African journalism. JUNE 5 2021 | ISSUE 48 The Continent with

The cost of il’s collapse Graphic: Ashleigh Swaile The Continent 2 issue 48. june 5 2021 Inside: ■ Egypt takes inaugural Basketball Africa League: Zamalek has a history of winning in football. Now the club has expanded into basketball and taken the title in a tournament hosted in Rwanda (p11). ■ Punches in the Pan-African Parliament: Seventeen years in, it doesn’t have a headquarters. It has no power. But its president can live a life of largesse and do so with impunity. No wonder people are fighting for the job (p14). ■ Electric racing hits Senegal: Extreme E, a new motorsport focused on sustainability, equality and climate change arrived in the old home of the Dakar Rally (p16). ■ Protecting our past and future: Just four of South Africa’s 4,000 national heritage sites are sacred sites. One woman is trying to change that (p22). ■ Look to our oceans, or else: COVER STORY: Falling off Ethiopia’s former prime minister, the oil cliff. Africa’s petro Hailemariam Desalegn, writes states, like Angola and in The Continent that we face Nigeria, need a high oil price catastrophe if we don’t look after to invest in public services. the world’s oceans (p24). Their leaders also need ■ Our quiz: Which tower is that money to stay in power. considered the tallest structure in But the world is rapidly Egypt and North Africa? No, it’s not changing and oil is being the pyramids! (p26). phased out, with a predicted price of just $35 a barrel by the 2030s. At that point, a country like Nigeria could Correction: Last week (Issue 47, page 6), lose a third of its annual we wrote that Mali gained independence budget – and it’s only going in 1968. That was a typo. Mali gained to get worse. independence from France in 1960. The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 3 The week in numbers 5-15 ... centimetres 500,000 of snow expected ... people without water in over parts of Goma after the eruption of Lesotho and parts Mount Nyiragongo in the DRC of South Africa as part of the season’s first snowfall

...tonnes of maize in Zimbabwe's bumper crop, 2.7-million the highest yield in 20 years 1,065,847 ... registered voters in local elections in the self-declared, 80% internationally unrecognised ... of livestock in Republic of Somaliland Tigray has been stolen or slaughtered during the conflict in the wartorn Ethiopian province The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 4

WEST AFRICA The announcement came after the social media company deleted President Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet earlier this week in which he threatened to punish announces pro-Biafra groups blamed for escalating violence in the southeast. Twitter ban Twitter said the tweet violated its “abusive behaviour” policy, leading to a ... on Twitter 12-hour suspension of Buhari’s account. It’s unclear when the suspension will go Nigeria’s federal government announced into effect given the order was announced on Friday evening that it had suspended by the ministry of information – on its the activities of Twitter in the country. own Twitter account.

EAST AFRICA Who tried to murder Uganda’s former chief of police?

Katumba Wamala, Uganda’s minister the upscale neighbourhood of Kisasi. of transport and former police chief, President Yoweri Museveni said survived an assassination attempt in authorities “already have clues to those the Kampala on Tuesday that killed killers” in the incident. There is no clarity his 26-year-old daughter and driver. yet as to the motives of the attackers, Four assailants shot at their vehicle in despite feverish speculation in Kampala. The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 5

SPORT Olympic medallist calls for third category for athletes

Photo: Marco Longari/AFP Photo: Margaret Wambui, the Kenyan runner who won bronze in the 800m event at the Rio 2016 Games, has suggested NORTH AFRICA that World Athletics introduce a third category for athletes with high levels of UK, France testosterone. “It would be good if a third category told to clean for athletes with high testosterone was introduced – because it is wrong to stop up their mess people from using their talents,” she told the BBC in an interview. One of the leading candidates in Libya’s The 25-year-old, like other athletes upcoming presidential election has said with differences of sexual development that the United Kingdom and France (DSD), has been forbidden from are responsible for precipitating the contesting any distance between 400m ongoing Libyan civil war – and that and one mile in the female category they have an obligation to solve the unless she reduces her testosterone conflict. “I think that, in fact, Europe levels. But medical treatment options is morally and legally responsible for are controversial, with side effects everything that’s happened as of 2011 ranging from increased risk of and especially the UK and France,” said depression, to liver injury and hepatitis. Fathi Bashagha, the former interior Wambui has been ruled out of the minister. France, the UK and the US Tokyo Games due to the restrictions, intervened militarily to oust the dictator alongside gold and silver medallists Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 – against the South Africa’s Caster Semenya and advice of the African Union – plunging Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba, the country into a conflict from which although Niyonsaba will compete in it has yet to recover. the 5,000m event. The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 6

CENTRAL AFRICA Chad, CAR to investigate deaths

Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) have agreed to set up an independent commission to investigate an incident at a shared border post in which at least six Chadian soldiers were killed by CAR forces. Chad’s defence ministry on Sunday said that Central African troops had attacked a Chadian military post, killed one soldier, and ARTS kidnapped and executed five others. CAR authorities said a firefight had Laurels for broken out by mistake as their soldiers pursued a rebel group near the Chadian Senegalese border, resulting in the deaths of troops on both sides. soldier story

