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Behind the News

Behind the News: All the backstories to our major news this week

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Over the past week, there were lots of important stories from around the African continent, and we served you some of the most topical ones.

Here is a rundown of the backstories to some of the biggest news in Africa that we covered during the week:

1. Karma strikes as Nigerian govt gets jittery over looming nationwide strike

The Nigerian Presidency has been all over the place issuing warnings against a planned nationwide protest scheduled to commence on August 1st.

The Presidency which issued the warning vis a statement by Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the protest tagged “EndBadGovernment” organised by concerned citizens, said it could degenerate into anarchy.

The Presidential spokesman went on to accuse opposition politicians like Peter Obi, Omoleye Sowore, Pat Utomi and supporters of Obi known as Obidients as being behind the planned protests.

“Peter Obi, FS Yusuf, another rabid Obi supporter, and Professor Pat Utomi, a Labour Party chieftain and a guy on X who goes by the pseudonym Peter Obi’s First Son” are behind the planned protests,” Onanuga had alleged.

Onanuga who acknowledged that it is the right of people to protest in a democracy, he however cautioned those behind it to should be careful so that it will not be hijacked by people who would use the opportunity to cause problems.

“My post is just to highlight that the people who are organizing this so-called nationwide protest are members of Labour party, they are Peter Obi supporters, so that’s my own take of it, it’s my own opinion so I am not going to say more than this,” he said.

But beyond running from pillar to post issuing warnings and accusing others of planning to destabilize Tinubu’s administration, Nigerian are quick to remind Onanuga and the Presidency that the hen has come home to roost.

In the tumultuous years of the Peoples Democratic Party’s regime, the likes of Onanuga, Tinubu, Buhari and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress which was in the opposition used protests to discredit the PDP at every given opportunity.

They were always quick to mobilize Nigerians to hit the streets and protest against the government all in a bid to take over power.

It is then a thing of surprise that they should be so vehemently opposed to protests when it was on the back of such actions that they rode into power.

Now Karma has come around in full circle, and it is left to be seen if the ruling party can stop Nigerians from expressing themselves and exercising their democratic rights.

2. Cunning Tinubu prevails over labour leaders on minimum wage

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu showed his masterful cunning ways when he practically coerced labour leaders to accept a paltry N70,000 (about $43) as the new national minimum wage after months of lingering negotiations between government and organised labour.

The agreement which was reached on Thursday, according to the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, was more of an intimidation and coercion rather than a mutually agreed decision.

The N70,000, up from the previous N30,000, was approved by Tinubu after months of back and forth with labour which included strike actions and several threats of nationwide protests and economic shutdown.

His Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who announced the agreement, said the President was magnanimous enough to approve the new minimum wage which is a far cry from labours’ demands of N250,000.

In an interview with journalists, Ajaero revealed that the labour leaders were forced to settle for the amount after Tinubu had threatened to increase fuel price if labour insisted on their N250,000 demand.

Those who know President Tinubu at close range are quick to point out that he has a way of using the carrot and stick approach to solve knotty issues and is wont to play dirty whenever he is in a right position.

It is then glaring that he also applied the same tactics when he threatened the labour leaders with a fuel price hike if the failed to accept his N70,000 minimum wage proposal.

And once again, he came out tops!

3. Sudan devastated by unending war as over 10m people displaced

The unending war in Sudan has led to the displacement of more than 10 million people, about 20 per cent of the country’s population, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The situation, according to the UN agency, has forced the affected people out of their homes since the conflict which is seen as one of the world’s worst displacement crisis.

The IOM, in a statement during the week, said the Sudanese crisis is the most recent alarming estimate from the nation in East Africa, which has been destroyed by fighting that started in April 2023, which has led to a majority of the 50 million people in the country in need of humanitarian help while half of them are experiencing starvation as a result of the war.

