Estimates of Zimbabwe's rate of inflation now have it pegged at 11 million percent (and, almost inevitably, rising). Those sorts of numbers are nearoly impossible to fathom, and can be attributed in large part to the country's political stalemate, to Robert Mugabe's cynical economic and political policies, and to the instability concomitant with Mugabe's reign.
My latest op-ed is available here. I am especially pleased with this one because The Zimbabwean represents the ultimate example of speaking truth against evil. It is an expat newspaper based in London, but which publishes in South Africa, where most of its print readership is based. My cynicism comes to the fore quite clearly, […]
A seemingly ubiquitous crime in South Africa in recent months has been the bombing and looting of ATM machines, especially, but not exclusively, in urban areas, particularly in Gauteng. The professionalization of this crime, and its recent profusion caused the Democratic Alliance to call for a probe of ATM bombings last month. Perhaps the DA's […]
The Tri-Nations tournament resumes this weekend at Cape Town's Newlands Stadium. The Springboks will clash against the All Blacks in a game both sides will desperately want to win to keep their hopes alive of emerging as the winners of the annual clash of the giants of Southern hemisphere rugby. The home-field advantage will serve […]
The Zimbabwean negotiations continue to provide a constant source of suspense and drama. The recent reports that Mugabe had brokered a deal excluding Morgan Tsvangirai from a new unity government appear to have been the result of confusion (or perhaps represented a trial balloon that lost air quickly upon release). The talks continued through last […]
The international community might not be thrilled with the recent coup in Mauritania, but the country's parliament has given the new military junta its overwhelming support and has asked the rest of the world to recognize the country's new direction. The fact that the military resorted to a coup is still disquieting, but perhaps this […]
Nigeria and Cameroon have come to an agreement in which Nigeria will cede to the former the possibly oil-rich (and long disputed) Bakassi peninsula. Nigeria is not exactly acting merely out of largesse. The international community has engaged in more than its share or arm twisting over the Bakassi dispute, and Nigeria appears to be […]
At The New Republic Richard Just has a long and important review essay on the Darfur crisis. He uses ten books to explore western inaction in the face of what he argues might be the most well-covered ongoing genocide in history. The West is not alone in its inaction, of course. African leaders could have […]
So much for optimism. In a move that embodies the man's hubris, Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party has negotiated a deal with the Movement for Democratic Change. The catch is that he brokered the agreement not with Morgan Tsvangirai's wing of the MDC, which represents the vast majority of the party (and thus at minimum […]
In The Star, Mosibudi Mangene wonders about the state of South Africa's democracy, with Zimbabwe as the looming warning post. The Zimbabwe analogy is, I suppose, a logical one (just as those who wanted to make sense of the Zimbabwe election fiasco looked to Kenya, and those wanting to understand Kenya looked elsewhere as well). […]
An optimistic narrative seems to have taken over the commentary and reporting on Zimbabwe. The Wall Street Journal, for example, trumpets how Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai, and the other participants in the ongoing talks are close to a power-sharing agreement. Some of the hardened cynics writing at The Mail & Guardian have even dared to […]
Is the longstanding animosity between hostile neighbors Ethiopia and Eritrea about to flare again? The Council on Foreign relations fears as much.
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