French writer David Diop won the SOUTHERN AFRICA international Booker prize for books translated into English this week. At SA’s red meat Night All Blood is Black is a book set during World War I. Diop was born to red-flagged a French mother and Senegalese father in France but grew up in Senegal. On Botswana has banned the import of winning the prize, Diop said: “It’s all South African red meat after an very interesting and gratifying for me. outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease This really shows that literature has in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal no borders.” The author, whose novel province. This is the first outbreak concerns two Senegalese soldiers since 2019 and has not yet affected who fought for France during the war other provinces. Namibia is expected to was inspired by his Senegalese great- follow Botswana’s lead. The full extent of grandfather who fought for France. The the outbreak is still being investigated. book was originally published in 2018. The Continent 7 issue 48. june 5 2021 News

Mali

Colonel Assimi Goïta, who has AU benches declared himself the president of Mali, was at the ECOWAS meeting. Mali military As The Continent reported last week, Goïta is a special forces commander until 2022 renowned for his quiet and calm demeanor. Joining the army in 2002, he elections rose through the ranks with a reputation for bravery and an ability to inspire trust. ali has been suspended from the In 2018 he was appointed commander MAfrican Union with immediate of the Battalion Autonomes des Forces effect following a second coup in nine Spéciales, a US-trained special forces unit. months. This means the country cannot This gave him the position from which to participate in any union activities. launch his first coup, last August. The Pan-African body warned that the military must “urgently and The African Union has unconditionally return to the barracks” threatened sanctions and threatened “targeted sanctions and other punitive measures” if this did not In that coup he appointed Bah N’Daw happen. – a close ally and fellow military officer In its statement on Tuesday, the AU’s – as interim president. That relationship Peace and Security Council said this would soured and collapsed when N’Daw continue “until normal constitutional announced a cabinet reshuffle last month, order has been restored in the country”. sidelining much of the military. After last year’s coup, elections were Goïta and the army responded by promised for the end of February 2022. detaining N’Daw and his civilian prime The announcement follows the minister and declaring himself president. suspension of Mali from ECOWAS, The AU suspension highlights a lack the west African regional bloc, after an of consistency in its sanctions. It hasn’t emergency meeting last weekend. It will suspended Chad, even though the last until February 2022, when Mali’s elevation of Mahamat Déby to de-facto interim leaders were meant to hand over president after his father’s death was power to an elected civilian government. unconstitutional. ■ The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 8 Africa What happens when 30% of your national budget disappears in a decade? As oil demand shrinks and prices collapse, Africa’s petro states – the likes of Angola, Nigeria, Egypt and Equatorial Guinea – will be left with massive holes in their budgets.

Sipho Kings which specialises in energy and climate forecasts, says $40 a barrel would cost he price of oil is expected to halve to petro states a combined $9-trillion in T$35 a barrel by the 2030s. lost income. At this price point, a country like Gulf States, like Qatar, are planning Nigeria loses a third of its entire for this by diversifying their economies government revenue. The impact is and building up massive cash reserves. similarly dramatic for Angola, where Even Saudi Arabia, where it costs just $6 ageing offshore oil rigs bring in 75% to get each barrel out of the ground, has of government revenues and make up had to make cuts: VAT was tripled to 15% 90% of exports. For Egypt, oil is 10% of last year to increase government revenue. government revenue with the number Half of Africa’s states sell some sort of climbing to 78% in South Sudan and 80% petrochemical. in Equatorial Guinea. And the Covid-19 pandemic has A collapse in the oil price will be given a taste of what is to come. A cataclysmic – and it is going to happen. year ago, oil prices briefly collapsed to The International Energy Agency, $25 and less a barrel. In Angola, the once seen as a lobby for fossil fuels, now finance minister was forced to cut some says the price of oil will halve from $70 department budgets by a third. The a barrel. This will drop the income per country’s sovereign wealth fund, meant person from oil in petro states from to invest oil income to ensure stability $1,800 to $450. in the future, handed over $1.5-billion Number crunching by Carbon Brief, to plug immediate gaps. Nigeria, reeling The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 9

Fuel’s errand: Shell’s Bonga oil plant in the Gulf of Guinea. A court has ruled Shell must cut emissions in the Netherlands by 45% in nine years. Photo: Shell, 2015 from a 2015 oil crash which kicked off But oil and gas are still seen as a its first recession in 25 years, further cut quick-fix for countries with resources. spending. That income is also critical to leaders History holds similar lessons. The who need to lubricate their patronage oil shocks of the 1970s collapsed the networks to stay in office. economies of newly independent African states. Instead of investing in The average income social services – hospitals, schools and per person from oil in public spaces – they were forced by the petro states will drop from International Monetary Fund to adopt $1,800 to $450. The drop the now infamous structural adjustment programmes. Young democracies gave will cost petro states a way to monocultures and dictatorships. combined $9-trillion in Now the World Bank talks about lost income. countries like Nigeria and Angola by saying they need to “reduce dependency In Mozambique, the allure of natural and diversify their economy”. gas profits saw the government bet The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 10 everything on income from new gas basis that global heating causes natural fields in its north. In ignoring the people disasters and generally degrades the who lived near that natural resource, the human rights of people. Companies and decision kicked off an insurgency which governments that push that warming has become so dangerous that French oil are therefore committing human rights giant Total was recently forced to halt abuses. operations. Shell can appeal but the order is Further north, Total and its Chinese immediately enforceable. The ruling is counterpart Cnooc Ltd. have signed an not unusual and comes amid a flurry of agreement with Uganda and Tanzania similar judgments in the last few years, to drill oil in the former and ship it from particularly in countries where big the latter, through a 1,440-kilometre corporate polluters are based. Another pipeline. sign of the trend away from fossil fuels Outside Lagos, Africa’s richest is that, this week, three seats on the man, Aliko Dangote, is investing over ExxonMobil board were taken over by $12-billion in what would be Africa’s climate activists. largest refinery. Its stated goal is to meet And all major polluting countries all of the country’s demand for refined have now committed to reduce carbon petrochemical products – a big change emissions to net zero by 2050, with big in a country so used to shipping crude drops by 2030. oil overseas and paying more to import back the refined product. Big banks are moving Projects like these are becoming increasingly difficult to fund, which away from investing in is one of the reasons that oil demand fossil fuels. The threat is projected to collapse. Dangote’s of “stranded assets”, refinery is getting over $3-billion from a where a bank invests in consortium of banks. This is funding that a project that can then was wrapped up before the move away from financing of fossil fuels. not pay back that debt, Now, big banks are moving away from is increasing. investing in fossil fuels. The threat of so- called “stranded assets”, where a bank Reducing coal and oil use is the invests in a project that can then not pay quickest way for all these groups to back that debt, is increasing. This has reduce their emissions. Although this is also influenced the world’s biggest stock a clear win for people in the long term, it markets. spells disaster for the budgets of Africa’s And last month a Dutch court ruled petro states – and, unless something that Shell must cut its emissions by 45% changes quickly, for the short term for in nine years. The court ruled on the people who live there. ■ The Continent 11 issue 48. june 5 2021 Sport

