RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AT KENYA’S COASTAL RESORTS

Kenyan beach resorts are accused of turning away locals while rolling out the red carpet for White tourists.

Stories of Kenyans being denied access - whether to beachfronts, hotel premises or even certain services - have fuelled debates about racism, neocolonialism and economic discrimination in the very country they call home.

While tourism remains a vital pillar of Kenya’s economy, this exclusion raises uncomfortable questions about whose pleasure and presence truly matters. Shouldn’t Kenyans have the same right to enjoy their own coastline and amenities as the foreigners whose dollars are so eagerly welcomed?

Video Credit: Miss Trudy (YouTube)

Collaboration and unity can defeat even those considered more dominant. In today’s world, the West, through exploitative and predatory means, has created the illusion that it’s stronger than the rest of the world: that it’s a ‘lion.’ Yet the reality is that the West’s strength only derives from those it relentlessly exploits

This week’s proverb (from Ethiopia) is a reminder of Africa’s might when its nations work together, especially in the face of imperialism. Even if imperialism were a lion - but we know better - a web made by ‘mere spiders’ could still stop it in its tracks.

That’s a truth that has been demonstrated by Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The trio expelled French troops and tore up exploitative mining contracts with the West, joined forces and created the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) - a defence and economic bloc aimed at creating a single pan-African federation.

Continued……Western attempts to occupy Sahelian countries to provide ‘security’ did not help as t*rrorism-related deaths have only soared since 2011. Further, a lack of trust in France, which formerly colonised much of West Africa, and statements by former French officials and an intelligence officer hint at France trying to return to the Sahel in some form, whether through official military occupations or destabilisation.

Take a look at this carousel and let us know what you think of the t*rrorism crisis in Africa’s Sahel region, where the people overthrew Western-aligned leaders in recent years in response to t*rror threats and colonial-imposed poverty.

Sources:
Global Terrorism Index
https://www.visionofhumanity.org/maps/global-terrorism-index/#/

Sahel epicenter for terrorism
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8vyl3j5kko

Mali accuses France of supporting terrorism
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/17/mali-accuses-france-of-arming-non-state-actors

US drone base in Niger
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/us-military-drone-missions-niger-halted/

Deaths before and during Western military occupation
https://theintercept.com/2023/04/02/us-military-counterterrorism-niger/

France destabilization plans
https://x.com/i/status/1707032249122664490

Niger booted French and US troops
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/le-monde-africa/article/2024/04/22/american-troops-withdrawing-from-niger-while-facing-pressure-from-chad_6669114_124.html

NATO created terrorism in Sahel
https://sputnikglobe.com/20221021/is-chaos-the-deliberate-strategy-how-pentagon-failures-enabling-putschists--terrorists-in-africa-1102507523.html?ysclid=m82n72vndh826685687

Vincent Crouzet
https://www.senenews.com/actualites/politique/niger-vincent-crouzet-ex-agent-secret-francais-provoque-la-colere-de-la-junte_460200.html

ACTIVIST ON WOMEN’S DAY: CONGOLESE WOMEN MATTER!

Women in conflict zones worldwide face gender-based violence, and Congolese women are no exception amidst the three-decade, Western-backed war over minerals. 

On International Working Women’s Day on 8 March, African women from rights organisations in Washington DC organised a march in solidarity with the women of Congo. They trekked from the Rwandan embassy to the White House, condemning US support for Rwanda while also calling out Kigali for backing the M23 militia, one of nearly 120 armed groups destabilising the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

After M23 seized control of DRC’s Goma city in late January, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said nearly 500 cases of s*xual violence were reported in just one week. Of that figure, over 150 cases involved children. 

Continued……. Additionally, according to Congolese authorities, between January and late February, the Rwanda- and Uganda-backed M23 militia killed more than 8,500 people.

Video credit: @chuckmodi1 (IG)

Sources

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/press-briefing/2025/02/press-briefing-by-un-women-on-the-situation-of-women-and-girls-in-the-democratic-republic-of-congo

https://www.unfpa.org/press/unfpa-statement-sexual-violence-perpetrated-against-women-and-girls-eastern-democratic

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/over-8-500-people-killed-since-january-in-fighting-in-eastern-democratic-republic-of-congo/3495683

https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/drc-conflict-enters-dangerous-new-phase

https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1160746

France has begun its military withdrawal from Senegal, according to the French embassy in Dakar. They released a statement saying, ‘The French side handed over to the Senegalese side the facilities and housing in the Maréchal and Saint-Exupéry districts on Friday, March 7, 2025.’

Senegal's president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, called for the evacuation of 350 French troops from bases and stations in Dakar by 31 December 2025. This follows the expulsion of French military forces in Mali, the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad. However, unlike Chad and the neighbouring Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprised of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—Senegal will continue to collaborate militarily with France in other ways.

On 12 February, Senegal and France issued a joint declaration stating, ‘The two countries intend to work towards a new defence and security partnership that takes into account the strategic priorities of all parties.’

Continued….. France has said it could provide defence training or military support moving forward. However, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) also provides training and military-to-military collaborations with 52 of the 55 African countries. Eritrea has never agreed to work with AFRICOM, Niger booted US troops in 2024, and the US classifies Egypt under the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

All of this makes us wonder how much of a difference a French-troop expulsion will make for Senegal. Let us know what you think in the comments.

Photo credit: Éléments Français au Sénégal (@Efsarmee on IG and X)

Sources

https://apnews.com/article/france-senegal-military-base-e7ea26d9eda64746d163313325b6944b

https://www.tf1info.fr/international/senegal-le-president-bassirou-diomaye-faye-annonce-la-fin-de-toutes-presences-militaires-etrangeres-des-2025-2342387.html

https://www.reuters.com/world/france-senegal-say-talks-arrange-departure-french-troops-2025-02-12

https://apnews.com/article/senegal-france-military-bases-close-e525f3a11825fbe397b90363c9417224

https://www.africom.mil

https://blackallianceforpeace.com/usoutofafrica

BURKINA FASO KICKSTARTS NATIONAL DEFENCE INDUSTRY

In this video clip, Burkina Faso’s prime minister, Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo (@gouvernementBF on X), addressed President Ibrahim Traoré on developing a national defence industry to prevent former coloniser France and other Western powers from blocking arms imports into Burkina Faso.

Arms are needed for Burkina Faso’s fight against t*rrorism, which surged following the 2011 NATO invasion of Libya.

On 11 July 2024, Traoré confirmed Western countries were blocking arms imports, adding, ‘It’s going to stop. We’re going to withdraw operating licences. You can’t exploit our resources and refuse to sell us equipment and block our equipment.’