NEWS ANALYSIS

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea | AFP | In a country awash with oil, the poorest survive in shantytowns a stone’s throw from smart modern apartments and family homes supposedly built to help those most in need. The government of Equatorial Guinea had billed the rows of state-subsidised housing as never-to-be-missed home-owning opportunities for the poor. But …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  Over the course of his 66 years, Cyril Ramaphosa has experienced the poverty of Soweto, jail for fighting apartheid, trade union activism, fabulous wealth — and now elected leadership of his country. Ramaphosa, who became president last year through internal ANC politics, won a …

Berlin, Germany | AFP | Bayern Munich may have wrapped up a seventh successive Bundesliga title on Saturday, but their domestic dominance was severely tested in one of the most exciting German league campaigns in years. Perennial champions Bayern, who have romped to the title every season since 2013, finished just …

  Lilongwe, Malawi | AFP | Malawi votes on Tuesday in a presidential race that could test President Peter Mutharika’s hold on power. Here are the leading contenders: – The elderly president – President Peter Mutharika, 78, won the 2014 election — two years after his elder brother Bingu wa …

Washington, United States | AFP | The tough sanctions imposed on Huawei by President Donald Trump could deal a blow to the many US firms that make up the Chinese tech giant’s supply chain. American firms last year sold an estimated $11 billion worth of components to Huawei, which was put …

ADF offshoots have been reported in Mozambique | STIG JARLE HANSEN | In April the Islamic State (ISIS), took responsibility for an attack on an army base in the troubled Beni region of North Kivu province, eastern Congo, close to the border with Uganda. The Islamic state credited this and …

Will government enterprises that failed under the 1990s inefficiency fare any better with current corruption? Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | When Uganda’s newly acquired two Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft arrived in the country on April 23, there was excitement. ‘Historic occasion,’ proclaimed the newspapers. Amidst the excitement, however, was some …

Return of Public Service seen as chaos after fake calm Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | Jennifer Musisi, the former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director hired on a `know-who’ basis. “To hire you, she needed to trust you,” is a common assessment of the recruitment process during her …

Bobi Wine and Besigye: Who gains, loses in partnership?  Kampala, Uganda | HAGGAI MATSIKO | Did the May 6 agreement between Bobi Wine and Kizza Besigye to “partner” against President Yoweri Museveni weaken the People Power leader? Did it strengthen a sinking Besigye? Besigye, representing the People’s Government, and Robert …

  Khartoum, Sudan | AFP | Talks between Sudan’s military council and protesters are set to resume, army rulers said Saturday, as hundreds of supporters of Islamic movements rallied for the inclusion of sharia in the country’s political roadmap. The ruling military council announced that “negotiations with the Alliance for Freedom …