Allez hoop: Zamalek prevailed against US Monastir. Photo: Muzogeye Plaisir, Anadolu Agency

BAL crowns its first champs

Refiloe Seiboko Sportif des Petroliers and Egypt’s Zamalek due to “health and safety protocols”. he Basketball Africa League’s In the arena, masked and socially Tinaugural season wrapped up on distanced fans cheered on the teams and Sunday after two weeks of game action DJs played music simulating games fans at the Kigali Arena in Rwanda’s capital. expect from the NBA level. Musicians, The league implemented the “bubble” celebrities, influencers, American setup that the NBA used in the United executives, politicians and former players States last year of one venue for games, featured on the big screens. practices and hotels, as well as constant The Rwandan fans’ presence might Covid-19 testing. have been the catalyst to propel their Over the two-week period of the BAL, hometown Patriots: They had not been players, coaches, broadcasters and league expected to go particularly far, and personnel were tested daily, tallying up even featured among their ranks an more than 18,000 tests throughout the American rapper who had no prior league tournament. No person tested positive. experience. The clean coronavirus sheet was But the Patriots ended up punching threatened early on in the tournament, above their weight, securing a berth in however, when the league postponed a the semifinal and eventually finishing in game between Madagascar’s Groupement fourth place after the third-place decider The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 12 on the day of the final. By comparison, some favoured teams had relatively disappointing showings – including Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers, who failed to qualify for the quarterfinals despite a history of strong competition. Likewise Senegal’s AS Douanes, Morocco’s AS Salé and Cameroon’s Forces Armées et Police found themselves unable to go the distance thanks in part to young, inexperienced players and long competitive downtime due to the pandemic. The final turned out to be a north African headliner, featuring Union Sportive Monastirienne of Tunisia and Zamalek of Egypt. Monastir being in Net win: Egypt’s Zamalek celebrate the final was no surprise, as many had after winning the Basketball Africa expected them to win the tournament. League final against US Monastir in As it progressed, Zamalek showed Rwanda. Photo: Muzogeye Plaisir/ themselves to be the strongest contenders, Anadolu Agency via AFP securing a 76-63 win. The energetic team had an impressive 60-45 points ... tonight that was the showing, proving tenacious early in the difference: they scored 45 from [the] game, tying up the game and eventually bench … They were more successful on taking the lead over their favoured their try and we were not. It’s as simple opposition. as that. We missed easy baskets and the Throughout their games the team pressure was on us more. They played very played a fast-paced but organised style good.” with pyrotechnics from 18-year-old star Zamalek’s head coach, Agustí Julbe, Mohab Yasser and Walter Hodge (who spoke to the togetherness of his team and would later be named the league’s first how no player put themselves above the Most Valuable Player). other and how that helped their efforts. After the game, Monastir’s head coach He told The Continent: “It’s been an Mounir Ben Slimen took responsibility amazing experience. From day one in for the loss and apologised to the Tunisian quarantine we knew how to live through fans. it, get together being separated, being Speaking to how he thought the game isolated in our rooms but we were getting played out, he told The Continent: “In along through online sessions and that other games we scored from the bench was the building of what led us.” ■ The Continent 13 issue 48. june 5 2021 Business

After Covid, we will need to build back better As economies recover, governments need to rethink how they invest in crucial resources.

