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The Continent ISSUE 12 African journalism. July 4 2020 ISSUE NO. 12 The Continent with The murder of Hachalu Hundessa How one singer’s death threw Ethiopia into turmoil Illustration: John McCann Graphic: JOHN McCANN The Continent Page 2 ISSUE 12. July 4 2020 Editorial Abiy Ahmed’s greatest test When Abiy Ahmed became prime accompanying economic crisis, from minister of Ethiopia in 2018, he made which Ethiopia is not spared. the job look easy. Within months, he had released thousands of political All this occurs against prisoners; unbanned independent media and opposition groups; fired officials the backdrop of the implicated in human rights abuses; and global pandemic and made peace with neighbouring Eritrea. the accompanying Last year, he was rewarded with the economic crisis Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his efforts in brokering that peace. But the job of prime minister is never The future of 109-million Ethiopians easy, and now Abiy faces two of his now depends on what Abiy and his sternest tests – simultaneously. administration do next. The internet With the rainy season approaching, and information blackout imposed this Ethiopia is about to start filling the week, along with multiple reports of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam brutality from state security forces and on the Blue Nile. No deal has been the arrests of key opposition leaders, are concluded with Egypt and Sudan, who a worrying sign that the government are both totally reliant on the waters of is resorting to repression to maintain the Nile River, and regional tensions are control. rising fast. Prime Minister Abiy was more than And then, this week, the assassination happy to accept the Nobel Peace Prize of Hachalu Hundessa (p15), an iconic last year, even though that peace deal singer and activist, sparked a wave of with Eritrea had yet to be tested (its key intercommunal conflict and violent provisions remain unfulfilled by either protests that threatens to upend side). Ethiopia’s fragile stability. Now Ethiopia’s peace is under threat. All this occurs against the backdrop Will Abiy’s credentials as peacemaker of the global pandemic and the stand up to the test? ■ The Continent ISSUE 12. July 4 2020 Page 3 The Boys Club: Notice anything missing from this picture? That’s right: women. This official photograph was released on Thursday by Ahmednur M Abdi, the permanent secretary in the office of Somalia’s prime minister. It shows the country’s 22 ministerial director- generals, all of whom are men. With that much testosterone in the room, no wonder Somalia’s government is struggling to keep the country together. Inside: COVER STORY: A deadly week of Report: Who was Amadou Diallo, unrest in Ethiopia – and the singer and why do US protesters keep whose death sparked it (p15) chanting his name? (p21) Review: Catch Nigerian-American Essay: Novelist Elnathan John Yvonne Orji’s HBO special (p12) floats through this strange new How to get married in a world (p23) pandemic: In Lagos, it’s Sport: Are European football complicated (p13) commentators racist? (p31) The Continent Page 4 ISSUE 12. July 4 2020 Continental Drift In the headlines this week Samira Sawlani Malawi, Kenya and Uganda set to take legal action against the media Look, up in the sky! Is it a socially- house, which is better than coming out distanced bird? Is it a lockdown-defying guns blazing, we guess? plane? No, it’s a super display of truth, Across the border in Uganda, talk is justice and the Malawian way. turning to the 2021 elections. President Okay, maybe it’s not in the sky. It’s Museveni will be running for a sixth actually in the capital Lilongwe, where term, challenged by the dynamic duo of senior counsel Mordecai Msiskahas Bobi Wine and Kizza Besigye. has turned down the role of minister But what’s really caught our attention of justice. He said he couldn’t accept is the news that the amazing activist because he had represented the newly- and academic Dr Stella Nyanzi will elected President Lazarus Chakwera be running for a seat in parliament, in the case that saw the 2019 election showing us that not all heroes wear nullified – and he did not want it to seem capes – some of them wear stylish like he was being unduly rewarded. Ekitambala headwraps. A long way from such heroism, you get gun-toting characters like The Zimbabwe Punisher. We’re not sure how we feel We’re not saying Zimbabwe is like about him. He refuses to wear a mask, Gotham, but if you become known as a and never makes any puns at all! But we joker there, chances are someone with do wonder if Kenyan parliamentarian great power will pounce on you from Babu Owino is a fan. He was arrested the shadows. Just this week a 28-year- earlier this year after a video