The Sudanese war which broke out last year When fighting broke out between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital city of Khartoum, has spread to the west throughout Darfur, with the RSF seizing control of most of the major cities.

“Since the start of the conflict, over 2.2 million people have fled to foreign nations and about 7.8 million have sought safety within the nation. Previous conflicts in the country have already resulted in the displacement of an additional 2.8 million people,” a bimonthly report from the IOM stated.

The situation in Sudan, though pathetic and avoidable, has once again highlighted the precarious state of African nations and its people whenever power mongering leaders decide to take on each other which is always to the detriment of the masses.

The Sudan war, like others in Africa, has led to mass killings of citizens as well as the destruction of public properties.

And in such wars and conflicts, one is forced to ask what the warring factions really want aside control of power and resources. So why kill the innocent citizens in the process?

4. More confusion as Zambian MPs walk out of parliament during proceedings

The political crisis rocking Zambia took another turn during the week when opposition Members of Parliament from the Patriotic Front and allied members staged a walkout during proceedings.

The aggrieved MPs decided to take the option citing inadequate debate time allocated by Deputy Parliamentary Speaker, Atractor Chisangano.

The dispute was ignited when Chisangano allegedly failed to grant sufficient time for discussing corruption allegations implicating senior government officials which the MPs felt was an attempt to shield indicted government officials.

MP Brian Mundubile, who led the walkout expressed frustration, emphasizing that crucial issues like corruption deserved more attention.

“The Speaker was expected to allocate at least an hour to debate these unprecedented corruption allegations against high-ranking officials. It’s unacceptable that such serious matters are sidelined,” Mundubile lamented.

He highlighted the concerns of the opposition MPs over a reported theft of medical kits and medicines, while calling for accountability and swift action against implicated government figures.

“Ministers and senior officials facing serious allegations should either be dismissed, resign, or face legal consequences.

“Theft of medical kits and medicines should not go unpunished. It’s imperative that those implicated in are held accountable through appropriate legal measures,” Mundubile said.

The celebrated ‘Medicine Gate’ currently rocking the country’s health sector has seen several key government officials accused of stealing medical equipment and kits meant for government hospitals but according to opposition figures, the culprits, some of whom are believed to be high ranking members of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) administration, are being protected instead of being prosecuted.

The walkout was also a show of displeasure by the lawmakers who felt the Speaker deliberately stunted their debate by allocating limited time for the scandal to be addressed.

5. Ghanaian actor stokes controversy with assertion that Jesus never performed miracles

In a continent where religion is seen as the opium of the people, veteran Ghanaian actor, Majid Michel, has raised a storm with many say is heresy following his comments that Jesus Christ did not perform miracles such as raising the dead or healing the sick during his earthly ministry.

The actor who is now a preacher of the gospel, stoked the embers of fire when he told a congregation during a sermo about Christianity that said contrary to widely held beliefs, Jesus Christ neither personally healed any sick person nor raised the dead, despite these acts being credited to him in biblical teachings.

“Do you know Jesus never healed the sick nor raised the dead? Jesus never let the blind see.

“Do you know what Jesus said? ‘I do nothing by myself. As I see the Father do, I do.’ In other words, I am Jesus, I have a will, but I will not use my will; only the will of my Father I came to do,” he said.

“If the devil had gotten Jesus to turn that stone to bread without asking his Father’s permission, he had gotten him to sin and that is what you call sin—separation from God, independence from God,” the award winning actor added.

Michel’s controversial sermon has continued to divide opinions from adherents of the Christian religion but typically, especially from Africans who have come to believe everything they read in religious books and sees any contrary opinion as an affront to their beliefs.

As offhand as Michel’s assertion may seem, it is also imperative to interrogate his claims especially when one considers another angle he put up in his argument.

“When you throw your own plans and make your own decisions without consulting the Father, you have sinned,” he had also stated.y

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Behind the News

Behind the News: All the backstories to our major news this week

Published

on

Over the past week, many important stories from around the African continent were published, and we served you some of the most topical ones.