Sophie Mbugua in Nairobi One example is mangroves, which grow in shallow coastal waters and slow frican countries are spending down heavy seas that would otherwise A$335-billion a year on the impact destroy villages and crops. Along the of natural disasters. According to the western Indian Ocean, a million hectares UN Economic Commission for Africa, of mangrove provide free ecosystem this means 5% of the continent’s gross services but they are under constant domestic product is being lost. That will pressure because the work they do is not only increase due to climate change and as valued. development destroys the ecosystems, like Crucially, Anukur noted that wetlands, that used to absorb disasters. development that focused on nature There is little money for tended to include communities to build back The boom that communities and extended after these disasters. So one inevitably follows their participation in the shock follows another until recession is a chance politics of their futures. they have little resilience. Jean-Paul Adam, Covid-19 might be an to tackle the world’s director for technology, opportunity to change this. interlinked crises in climate change and natural The boom that inevitably a sustainable way. resources at the UN follows recession means economic commission, there is a chance for governments to says this kind of recovery would allow rethink how they invest. countries to also solve existing societal Luther Anukur, the International challenges, biodiversity loss and climate Union for Conservation of Nature regional change. director for East and Southern Africa, told The UN’s environment agency says the The Continentthat the growth spurt is a world needs to invest over $8-trillion in chance to build back in a sustainable way. nature between now and 2050. This will Where in the past infrastructure was built allow countries to tackle the interlinked over nature and engineering trumped climate, biodiversity and land degradation natural solutions, this needed to change. crises. ■ The Continent 14 issue 48. june 5 2021 Comment

What is the point of the Pan-African Parliament? After years of searching for some kind of purpose, the beleaguered institution Phoning it in: A delegate passes the time is finally in the spotlight – during one of the less violent moments for all the wrong reasons. at the summit this week. Photo: AFP

Simon Allison really control the union. Or perhaps it is that its members, while drawn from t is easy to forget that the Pan-African across the continent, are not elected by the IParliament exists. Since its inaugural people they are supposed to be serving. session in March 2004, the institution Instead they are appointed by their own that was intended to be Africa’s highest national legislatures, meaning they legislative authority has struggled for answer not to citizens but to governments impact and relevance. And judging by – few of whom have any genuine interest the sparse attendance at its parliamentary in citizen oversight. sessions, held several times a year, that This week, however, there was finally forgetfulness extends to its own members. some activity for long-term watchers of The parliament doesn’t even have the legislature – at least for those of us permanent headquarters. After 17 years, it who had not already fallen asleep. is still operating in a converted conference Something actually happened! venue in Midrand, a nondescript South There were scuffles. There were shoves. African commuter town. There were insults and punches – and Perhaps the problem is that it has even a death threat. “I’ll kill you outside. no real power. It is meant to be the Outside this meeting, I will kill you,” legislative body of the African Union. shouted South Africa’s Julius Malema at But its decisions are “consultative” and Mali’s Ali Koné (Malema, reverting to that “advisory”. They are easily and regularly classic playground excuse, said that Koné brushed aside by the heads of state who had threatened him first). The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 15

Suddenly, and for the first time, the exclusive housing estate in Pretoria that eyes of the continent are on the Pan- cost nearly $6,000 a month and came with African Parliament. two full-time chefs and two cleaners, all Even AU Commission chair Moussa on the AU payroll. Faki Mahamat was moved to comment: It is not just the luxuries that make the “The shocking scenes of violence at the job so attractive – it is also the near-total Pan African Parliament today tarnish the lack of accountability. image of this honourable institution.” When staffers accused Dang of sexual This is a man who rarely indulges in harassment, bullying and nepotism in condemnation, despite the best efforts of, 2019, the Pan-African Parliament voted say, the survivors of sexual harassment in secret to bury these allegations. This within his own organisation; or the was against the recommendation of an victims of the ongoing atrocities being internal inquiry, which found there committed in Tigray. was “good reason” to conduct a full investigation. The vote was only revealed No power, but plenty of privilege to the public – whom the Pan-African What could possibly have got tensions Parliament is supposed to serve – after running so high? It was not anything several whistleblowers raised the alarm to do with improving governance or to the South African newspaper, Mail & fighting corruption or holding our leaders Guardian. accountable. Instead, the parliamentarians Southern Africa, supported by North were squabbling amongst themselves over Africa, is pushing for its candidate who gets to preside over their chambers. (Zimbabwe’s Chief Fortune Charumbira) At stake is the position of president to be installed as Dang’s successor, saying of the Pan-African Parliament, which the position should be rotated through was occupied until earlier this year by the regions; while the West African bloc, one Roger Nkodo Dang, who certainly supported by East and Central Africa, appeared to enjoy his six years in the wants direct elections which will likely job. And why not, when much of it was result in another West African candidate spent in a suite at Johannesburg’s ultra- (Mali’s Haïdara Aïchata Cissé). luxurious Michelangelo Hotel – with This, then, is the dream job that fuelled another eight rooms booked for his the fighting in Midrand this week: lots of retinue, all paid for by African taxpayers. luxury, little responsibility, total impunity. Dang was driven around town in a No wonder that the (dis)honourable Mercedes-Benz ML sport utility vehicle, members want it for themselves – no after rejecting as substandard the matter what the cost to the parliament’s Mercedes-Benz E-class that was initially reputation, and their own dignity. ■ allocated to him. When he finally did move out of the With additional reporting by Mako hotel, he occupied a residence in an Muzenda. The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 16 Photo: Colin McMaster/McKlein Colin McMaster/McKlein Photo:

FEATURE Motorsport electrifies its need for speed The Extreme E series is all charged up and ready to ride.

acked by green industrial concerns continents, with nine teams already Band famous racing drivers like Sir taking part in this inaugural season. Lewis Hamilton, organisers say the These races are taking place in parts Extreme E off-road series is using electric- of the world that have already been hit engined motorsport both to educate the hard by climate change, the organisers public and drive research in the industry say, to encourage viewers to engage with (While also giving racers a chance to this reality. After each race, a chosen race). environmental issue is then given Five races will be held across four attention and long-term support to The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 17

