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African journalism. August 8 2020 ISSUE NO. 15 The Continent with EXCLUSIVE Are American commandos operating in your country? Photo: AFRICOM The Continent ISSUE 15. August 8 2020 Page 2 Inside: Breaking the COVER STORY: Inside the secret world of US language barrier commandos in Africa (p20) This week, The Continent is publishing Cameroon: Why are all the our first story in a language that tomatoes rotting on the is not a colonial import. We’ve vine? (p8) translated Ranga Mberi’s powerful Mutapi wenhau akasungwa essay on Hopewell Chin’ono’s imprisonment into Shona, to make it anoratidza kuora moyo kwaita more accessible for our Zimbabwean Zimbabwe (p12) audience. (Ndebele speakers, we Jailed journalist is a symbol of haven’t forgotten about you – we’re a disillusioned Zimbabwe (p16) working on it, promise!) Expect to see Investigation: How dodgy arms more languages reflected in these dealers skimmed $137-million pages in the coming months. from Niger’s budget (p29) Putting the con in consequences: Ace Magashule, secretary-general of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party, has been criticised for failing to take action against party members implicated in Covid-related corruption. The Continent Page 3 ISSUE 15. August 8 2020 Continental Drift In the headlines this week Samira Sawlani Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea Uganda’s ruling party has endorsed President Yoweri Museveni as its candidate for next year’s election. Should he win, this would be the 75-year-old’s sixth term. Meanwhile, the prez has released a workout video in which he drops for no fewer than 40 push-ups. While he may not want to step down, he does seem keen to get down. And if that doesn’t see him re-elected, he can always just blame it on the boogie. Over in Guinea, the ruling party has called on President Alpha Condé to seek the burden of power for a third time. Ever so coy, Condé has “taken note” of their wishes. Far be it for him to deny his Fit for office: A screengrab from country a presidential hat trick, right? President Museveni’s latest home Which brings us to Côte d’Ivoire. exercise video Following the death of Amadou Gon Coulibaly, prime minister and the with the modesty and grace expected of president’s designated successor, debate a foregone conclusion. has raged over who could fill his shoes. It is said imitation is the best form After much soul-searching, beard- of flattery. If truly that is the case then stroking and back-scratching, the all that is left to determine is whether ruling RHDP party has decided the Condé, Ouattara and Museveni are man to replace the man meant to imitating each other – or just flattering replace President Alassane Ouattara is themselves. none other than…President Alassane Ouattara. Chad Ouattara had no option but to accept, If you’re a switched-on government, The Continent ISSUE 15. August 8 2020 Page 4 social media can be like a flattery battery. was trending. All those likes and faves, charging you Perhaps Zimbabwe’s move isn’t so up. But then the trolls descend, with their much a flattering imitation of other draining demands for “accountability” countries as it is a simple copy & paste. and “human rights”. It can really get you “Control+C” and “Control+V” are down! handy shortcuts, after all. But maybe The only thing to do is take a break it’s about time that President Emerson for a while, flick that internet off-switch, Mnangagwa tries hitting “Control+Z”. and delete social media. From the entire country. Somalia Ethiopia, Mali and Somalia have Before getting too bleak about our all made forays into state-sponsored continent’s lack of originality, we should serenity this year, but nobody shuts it take a moment for our own mental all down like Chad’s President Idriss health, and recall that genuinely positive Déby who last year emerged from his actions can be emulated and paid country’s 16-month internet shutdown forward, too. looking positively rejuvenated. So let us remember Dr Hawa Abdi In fact, his government just Dhiblawe, the Somali human rights announced another internet slowdown activist and Nobel peace prize nominee to curb “hate speech”. Haters are gonna who sadly passed away this week. hate, but must they do it while the Among her many achievements, Mama president is trying to relax? Hawa provided healthcare, education and shelter for thousands of women in Tanzania and Zimbabwe Somalia through her foundation. Other