Here is a rundown of the backstories to some of the biggest news in Africa that we covered during the week:

Another look at Africa’s debt crisis

Conversations around Africa’s public debt were on the table during the week as Achim Steiner, administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, stated on Monday that the world’s poorest countries were unable to meet sustainable development targets because they had to prioritise debt payments over investments.

Addressing a gathering in Hamburg, Steiner asserted that the world financial crisis was impeding countries’ ability to accomplish the objectives, which include eradicating hunger and poverty, increasing access to healthcare and education, providing sustainable energy, and protecting biodiversity.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic’s pervasive effects on economies, the majority of the continent’s nations have suffered with both internal and international debt; yet, few have achieved much in the fight for debt restructuring under the G20 framework.

Numerous African nations, including Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, and others, are struggling with significant foreign debt. Together with Zambia and Ghana, Ethiopia will be a part of a thorough restructuring known as the “Common Framework.”

At the opening ceremony of the annual African Union summit in Ethiopia last year, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made the case for changes to the international financial system’s structure to better meet the requirements of developing nations.

Africa’s whole external governmental debt as of 2021 was 726.55 billion USD. The amount of foreign public debt increased from 696.69 billion dollars in comparison to the previous year.

Concerns are being raised by the rising debt levels in Africa, which could not only hinder economic growth but also make repayment nearly difficult for many of these nations. This begs an important question: When does debt stop being beneficial and instead start to negatively impact a nation’s economic performance?

Kenya remains committed to Haiti, but what does it stand to gain?

Kenya will support an international anti-gang effort in Haiti next month by dispatching an additional 600 police officers there. Haiti’s prime minister was in Kenya to expedite the deployment of the military.

At least eleven countries have pledged to send more than 2,900 soldiers to participate in the Multinational Security Support (MSS), led by Kenya.
Kenya, whose participation in international peacekeeping missions is longstanding, declared earlier this year that it would be deploying 1,000 police personnel, citing as a starting point its assistance to a bordering country.

Approximately 600,000 individuals have been internally displaced due to gang conflict, and hundreds of thousands of aspiring migrants have been deported back to Haiti, where approximately 5 million people are facing extreme famine. October marks the end of the mission’s first 12-month term. As gang violence worsened in 2022, Haiti turned for the first time to foreign assistance.

Nevertheless, it failed to identify a leader prepared to assume the helm and numerous foreign governments were reluctant to back the unelected administration in the desperately poor nation.

Kenya gains significant political value by sending its troops to Haiti on the international scene. Kenya has gained international recognition as a trustworthy ally that is eager to assist other nations. The mission opens up various opportunities. Prior to deployment, Kenyan law enforcement forces will receive specialist training and equipment. In the long term, this will increase the force’s capacity. Of course, there are monetary rewards as the participating nations receive allocations of resources. Because troops will receive additional pay, officers are very interested in being deployed overseas.

Cameroon: ‘Healthy’ Biya remains out of sight

Cameroon’s president, Paul Biya can now be likened to the proverbial cat with nine lives as the 91-year-old has remained “healthy” following latest reports of his death during the week. Rumours have been circulating about Cameroonian President Paul Biya’s possible death in a military hospital in France due to his extended absence. This rumour stems from Biya’s prolonged absence following the September China-Africa Summit when he was anticipated to head back to Cameroon almost away.

As of November 6, 1982, Biya, who is 91 years old, has been in office for 42 years. He is the oldest head of state in Africa, the longest-lasting non-royal national leader worldwide, and the second-longest serving president overall. According to rumours, Biya’s oldest son Franck Emmanuel Biya may be named as his replacement for “continuity” in France.

Since its political independence from France and Britain in the early 1960s, Cameroon has only had two presidents. The country is currently dealing with two serious crises: a deadly Boko Haram insurgency in the north and a separatist conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.