Photo: Charly Lopez address it. Last weekend’s race outside through each race. Dakar in Senegal, for example, focused on The series will be moving around the the importance of mangroves, and also on world on the vessel St Helena, which used the damage being done to this ecosystem. to be the cargo liner that took people and Each team also has to have a man and goods from South Africa to its namesake a woman driver, who swap seats halfway island in the South Atlantic ocean.■

Watt’s up, Dakar: An electric speedster races along the Senegal course. Photo: Andrew Ferraro/ Motorsport Images The Continent 18 issue 48. june 5 2021 Investigation

Voice of America is airing Ethiopian propaganda, staffers claim The US state broadcaster’s coverage of the war in Tigray appears to be slanted in favour of the government.

Zecharias Zelalem as a reporter, host, producer and editor of content for the network’s radio, television he US state-funded broadcaster and web audiences. TVoice of America has been accused “The VOA’s coverage writ large shows of whitewashing atrocities and airing that the organisation has taken a side in propaganda in favour of the Ethiopian Ethiopia’s Tigray war. Every level of the government during the course of the VOA hierarchy knows about the bias, in brutal civil war being waged in that part because I’ve raised it at every level, country’s northern Tigray region. yet so far management has failed to put a An analysis by The Continent of stop to it,” he said. hundreds of internal memos, and In a short response, VOA told the The interviews with around a dozen former Continent: “VOA does its best to cover the and currently employed members of the situation in Ethiopia fairly and accurately. VOA’s Horn of Africa division, reveal There are strong feelings in the region serious pro-government biases in how the about the conflict, and we hear from broadcaster frames the conflict, and in the partisans of all sides. Our goal is objective stories and viewpoints it chooses to air. journalism.” These biases mean that the VOA’s It wouldn’t comment on specific coverage remains largely favourable for allegations and said: “When we receive Ethiopia’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning complaints, we investigate and take Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, whose actions, if necessary, against journalists security forces stand accused of massacres whose coverage has violated our principles and ethnic cleansing. of producing accurate, balanced and Among journalists interviewed is Jason comprehensive reporting, with this or Patinkin, who served as an international any other story.” broadcaster in the Africa division’s With a global reach including millions English to Africa service. Jason worked of people from countries that censor the The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 19 news, the VOA – with a budget topping The network’s coverage has been $250-million – broadcasts content in noticeably selective. Atrocities committed 47 languages, with over a thousand in the war by state forces appear to get journalists serving audiences around the little to no coverage, whereas those that world. appear to have been committed by the Among this massive array of talent are Tigrayan rebels, such as the horrific journalists tasked with producing content killings in Mai Kadra in November last for the VOA’s Horn of Africa service. year, received extensive coverage. Over a dozen of the division’s reporters and stringers are based in Ethiopia, and The network’s coverage more work remotely from Washington has been noticeably DC for the network’s Amharic, Tigrigna selective. Atrocities and Afaan Oromo language desks, while contributing English language stories committed by Ethiopian as well. A household name in Ethiopia state forces appear to get since the establishment of the Horn of little to no coverage. Africa service in 1982, the VOA’s audio broadcasts enjoy a sizeable reach of over In addition, VOA journalists were 11-million listeners weekly. instructed not to use the terms “civil war” or “war” to refer to the conflict in Selective coverage Tigray (The Continent, along with Reuters, For months, the Ethiopian government CNN and most other major media outlets, waged what it termed a “law describes the conflict as a war). enforcement operation,” in Tigray Instead, the Horn of Africa division, under a communications blackout, with in particular it’s Amharic language desk, journalists and aid workers prohibited adopted the phrase “law enforcement from entering the region. Ethiopian operation” – the Ethiopian government’s forces were sent into the region to oust terminology. the Tigrayan regional government on “Honestly, using the term is a disgrace 4 November, backed by troops from to the profession,” one VOA employee neighbouring Eritrea. told The Continent. “It eats at you knowing Eventually, through the accumulation that others believe you are complicit in a of accounts, the use of satellite imagery coverup of the truth... We are investing and footage smuggled out of the region, loads of money and manpower into journalists, despite the lack of access, producing pro-war propaganda.” ■ began to piece together a grim picture of a civil war with punitive atrocities meted This investigation has been edited for out against the region’s inhabitants with length. The full-length version, with a lot alarming regularity. more details, is available on the Mail & But not VOA’s Horn of Africa division. Guardian website. The Continent 20 issue 48. june 5 2021 Comment

Ethiopia’s elections are a bad idea. Here’s why. A sham vote will only increase internal tensions.

