen-saudi-arabia-former-sudanese-mercenaries-testify/

https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/the-uaes-rising-military-role-in-africa-defending-interests-advancing-influence-172825

https://theintercept.com/2017/09/25/sudan-trump-travel-ban-uae-yemen/

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/12/06/how-the-uae-turns-its-interests-into-us-policy/

17 OCT 1961 PEACEFUL ALGERIAN INDEPENDENCE
PROTESTERS MASSACRED IN PARIS


Between 1954-1962, the Algerian Liberation Front stood up against France to topple the colonial power. On 17 October 1961, 30,000 Algerians in Paris gathered in support of Algerian independence from France. Defying an imposed curfew, the protesters were subjected to a brutal - and deadly - crackdown.

Thousands of peaceful Algerian protestors were arrested - and, according to some estimates, some 200 were killed by French police. Some of the bodies were thrown into the river Seine. As reported by the BBC, ‘the government of the day censored the news, destroyed many of the archives and prevented journalists from investigating the story.’

Although France has acknowledged massacres such as the one on 1961, this has been mostly performative, with little done to ensure justice.

SOURCE:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58927939.amp

AFRICAN REMAINS FOR SALE IN UK

Skulls and other human remains from the Ekoi (West Africa), Jivaro (South America) and Naga (India and Myanmar) peoples were recently listed for auction by Swan Fine Art in Oxfordshire. The sale sparked outrage, with groups such as the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) leading calls for the removal of these items. In response to the condemnation, the auction house took down the remains, while some activists are pushing for the them to be repatriated to their respective communities.

Continued.....Critics argue that the auction reflects the lingering legacy of colonialism, as descendants of European colonisers continue to profit from the exploitation of indigenous peoples. A spokesperson from the FNR stated that the sale perpetuates "a racist, colonial and violent depiction" of the Naga people, highlighting the impunity with which such actions are carried out. Similar incidents have occurred in the UK before - for example, Semley Auctioneers in Dorset selling ancient Egyptian skulls - underscoring the ongoing dehumanisation of non-European cultures.

Further compounding this issue, the British government has been criticised for failing to address its role in these practices.

Continued.....The family of Kenyan freedom fighter Koitalel Arap Samoei, whose skull was taken to the UK as a trophy, has faced numerous obstacles in their efforts to have it repatriated. This resistance reflects a broader unwillingness to confront the country's colonial past and the enduring impact it has on indigenous communities.

Sources
News of sale and blowback
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/swan-fine-art-auction-human-remains-lord-boateng-b2626451.html

Britain holds on to Koitalel’s skull
https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/nandi/nandi-seek-koitalel-samoei-s-skull-artefacts-3587850

BURKINABE HONOUR SANKARA’S LEGACY

On Tuesday, it was the 37th anniversary of Thomas Sankara's assassination. That may seem a long tome ago, but the people of Burkina Faso still come out in large numbers every year in the capital Ouagadougou to remember him. At this year’s event, government officials, ambassadors and members of civil-society came together to pay tribute to his life and legacy. They gathered at the Thomas Sankara Memorial - the site of his assassination.

African Stream was also there - speaking to Burkinabe about the significance of the ceremony within the context of the newly formed Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The AES is a pan-African, anti-imperialist confederation seeking to unify Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. It’s a project that’s very much in line with Sankara’s vision for his homeland and Africa.

Continued......Today, his life and legacy are more important than ever as the current president of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, works to put the country back on a 'Sankarist' path. While Sankara only spent four years in power in Burkina Faso, he transformed the country through literacy campaigns, public-health drives, environmental projects, infrastructure development, food sovereignty, increased power for women and more. He is believed to have been murdered by his right-hand man Blaise Compaoré, who was found guilty of his assassination by a Burkinabe court in 2022. Many also believe that the CIA and France were involved in the plot. Compaoré ruled over Burkina Faso for 27 years after Sankara's death until he was overthrown in a popular insurrection in 2014.