President Biya is one of several long-serving African leaders, including Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, who has been in office since 1982, and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame is also gradually evolving into the group.

Things get tougher for embattled Kenyan Deputy President

During the week, the deputy president of Kenya was impeached by the National Assembly due to charges of corruption and abuse of power. In a vote held Tuesday night, lawmakers decisively decided to remove Rigathi Gachagua from office. The Senate will now decide what will happen to the deputy president.

Parliament adopted a proposal to remove Kenya’s deputy president from office, and on Wednesday, the matter was brought to the Senate for consideration. The National Assembly heard a nearly ninety-minute defence of troubled deputy president Rigathi Gachagua and his allies prior to the vote.

A surge of protests targeting President Ruto’s government has been occurring in Kenya over the last four months due to accusations of corruption made by certain lawmakers and government officials. High taxation and the parliament’s purported inability to act independently of the president were other issues that Kenyans objected to. Gachagua refutes the accusations made by certain lawmakers, who claim that the deputy president assisted in planning rallies against the government.

He supported Ruto in his election victory in 2022 and assisted in obtaining a sizable portion of the vote from the populated central Kenya region. Gachagua, however, has mentioned feeling marginalised in recent months, despite extensive claims in the local media that he and Ruto have strained political ties.

After widespread protests over unpopular tax increases in June and July that claimed more than 50 lives, Ruto sacked the majority of his cabinet and appointed members of the main opposition.

Gachagua infuriated many in Ruto’s coalition by comparing the government to a business and implying that people who supported the coalition had first claim to development projects and jobs in the public sector. Ruto has not yet publicly commented on the impeachment proceedings.

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Behind the News

Behind the News: All the backstories to our major news this week

Published

on

Over the past week, many important stories from around the African continent have been published, and we have served you some of the most topical ones.

Here is a rundown of the backstories of some of the biggest news in Africa that we covered during the week:

Musings on CBN rates across Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa

During the week, many African countries announced monetary policy decisions. The Central Bank of Nigeria decided unanimously on Tuesday to raise its benchmark interest rate by an additional 50 basis points, to a new record high of 27.25%. This is the sixth hike in a row this year. The decision was made in an effort to reduce inflation, strengthen the naira, and draw in capital. Governor Olayemi Cardoso reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to controlling inflation and underlined how several rate hikes have contributed to its moderation.

Nigeria’s West Africa neighbour followed suit on Friday as the Bank of Ghana reduced its benchmark monetary policy rate by 200 points to 27% at a normal meeting. With inflation having slowed and disinflationary pressures mounting, this is the first decline in eight months and the steepest since March 2018. August 2024 saw a fifth consecutive month of decline in Ghana’s annual consumer inflation, which was still much higher than the central bank’s medium-term target range of 6% to 10%. The country’s annual inflation rate dropped to a nearly two-and-a-half-year low of 20.4% from 20.9% in July.

A week prior, as anticipated, the South African Reserve Bank decreased its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 8% after holding seven consecutive meetings at a 15-year high of 8.25%. As price pressures decreased, the SARB is loosening policy for the first time since the epidemic in 2020

As monetary varying shifts across the continent continue, African nations are still facing numerous severe shocks and significant structural challenges, such as rising food and energy prices brought on by geopolitical tensions like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, climate issues that impact agriculture and energy production, and ongoing political instability.

Africa’s real GDP growth slowed to 3.1% in 2023 from 4.1% in 2022 as a result of this difficult climate. With growth predicted to reach 3.7% in 2024 and 4.3% in 2025, the economic picture is projected to improve going ahead, underscoring the resilience of African countries.

Zambia and its post-drought plans

Zambia’s finance minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane stated on Friday that the nation intends to quickly recover from its worst drought in living memory and cut its budget deficit in half the following year.