Nic Cheeseman and are accused of a range of war crimes – Yohannes Woldemariam and under a government that is actively starving a significant portion of the lections are a major feature of any population. Esuccessful democracy. But when According to the United Nations, elections are held under the wrong Tigray has lost over 90% of its harvest conditions – when voters cannot and 80% of its livestock due to “looting, genuinely exercise their democratic rights burning or destruction” – and the and the process is fundamentally flawed – government is blocking essential relief they can have a negative effect. shipments. Ethiopia’s general elections, now scheduled for 21 June after repeated 2. The elections will be divisive postponements, fall into this category. and exclusionary Despite ongoing civil conflict in the It’s not just in Tigray where the threat of Tigray region, widespread instability, and conflict looms large. Tensions are running calls for national dialogue ahead of the high in the Afar and Somali regions, while elections, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is land disputes between the new regional pressing ahead. state of Sidama and the Oromia region Abiy hopes that a resounding victory are worsening. – there is no way he can lose – will make Meanwhile, clashes between rival him look like a democratic leader in groups in Afar, the Somali regions, charge of a united country. But sham northern Showa, South Wollo and four elections will do nothing to bring the zones in the Oromo special region, are country back together. so bad that the government has been forced to establish “command posts” in 1. You can’t hold a credible an attempt to prevent further killings. election in the midst of conflict In total, over 40 constituencies in the and forced famine these regions will see elections delayed This election will take place against the due to insecurity, in some cases by months backdrop of the conflict in Tigray – – and no elections will take place in Tigray where government and Eritrean forces at all. The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 21

3. Many are too scared to and so the most basic tasks – training challenge the ruling party electoral officials, distributing materials, In the context of deteriorating respect for providing Covid-19 equipment – are civil liberties, and mass arrests that have unlikely to be completed in time. seen many opposition figures detained Voter registration is perhaps the without charge, government critics are most pressing concern. According to naturally wary of expressing disapproval. NEBE figures, 31.7-million people are Moreover, the mass censorship and registered, well down on the 50-million Soviet-esque propaganda campaign target. In turn, disorganised polls held waged by the Ethiopian government amid allegations that the government’s as part of the Tigray conflict has desperation has led it to bribe voters to demonstrated that those who contest the register in some areas, and rig the the official narrative may be branded enemies process in others, will undermine Abiy’s of the state, undermining the freedom of ability to claim a unifying mandate. speech needed for meaningful elections. This does not mean that Ethiopia should turn its back on elections. 4. Some opposition groups will Moving to a one-party state would boycott further antagonise opposition parties Given the distrust that exists between rival and disaffected communities. Instead, parties, it is unsurprising that some of the Abiy must finally accept the need for country’s opposition groups are likely national dialogue, provide urgent aid to boycott the polls. Other opposition and assistance to Tigray, end government leaders are trying to contest, but can’t censorship and human rights abuses, meaningfully do so from jail. allow opposition leaders to take part, and Meanwhile, the head of the Oromo empower NEBE to conduct a credible Federalist Congress (OFC) has announced voter registration process. he will not participate while his allies This may require postponing the Bekele Gerba and Jawar Mohammed polls again, frustrating many of those remain in prison. The Oromo Liberation involved, but it would lead to a much Front has also pulled out for similar better foundation on which to build a reasons. new Ethiopia. In the absence of a strong opposition, Otherwise the elections will only serve Abiy’s victory will be overwhelming, but to reinforce the growing perception that a hollow. man who won the Nobel Peace Prize has become just another brutal dictator. ■ 5. The Electoral Commission isn’t ready Nic Cheeseman is professor in democracy The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia at the University of Birmingham. Yohannes (NEBE) has failed to prepare adequately Woldemariam is an academic specialising for the election, despite numerous delays, in the Horn of Africa. The Continent issue 48. june 5 2021 22

PROFILE t’s early March and Mphatheleni IMakaulule is standing on a deserted dirt road. It’s not yet noon but the hot sun of northern Limpopo is already sending temperatures soaring. The remnants of old Mphatheleni stone walls – ancient kraals and traditional courts – are just barely visible among the Makaulule grass swaying in the hot breeze. In the more than 2,000 years that humans have lived in this area of South Africa, this mountain has been a site of power, trade, and fierce – often bloody – colonial resistance for the Magoro clan. But, more importantly, it is the family’s zwifho. The creator, Nwali, bestowed upon each clan a zwifho – a river, forest, mountain, waterfall or lake in which their ancestral spirits rest, Makaulule explains. The apartheid government forcibly removed the Magoro clan from the land in the mid-20th century. And although older generations continue to make what can be an hour-long trip to perform rituals at the zwifho, the site is vulnerable to desecration. The family has an outstanding land claim to the area. In a bid to protect the zwifho, in the meantime, some of the Just four of South clan has turned to Makaulule. Africa’s 4,000 national Today, the Magoros and Makaulule are heritage sites are hoping a meeting with officials from the sacred sites. One South African Heritage Resource Agency woman is trying to – and its local arm, the Limpopo Heritage Resources Authority – can garner the change that. site emergency protection from its latest threat: development. Laura López González The daughter of a prominent Illustration: Wynona Mutisi traditional healer, Makaulule followed in her father’s footsteps. Her commitment to preserving indigenous knowledge and rights, including zwifho, is in many ways The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 23 part of his legacy. After graduating from branches – to have a zwifho protected. university in 1998, Makaulule began to “All of the zwifho we have mapped are seek out this knowledge. under threat,” she says. “I would take a taxi to a village I didn’t Lake Fundudzi, a zwifho, was declared know just to see it,” she says. “I would find South Africa’s first sacred heritage site in the children playing or women in the 2014. In 2018, the Limpopo department spring collecting water. I just made a way of mineral resources granted mining to connect and I would ask for the elders.” prospecting rights within the Lake Today, her home boasts a meticulously Fundudzi heritage site. Dzomo La Mupo catalogued library of notebooks from these successfully opposed the decision. travels. In this way, Makaulule and her Only four of South Africa’s roughly largely female-led organisation, Dzomo la 4,000 national heritage sites are sacred Mupo, have documented at least 49 zwifho sites – compared to almost 3,400 buildings, throughout Limpopo – largely without any for instance, research in the Journal of institutional funding. And although some Ecopsychology points out. of these zwifho have been lost to threats Back at the Magoro zwifho, South like development or tourism, Dzomo la African Heritage Resource Agency Mupo has also been able to successfully officials and the family have begun to oppose coal mining in sacred areas. move towards the mountain to inspect Makaulule has received international the site, thankful to escape the mid-day acclaim for her work, and was awarded sun – but without local officials from the a Global Leadership Award by the Limpopo Heritage Resources Authority International Indigenous Women’s Forum. representatives, who texted that they had She has also travelled the world meeting somewhere else to be. with fellow indigenous rights activists in “They should have come to this,” places like Kenya and the Amazon Basin Makaulule says, sighing. “These are to share lessons learned. important places. People can see these She and Dzomo la Mupo also worked sacred sites as just archaeological places to with a psychologist to produce the first- dig… but it’s deeper than that. We defend ever study in South Africa showing that them because of [their importance to our] the desecration of sacred sites contributes spirituality, which cannot be replaced.” to intergenerational psychological She pauses. “There are lived distress, according to a study published connections here – and if you disconnect in the Journal of Ecopsychology this year. something from a system, it affects the Restoring these sites can be healing. system,” she says. “Our grandparents died The South African constitution and with that pain.” ■ other regional agreements protect the right to freedom of religion and it is possible This story is part of a series of profiles to apply to the South African Heritage on human rights defenders in the SADC Resource Agency – through its provincial region, funded by Internews. 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Africa must protect the high seas – before it’s too late We must act now to secure the world’s oceans as a common good.

