On August 5, 2017, the people of Rwanda awoke to hear the much anticipated news that President Paul Kagame, the only head of state Rwandans have known this century, won his reelection bid to serve his third consecutive term. Early polls reported by the Associated Press suggested that President Kagame obtained nearly 99 percent of…
Despite the many ethnic tensions and high levels of unemployment that continue to plague many African nations, the continent is now being referred to as the “world’s most exciting economic frontier.” Africa is experiencing record economic growth rates, surpassing the vast majority of developed economies. Although there are many underlying factors behind the growth, most notably…
Ethiopia has long been considered a model for other African nations. The country’s unique style of federalism has up until now been successful at keeping ethnic tensions from dividing the nation, and this is in large part due to Ethiopia’s robust constitution. However, ongoing tensions between the federal government in Addis Ababa and the…
Kenya’s growing technological pursuits have coincided with a surge in entrepreneurial endeavors, particularly, among the country’s innovative youth. Tesh Mbaabu is a young Kenyan tech entrepreneur, having started several successful companies almost immediately after completing his degree in Computer Science from the University of Nairobi in 2015. Notably, Mbaabu’s ventures into the technological sphere commenced prior to earning his degree; having started Tesh Technologies Limited,…
As the most influential Silicon Valley company in the world, the footprint of tech giant Google in Africa has been mostly limited to branding its consumer products and financing humanitarian projects. However, things are starting to change in 2017, with Google paying more attention to the nascent tech startup scene and the potential of funding…
It has been two years since beloved Zimbabwean lion Cecil was tragically killed by an American dentist. The killing brought a viral wave of anger against the dentist and also shined a light on the troubling and growing trend of trophy hunting. Sadly, Cecil is in the news again after a similar death for his son, six-year-old…
The fake news epidemic that sought to destabilize the democratic electoral process in the United States and France in recent months has reached Kenya and South Africa. According to a BBC report published in late July, a fraudulent video made to resemble Focus on Africa, a regular segment of the BBC World News television program, was…
The Nigerian government made what could be a huge step forward in the continued growth of its democracy recently by passing the ‘not too young to run bill.’ After being passed by the Nigerian Senate on July 26, 2017, the bill then narrowly passed in the Nigerian House of Representatives on July 28. As a…
After less than two scandalous weeks on the job, the Communications Director handpicked by besieged United States President Donald Trump has been abruptly removed from his post. Anthony Scaramucci, a billionaire Wall Street investment banker, raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill as a profane and outspoken man who loved the spotlight and boasted of his brash…
The violent and untimely death of Chris Msando, Director of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ICT Department, has sent shockwaves throughout Kenya and around the world. With the upcoming elections, Kenyan citizens are still coming to grips with what yet another death means for the fragile state of politics in the country. Msando was reported…
This Friday will mark the 29th year of World AIDS Day. This global health day is “an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness,” according to the World AIDS Day site. HIV…
The hashtag #MeToo has been trending globally following reports of sexual harassment occurring mainly against female celebrities by prominent men in Hollywood. The hashtag has brought to light the prevalence of sexual harassment not only in the entertainment industry, but also in everyday situations experienced by women from all over the world. In Africa,…
Both Bruno Mars and Cardi B have already had big years with a lot of important award wins and records set. At the 2017 Soul Train Awards, they added more feathers to their caps. The ceremony aired Sunday on BET and BET HER and was hosted by Erykah Badu. Throughout the night, Badu had a…
It was a historic Miss Universe competition Sunday evening as 92 contestants from points across the globe all vied for the prestigious crown. First ever representatives came from the countries of Cambodia, Laos and Nepal, and this year’s edition featured the largest number of entrants seeking the Miss Universe title. In the end, 22-year-old Demi-Leigh…