SOURCES:

https://fr.africanews.com/2022/04/06/burkina-faso-blaise-compaore-condamne-a-vie-dans-le-proces-sankara/

https://fr.africanews.com/2022/04/06/burkina-faso-blaise-compaore-condamne-a-vie-dans-le-proces-sankara/

https://www.thomassankara.net/who-killed-thomas-sankara-by-bruno-jaffre/?lang=en

https://fr.africanews.com/2021/11/01/burkina-faso-commemoration-de-l-insurrection-populaire-de-2014/

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/niger-burkina-faso-mali-military-leaders-sign-treaty-to-become-confederation/3268224

NIGERIA FUEL TANKER EXPLOSION KILLS 150

At least 150 people have died in Jigawa State, Nigeria, after a fuel tanker overturned and exploded. One reason for the high death toll is that people rushed to collect petrol after the flipped vehicle sprang a leak. Videos from the scene show a massive fire spreading across the area, with dozens of bodies burnt beyond recognition. President Bola Tinubu expressed his condolences to the families who lost loved ones and pledged support for those affected, promising a comprehensive review of fuel-transportation safety protocols nationwide.

Crashes involving tankers are common in Nigeria, as road transport is the most popular method of moving cargo across the country, which has inadequate rail infrastructure. Just a month ago, a similar tragedy occurred when a fuel tanker collided with another truck, resulting in 48 deaths after an explosion.

Continued.......Despite the dangers associated with salvaging fuel from these accidents, residents continue to risk their lives to obtain the precious ‘liquid gold.’ This latest incident comes at a time when petrol has become a valuable commodity, especially after Tinubu removed subsidies, causing gasoline prices to soar and plunging the country into a severe economic crisis.

According to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, several hundred fuel spills occur nationwide each year. In 2020 alone, there were 1,531 petrol tanker crashes, leading to 535 deaths and injuring 1,142 people, according to Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps.

HOW TRUTH ABOUT HAITI IS SUPPRESSED

During the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (New York, 24-30 September 2024), the president of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), Edgar Leblanc Fils, delivered a poignant speech. However, it was overshadowed when a clip showing him taking a swig of water from a large pitcher surfaced and went viral. That was rather convenient for some - for, in his speech, he highlighted how the West was largely to blame for the challenges faced today by Haiti, which was once a prosperous nation but suffered profoundly under oppression and colonisation.

Continued......The island gained independence after the Haitian revolution in 1804 - the world's only successful slave revolt. This played a role in ending slavery in all French colonies and inspired neighbouring countries to seek independence. France only recognised Haiti's independence in 1825, but it also demanded an indemnity that drained the island nation's resources, pushing it into a cycle of impoverishment. Leblanc referred to this as "a form of punishment for our audacity in breaking free from slavery." Haiti continues to struggle under the influence of foreign interventions.

In this clip, online social commentator @humannoresource guides us through his speech and its suppression by the media. Please share.

Video credit: @humannoresource

SOURCES:

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haitian-groups-seek-billions-reparations-france-2024-04-18/

HILLARY CLINTON SPEECH DISRUPTED
WAS 1 MILLION IRAQIS NOT ENOUGH?

Despite repression, protests have not wavered against US funding, arming and providing diplomatic cover for Israel as it continues more than a year of an onslaught and siege in Gaza. 

Disrupting speeches has been a popular tactic, as in this video where a protester interrupted a live event in Chicago featuring former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, calling out her support for the US war on Iraq and the current Israeli military onslaught in Gaza. Clinton has said calling for a ceasefire would ‘perpetuate the cycle of violence.'

As if the killings and destruction in Gaza were not enough, the US, through unlimited support, is stoking the flames as Israel escalates attacks in Lebanon, Iran, Syria and Yemen.

Continued.....As Africans, we can't let Clinton off the hook because she infamously said, ‘We came, we saw, he died’, in response to NATO-backed Libyan rebels k*lling Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. That wreaked chaos, collapsing the state and turning what once was Africa’s most prosperous country into three warring territories with open-air slave markets.

Do you think the Democratic Party's alignment with Israel will cost them the election, as the protester says at the end of the video? Let us know in the comments.

Video credit: @directactions4palestine (IG) with support from @palfeminist (X), @uspcn (X)

SOURCES:

Disruption
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBFfuSuPT4n

US complicity in Israeli crimes
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-has-undeniable-complicity-gaza-war-killings-say-former-us-officials-2024-07-03/

We came we saw he died
https://www.thewrap.com/hillary-clinton-gaddafi-we-came-we-saw-he-died-video-32058/

Libya after Gaddafi
https://www.npr.org/2021/06/27/1010676961/libya-remains-unstable-nearly-a-decade-after-muammar-gaddafis-ousting

Clinton's Gaza quote
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/14/hillary-clinton-israel-hamas-ceasefire-00127116