Hailemariam Desalegn on 8 June, it is vital we recognise the importance of protecting areas beyond f the past year has taught us anything, our national jurisdiction. Iit is that we must not underestimate the Historically, a lack of clarity over who power of the natural world. is responsible for the protection of this The Covid-19 pandemic has been expanse, and limited public awareness of a tragedy of untold proportions, and a how vital a healthy ocean system is, has at clarion call to us that we must work harder best fueled disinterest, and at worst let a to protect nature and live in harmony, not small minority exploit its resources and at odds, with it. decimate its biodiversity. For many, the notion of protecting nature in Africa conjures up visions of Why the oceans matter to Africa sweeping national parks, game reserves It is thought that scientists know more teeming with the Big Five and stretches of about space than they do the high seas, golden coastlines where turtles nest and with some estimating that we are still brightly coloured fish punctuate the clear unaware of 91% of the living organisms waters. that exist in this largely unexplored And of course, they are right, the ecosystem. biodiversity we are blessed with in Africa So murky is our knowledge that even is abundant and there is much good some of the species that we do know of work being done to ensure its safety and seem almost mythical: such as the giant longevity. squid. But there is one last great wilderness To date some 34,000 organisms have which most of us will never see, and most been discovered in our oceans that could likely have never thought much about. potentially be used in medical and food This great wilderness begins 200 nautical developments. miles off our African shores, it covers half So far, discoveries in the high seas have of the planet, and it is the last great global included eight marine-based drugs, five commons – the high seas. of which are cancer treatments; and the As we celebrate World Oceans Day discovery of one form of alga that can be The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 25 used to fortify canola oil, an increasingly binding framework not only will popular staple in Africa. developing nations continue to be denied However, at present there is no legally access to natural resources in the high binding framework in place to stop seas, but the high seas ecosystem will wealthier nations or private companies continue to be drastically compromised. controlling these discoveries, patenting The current UN High Seas Treaty them, and preventing developing nations under negotiation aims, for the first from accessing their benefits. time, to establish guidelines “for the The same is true of fishing in the high conservation and sustainable use of seas. It is monopolised by less than a marine biological diversity in areas dozen countries with little regulation and beyond national jurisdiction”. is rarely equitably shared. This would include a framework In fact, it is estimated that the to establish a well-connected and worldwide value of illegal, unreported, representative network of marine and unregulated fishing (IUU) catches is protected areas; rigorous and independent between $4.9- and $9.5-billion, and up to environmental impact assessment of 30% of IUU fishing ($1.2-billion) occurs ongoing and future activities on the high beyond national jurisdiction. seas; and clear funding mechanisms that do not marginalise the world’s developing There is no framework nations. to stop wealthier nations Over the next six months we have a chance to drastically change the way we or private companies engage with the high seas and all that it controlling discoveries, houses. patenting them, and As Africans we owe it to ourselves preventing developing and future generations to engage fully nations from accessing in the ongoing negotiations for a High Seas Treaty to ensure that this last great their benefits. wilderness is protected and restored, and that the ocean’s abundant resources are But more than just providing distributed equally and sustainably. a minority with financial benefit, To put it simply, if we do not protect overfishing in the high seas has a direct the high seas collectively and globally, impact on stocks within neighbouring the repercussions will be catastrophic – nations’ exclusive economic zones. biologically, economically, and almost This has a disproportionate effect on certainly geopolitically. ■ developing countries where dependency on fisheries for food, livelihoods and revenues is high. Hailemariam Desalegn is the former prime Without a strong, global, legally minister of Ethiopia. The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 26