circulated old man was arrested in Masvingo, for of him pulling out a gun in a nightclub, “insulting the president”. following which DJ Evolve was severely Meanwhile, authorities have injured. suspended mobile money transfers This week NTV Kenya aired a and trading on the Zimbabwe stock segment featuring a gut-wrenching exchange, under the cover of darkness update on Mr Evolve’s recovery, on a Friday night. We don’t think prompting many of his compatriots Batman’s to blame, but we did hear one to express their outrage over Owino’s of his B-list adversaries may be in town actions. The MP was not having it and is - some guy called Killer Croc. The Continent ISSUE 12. July 4 2020 Page 5 Wonder woman: Activist Stella Nyanzi will be running for parliament (Photo: Gael Grilhot / AFP) Tanzania and Guinea to the “other” continent, and the only With great power comes great… African nations to make the cut are repeatability? President Magufuli of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Rwanda. Tanzania is hoping to hang onto his Gabon promptly said it wouldn’t be job after elections in October, saying he giving any more tourist visas to EU wants to finish what he started. But is he nationals. Wakanda Forever, just not for sticking to his principles, or clinging to now! power? Ah, what tangled webs we weave. Talking of relations with former The opposition in Guinea,colonisers, as the Democratic Republic meanwhile, is not keen on a three- of Congo marked its independence, quel for President Alpha Conde, and King Phillipe of Belgium expressed is set to resume protests against him “deepest regrets” for the “suffering and soon. He hasn’t actually said he’ll be violence” inflicted during colonialism. running again, instead quoting the Are regrets an apology? What famous proverb “the party will decide”. about reparations? Is Phillipe a hero Addressing recent rumours about his or a villain? For as long as monuments health, he said: “I am fit and well and I dedicated to King Leopold II remain, we am sure I will bury many people who think the answer is clear. wish me dead.” We sure hope that isn’t This week Somalia, Rwanda, DRC and some eerie foreshadowing, because, Burundi all celebrated independence well, gosh. anniversaries, and so we salute those that were part of the fight against colonial Gabon and DRC rule. Never mind the comic books — if The European Union has named 15 you are looking for real heroes, look no countries whose residents may travel further. ■ The Continent ISSUE 12. July 4 2020 Page 6 The Week in Numbers 7 32.6% The number of times The estimated that Cameroonian amount by which activist Andre South Africa’s gross Blaise Essama has domestic product decapitated the same shrank in the second statue of a French quarter of this war hero in Douala. year, as compared He has been arrested with the same several times for period last year, what authorities view according to the as “vandalism”. “He is country’s Reserve not our hero,” Essama Bank. This massive told the BBC. “How is drop was caused by it that our ancestors restrictions imposed are not represented to limit the spread of in public spaces?” Covid-19. (Photo: Christies.com) 1968 €212,500 2,500 tonnes The year that The amount that a pair The amount of Somalia’s National of “museum quality” waste, including Theatre in Mogadishu Igbo statues sold for hazardous electronic first opened its at an auction in Paris. waste, which curtains. In the last The sale came over the has been illegally few decades, it has objections of the head dumped in Nigeria been caught in the of the National Museum and several other crossfire, occupied in Benin City, who said African countries by by militants and been the objects had been a criminal network attacked by suicide stolen from southern based in Spain. bombers. But the Nigeria during the Spanish authorities building has been Biafran war in the arrested 34 refurbished and 1960s, and should be people this week in last week was returned to Nigeria. connection with the formally reopened. scam. datadesk Datadesk, the M&G centre for data Brought to you by the Mail & Guardian’s Data Desk. journalism, produced this story FREE DELIVERY EVERY SATURDAY The Continent is a weekly newspaper designed to be read and shared on WhatsApp. It showcases the best of African journalism. And it’s free. Get your copy delivered to your phone or inbox every Saturday. And if you like what you read, forward it to your friends, family and colleagues – not indiscriminately, but only with people who might appreciate it. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE Email: [email protected] with ‘SUBSCRIBE’ in the subject box WhatsApp: Save +27 73 805 6068 on your phone, and send us a message saying ‘NEWS’ The Continent Share real news.
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