nations prefer a bureaucratic With her life and work as inspiration, approach. Tanzania, for example, is let our aspiration be to leave the world ordering bloggers and online publishers healthier, happier, safer and freer than to apply for a licence to operate. Even we found it. ■ then, they can’t post calls for protests, “content that causes annoyance” or information about contagious diseases, without approval. Not to be left out, Zimbabwe is seeking inner peace by asserting new Legacy: boundaries. According to the minister The auto- of women’s affairs, Sithembiso Nyoni, biography of the government wants to criminalise the late Dr “campaigning against one’s country”. Hawa Abdi Funnily enough, her announcement was published came just as #zimbabweanlivesmatter in 2013 The Continent ISSUE 15. August 8 2020 Page 5 The Week in Numbers 6 The number of Togolese opposition activists whose mobile phones were targeted by spyware. Targets included the president of the Togolese Bishops’ Conference, Benoit Alowonou. Although (Photo: Andrew White/Parkwood Entertainment) it’s not clear who is behind the hack, a 50 spokesperson for the The number of African countries in which it is opposition coalition possible to stream (via DStv) Beyonce’s new said “we are in a visual album, Black is King, contrary to social police state that media speculation. The album is supposed to uses and abuses be a celebration of black history and African espionage against its traditions. own citizens”. 10 $2 million 3 The number of African The value of a 2kg The number of countries that between tanzanite gemstone Cabinet ministers them account for 80% discovered by Saninu in the Gambia who of all Covid-19 testing Laizer, an artisanal have recently tested taking place on the miner in Tanzania. This positive for Covid-19 continent. South Africa, is the third gemstone – just days after Photo: Andrew White/Parkwood Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, valued at more than President Adama Entertainment Morocco, Kenya, $1 million that Laizer Barrow went into Ethiopia, Rwanda, has found in the last self-isolation. Vice Uganda and Mauritius month. How did he get President Isatou have all conducted more so lucky? We’re not sure Touray has also than 200,000 tests, – but we’ll try to send a tested positive for according to Africa CDC. reporter to find out. the virus. 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. with The Continent Page 7 ISSUE 15. August 8 2020 News Nigeria (Photo: Aminu Abubakar/AFP) Shoprite admits defeat PHOTO STORY Woolworths, Truworths and Mr Price – that have tried and ultimately failed to fter 15 years in Nigeria, South crack the Nigerian market. AAfrican supermarket giant “But the supermarket chain’s exit, as Shoprite announced this week that it such a prominent investor in the country, plans to exit Africa’s largest economy. sends a strong signal that Nigeria is a Despite impressive growth at times, the tough place to do business, which the company has struggled with supply- authorities need to take seriously for chain disruptions, and with difficulties local companies as much as for foreign in getting money out of the country – investors,” said Dianna Games, the exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. executive director of the SA-Nigeria It is the latest in a long line of major Business Chamber, in a column for South African companies – including Business Day. ■ The Continent ISSUE 15. August 8 2020 Page 8 Cameroon Tomato industry left rotting on the vine Cameroon usually exports 10,000 tonnes of tomatoes each year. But Covid-19 restrictions have made that impossible – and farmers are already suffering the consequences Daniel Ekonde to $10]. Now I sell a basket at 1,500 francs [about $3] and rarely at 2,000 [about ervé Kouamo used to sell his $3.5],” Kouamo revealed. Htomatoes at the local market. Now According to Cameroon’s state he moves his harvest from door to door, broadcaster CRTV, about 877,000 tonnes searching for potential buyers. His town, of tomatoes are produced yearly – Bangangté in Cameroon’s West region, is mostly in the country’s west, northwest, flooded with fruit in markets and clients southwest, central and far north regions, are overwhelmed. as well as the Adamawa region – and a “That’s the only option if I have to get at huge chunk is exported. least half of the money I spent to cultivate Cameroon’s decision to close its this crop.
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