The Continent With

African journalism. October 24 2020 ISSUE NO. 26 The Continent with Inside the illicit trade in West Africa’s oldest artworks (Photo: Lutz Mükke) The Continent ISSUE 26. October 24 2020 Page 2 THE ART THIEVES EDITION This week’s cover story reads like Inside: an action thriller. We travel from Abuja to Paris, from the Nok Valley Nigeria: The state strikes back to New Haven, on the trail of the – with live ammunition (p8, p10) underground dealers who are – Mozambique: The miracle baby quite literally – selling off Nigeria’s born on a boat (p11) history (p14). Then we meet the The virtual world of Fortnite Congolese man on a mission to systematically disadvantages reclaim stolen African artworks Africans (p26) from European museums – even if Kenya, coffee and organised he has to steal them back (p22). crime (p29) The unholy trinity: The self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri appeared in court in the South African capital Pretoria on Friday, along with his wife Ntlokwana and one other member of the Enlightened Christian Gathering church. The trio have been accused of money laundering, theft and fraud. Bushiri is reputed to be Africa’s richest religious figure, with an estimated net worth of $150-million. The Continent ISSUE 26. October 24 2020 Page 3 The Week in Numbers 100,000 236,0000 The number of 1.8-billion The number of people who may The number of trees newborns who died in have been exposed in West Africa’s sub-Saharan Africa in to lead poisoning in Sahel and Sahara 2019 due to household Kabwe, Zambia, due deserts. The count air pollution, according to their proximity to comes from a new to the State of Global Air an abandoned lead survey produced report. Over the past mine. This week, a by coupling detailed decade, a growing body class action lawsuit satellite imagery of scientific evidence was launched against with computer deep from multiple countries a subsidiary of learning techniques, has shown that women AngloAmerican, the which – for the who are chronically former mine owners, to first time – allowed exposed to particulate claim compensation. trees to be counted air pollution are more individually. The likely to have babies number is hundreds who are born too small of millions higher or too early. 1 than previous The number of Kenyan estimates. shillings – equivalent to less than 1 US 1,300 cent – awarded by a The number of court as compensation prisoners freed to Kenya’s former after an attack on Youth and Gender the Kangbayi Central Principal Secretary Prison in Beni in the Lillian Omollo, after eastern Democratic she was found to Republic of Congo. Only have been unfairly about 100 prisoners dismissed. The court Oasis: There are more remain behind bars. justified the paltry trees in the Sahel Authorities accused amount by pointing and Sahara deserts the Allied Democratic to the 33-million than had previously Forces, an Islamist shillings ($300,000) of been imagined. (Photo: militant group, of ‘unexplained wealth’ in Fadel Senna/AFP) carrying out that Omollo’s bank account. attack. 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 an award-winning 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 5 ISSUE 26. October 24 2020 News Guinea people have been killed, according to After the vote, the opposition. Route le Prince, a major thoroughfare that runs through Diallo’s a new cycle stronghold in Conakry, has become the scene of repeated clashes. of violence Gunfire echoes across the capital, and most people are staying at home until the begins violence passes. Businesses are shuttered. Diallo says that he is “sequestered” at his Sidy Yansané own house, under the watchful eye of state security. iven the tensions leading up to The Guinean diaspora, which is largely GSunday’s presidential vote in anti-government, is making its voice Guinea, its violent aftermath was perhaps heard abroad. Protesters gathered in front inevitable. of the Guinean embassies in Dakar, Paris On Monday, the post-election crisis and New York, while the one in London kicked off when opposition leader Cellou was ransacked. Diallo declared himself the winner with 53% of the vote, according to his own count. Although the Independent Opposition leader Cellou National Electoral Commission is the Diallo declared himself only body empowered to release results, the winner with 53% of the Diallo believes that it remains subservient vote ... according to his to the presidency of Alpha Condé, who is vying for a highly contentious third term. own count The electoral authorities issued a stern warning to Diallo, but opposition For both sides, the current strategy is supporters had already taken to the risky, said Guinean philosopher Amadou streets. The official results released so far Sadjo Barry. But in the absence of a show Condé in the lead. credible electoral commission, choices are Across the country, violence has limited. “For now, the solution on both broken out between the police and sides is limited to violent protests for one opposition supporters. At least 22 and state repression for the other.” ■ The Continent ISSUE 26. October 24 2020 Page 6 Zimbabwe Her experience is far from unique. Defiant “The past two years alone have been dramatic and very difficult for women women are human rights defenders and activists,” says Dewa, who serves as the executive jailed, raped director of the Women’s Academy For Leadership and Political Excellence. and tortured “We have witnessed the arbitrary arrests, torture, assault, abduction, Kudzai Mashininga sexual abuse and harassment of women leaders such as Rita Nyampinga, Farirai hikurubi is Zimbabwe’s most Gumbonzvanda, Noxolo Maphosa, Cnotorious prison. Its reputation is Nancy Njenge, Namatai Kwekweza, Joana well founded, says Sitabile Dewa. She Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecilia would know: she spent weeks there after Chimbiri by suspected state security being arrested in May last year on charges agents. The Covid-19 pandemic has also of attempting to overthrow President not made life easier for women as the Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government. government has taken advantage of the Dewa, a gender justice activist, says restrictions to clamp down on women more than 20 people are squeezed into a who dare challenge the abuses and state cell, sharing one toilet that does not flush. excesses.” There’s no running water. The diet is poor Kwekweza, 21, echoes Dewa’s and the prison clinic has no medicine, not even for mild ailments. There is no pre- and post-natal care for pregnant women or nursing mothers and their babies. “The place is not fit for human habitation,” she says. More than a year after Dewa was charged, the state dropped the case against her in August this year, citing a lack of evidence. But her ordeal did not end there. Ever since her arrest, she has Free-ish: A prisoner carries her been followed and unknown vehicles park belongings out of of Chikurubi Prison. outside her house. (Photo: Jekesai Njikizana/AFP) The Continent ISSUE 26. October 24 2020 Page 7 experience. She, too, is no stranger to the All are members of the Movement for inside of a jail cell, after being arrested for Democratic Change-Alliance, the official participating in protests against proposed opposition. constitutional amendments. Before the women could be booked, “I have been jailed twice before, and they were abducted from the police can say the cells at Harare Central are in station by unidentified armed men. They a dilapidated state. I speak for detained were beaten and sexually assaulted before women candidly by saying that they, being dumped on the side of the road the too, are people and have rights. Women next day. cannot be put in cold cells with flea- Instead of investigating their infested blankets, concrete bunk beds complaints – and despite their visible with no mattress, filthy toilets with no injuries – the police instead charged the toilet paper or sanitary pads and pad three women with fabricating allegations. disposal containers. Last month, Mamombe was detained “The worst part is that we were at Chikurubi prison on the orders of a all made to take off our shoes and I magistrate who said she must be locked remember vividly another woman from up pending a mental examination. On Mbare having to walk barefoot on a wet October 7, a judge ordered her release, floor during a cold July night to go to describing her detention as irrational. the toilet. These experiences are a form Njenge, the 22-year-old gender of torture and must never happen to secretary of the Zimbabwe National detained women.” Students Union, says she has been She says the state is using heavy- followed and harassed for months by handed methods to intimidate and punish unidentified men she believes are state young women. “Rape, physical assault and agents. She was arrested on September prisons have been weaponised against 14 for allegedly participating in an illegal young female activists for issues like gathering and tested positive for Covid-19 protesting [against] hunger, corruption, shortly after being released.

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