1_Which tower is admitted to genocide in considered the tallest which country? structure in Egypt and 9_ Who is the president North Africa? of the Republic of Congo? 2_Bamako is the capital 10_Which country gained city of which country? (de facto) independence 3_ Which Libyan leader from Ethiopia in 1991? played a crucial role in the birth of the African Union in 2004? 4_True or false: Tripoli is How did I do? the headquarters of the WhatsApp ‘ANSWERS’ to African Union. +27 73 805 6068 and we’ll 5_ Which country send the answers to you. was formerly called Swaziland? 6_The bottle gourd is Would you like to send also known as what us some quiz questions plant? or even curate your 7_Which country is own quiz? Let us know

THE QUIZ THE nicknamed “The Pearl of at TheContinent@mg. Africa”? co.za 8_Germany recently 0-4 “I think I need to start reading more newspapers.”

5-7 “I can’t wait to explore more of this continent.”

8-10 “I got all the brains the Pan African Parliament seems to be missing.” Photo: Marc Dozier/Hemis The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 27

See me after class, please

Continental in nine months is probably crossing some sort of line. Drift To be fair, Mali isn’t playing Samira Sawlani playground politics as much as it’s re-enacting Lord of the Flies, and its Constitutional Court judges have now given the conch to post-coup junta leader Getting an education in the middle of a Colonel Assimi Goïta, who they say is pandemic is difficult enough. Even so, definitely and officially president now, it feels like there are many unruly sorts and also could he please stop twisting who could stand to stay behind after class. their arms up behind their backs now, if Unfortunately, some of our own it’s not too much trouble? leaders are on the list – thanks to the The African Union is not quite as playground politics that plagues our convinced. Mali is now banned from powers that be. taking part in any AU proceedings “until A casual glance at some of our Pan- normal constitutional order has been African bodies provides a who’s who of restored in the country”. the archetypes you’d expect of the Class Home-schooling it is, then? of ‘21. The dimwitted thug who stayed back a year just so that he could carry on Too cruel for school stealing the smaller kids’ lunch/natural Meanwhile, politics have given way resources. The Queen Bee who wouldn’t to a full-on shouting match on the dream of inviting the opposition to playground between the Central African join the ‘You can’t sit with us table’. The Republic and Chad, after an attack on an cheerleaders who keep trying to make outpost in Sourou in Chad, in which six “fetch teargas” happen. And the power- soldiers were killed. crazy prefects who like to take the school Chad accused the CAR of being rebels out behind the bicycle shed for a behind the attack, branding it a “war spot of physical re-education. crime” which “cannot go unpunished”. No such rendezvous awaits Mali, alas, But the CAR insists its soldiers had which has managed to get itself properly been pursuing a rebel group and were met suspended – not just from ECOWAS but by an exchange of fire at the border. So from the whole African Union, which it’s all gone a bit “he said/she said”, and somehow managed to realise two coups delegations from both countries have met The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 28 and called for international arbitration. countries in detention (for years, in some At least they’re asking the prefects to cases), real crises are continuing across get involved, unlike others who think the continent. they run the whole school: last week, Not least among these is the ongoing police in Zimbabwe arrested New York conflict in northern Mozambique. Times freelance reporter Jeffrey Moyo, Leaders from the regional Southern accusing him of violating immigration African Development Community held laws while he obtained accreditation for a summit last week where it was hoped two of his colleagues. that some solution or plan would be Magistrate Rachel Mukanga ruled that devised to address the Cabo Delgado he was a “threat to national security” and conflict there. But it proved to be little denied him bail. We’ve heard of inmates more than a debating society event: all running the asylum, but this is more a they managed to agree on was the need case of the bullies calling the shots in for another summit. detention. Amar Hussein had a big Umbrage is in fashion old go at Ms Sichwale over One of the lingering legacies of colonial her yellow top and black schooling is the narrow-minded preoccupation with dress codes, trousers ... Even Hogwarts including in Tanzania, where MP wasn’t that bad, and they Condester Sichwale was asked to leave had Delores Umbridge. parliament because of her outfit. Another parliamentarian, Hussein Meanwhile, according to the Institute Amar, seems to have appointed himself of Migration, an estimated 64,705 people head of uniform police. He had a big old have now been displaced from the go at Ms Sichwale over her yellow top and regional capital, Palma, following the black trousers, questioning what kind of 24 March attack. And more than 40% of example it sets for society. those affected are children. He persuaded the speaker of Real children, who deserve to be in a parliament to instruct the lawmaker to go real school, learning about the world. Not home and get changed, thus continuing being driven from it. ■ the long misogynistic tradition of men in authority policing women’s bodies, their clothing and their choices. Even Hogwarts wasn’t that bad, and they had Samira Sawlani is a journalist and analyst Delores Umbridge. with a focus on East Africa. She holds an MA in international studies and diplomacy While our leaders swing between from the School of Oriental and African being unruly pupils in the playground Studies, and previously worked in the and tyrannical teachers who put entire humanitarian aid sector. The Continent | issue 48. june 5 2021 29

THE BIG PICTURE

Power polls: Women queue to vote in Somaliland’s elections at a polling station in Gabiley. More than a million voters were called to the polls on Monday in the self-proclaimed republic of Somaliland for legislative and local elections, in which the authorities intend to demonstrate their ability to organise democratic and peaceful elections in the Horn of Africa. Photo: Mustafa Saeed/AFP

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