The minister stated in a budget address that the copper producer hopes for a 6.6% growth in 2025, as opposed to a projected 2.3% increase in 2024. The country is aiming for a speedy recovery. as the government crop assessment data shows that over nine million people are affected in 84 of the 117 districts after suffering through the driest farming season in over forty years, which has led to considerable crop losses, an increase in livestock deaths, and worsening poverty,

Real GDP increased gradually between 2022 and 2023, from 5.2% to 5.8%. The supply side was driven by mining and quarrying, wholesale and retail commerce, and agriculture; the demand side was driven by consumer and business spending. Food prices, transit expenses, and the nominal exchange rate are the key drivers of inflation, which is expected to remain elevated and reach 11.0% and 10.9% at the end of 2022 and 2023, respectively.

The economic challenges faced by Zambia are exacerbated by the drought, especially when considering its debt load. Its debt restructuring talks under the G20 Common Framework have progressed far more slowly than was originally anticipated when the Common Framework was first proposed.

In 2017, Zambia was placed under debt distress, and as a result, non-concessional lending from multilateral development banks was discontinued. It’s possible that by overestimating sovereign risks, the main credit rating firms exacerbated the debt crisis and dealing with a post-drought crisis might just be another “too high hurdle”

As the World Bank and Uganda LGBTQ saga continues

The World Bank is taking more action in support of Uganda’s LGBTQ community. The global lender announced on Wednesday that it is implementing steps to guarantee that lenders to Uganda are not subjected to discrimination due to a severe anti-gay law. According to a World Bank representative, both new and continuing projects would be subject to the procedures, which also include an impartial monitoring system to guarantee compliance.

Same-sex partnerships are forbidden and punishable by life in prison; similarly, anyone convicted of “aggravated homosexuality” faces the death penalty. The Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) was passed by Uganda, a largely conservative nation, in May of last year and it has led to considerable Western censure and US penalties.

Other than Uganda, several African nations have strict laws that discriminate against individuals who identify as LGBTQ. Hakainde Hichilema, the president of Zambia, issued a warning in March to supporters of the LGBTQ movement to stop endorsing homosexuality. He also asked that Zambia “maintain laws that abhor alien orientations like gayism and lesbianism.”

South Africa, which has a constitution that forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation, was the first and only African nation to legalise same-sex marriage in 2006. Some African nations, such as Angola, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius, and Seychelles, have laws that are favourable to the continent’s population but Uganda appears to be unbothered or tempted despite the many causes and costs of its anti-gay stand.

Ahead of Tunisia’s presidential election

During the week, another Tunisian presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment for using “fraudulent certificates” as opposition voices in the North African country continue on attack as President Saied positions himself for what is likely to be a reelection, as all but one of the opposition candidates are either incarcerated or have had their eligibility ruled invalid by the Tunisian electoral commission.

On September 19, a third candidate who had received the election commission’s approval was sentenced to 20 months in prison. Saied, who is currently running for reelection for a second five-year term, was originally elected in 2019 as an anti-establishment candidate who pledged to combat poverty and eradicate corruption. However, in 2021 he declared that he would rule by decree after overthrowing Mohamed Ennaceur and the elected parliament, a move denounced as a coup by the opposition and the international community.

Additionally, he has deployed more oppressive strategies, which may indicate that he is not confident in his ability to win with conviction. His severe actions could indicate a new stage in Tunisia’s democratic backsliding and foreshadow more crackdowns and turmoil during an inevitable second term.

Meanwhile, concerns exist over potential voting turnout as well. Under Saied, Tunisia has conducted three elections, with dismal voter turnout in each. Less than one-third of voters cast ballots in favour of a new constitution that solidified Saied’s power and overthrew the 2014 charter in July 2022. After Saied dismissed the previous legislature in December 2022, only 11% of voters cast ballots for new members of parliament, which is among the lowest turnout percentages ever recorded in a national election worldwide. The next December, Saied called elections for a new second house of parliament, repeating this dubious performance.

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