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…
Iomikoe Johnson was 25 when she noticed a small spot of white skin under her arm. She worried it might be skin cancer, but then she noticed patches of white popping up elsewhere on her body. Johnson has vitiligo, a condition that may eventually turn her skin completely white. Though the condition once had her…
At age 23, Suzanne Silantoi Lengewa of Nairobi is a recent Kenyatta University graduate who is working in her first job. She enjoys her work as a communications officer for the Centre for Behaviour Change Communications, but Lengewa has her sights set on her next job: she is hoping to win the seat of…
On Michelle Obama’s recent visit to Denver, the former first lady made an inspiring speech in front of an audience of 8,500. Though the speech itself was not recorded, the Denver Post reported that Obama’s speech contained poignant comments about her experiences as the first black woman in the Oval Office. Her message was largely…
Shortly after the United States government announced a fresh round of sanctions imposed against the Russian Federation, the Kremlin responded with an order to sharply reduce the breadth of American diplomatic presence in Moscow. According to a dispatch published by Russia Today, an online news publication funded by the Kremlin, the American Embassy has been…
A new film starring Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, and newcomer Tiffany Haddish is killing it at the box office and getting critical acclaim to boot. There haven’t been many R-rated comedies starring black female leads, in part because some in Hollywood believe that is not a path towards big financial wins. Girls…
At a time of social conflict and the marginalization of communities and their needs, it is more important than ever to focus on things that bring people together and to celebrate our roots and culture. Kwanzaa gives us all an opportunity to reflect on what is most important in our lives and to recognize traditions that…
While football federations in Europe and the Americas are yet to be convinced about FIFA’s implementation of goal line technology and video assistant referee (VAR) systems, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) plans to use both technologies in 2018 during the Total African Nations Championship. During a CAF meeting in Cairo, officials resolved to roll…
Spike Lee’s career took off with his 1986 film She’s Gotta Have It. The movie was Lee’s first feature-length film and he wrote, directed, and edited it, working with a very small budget. It was well-received by both audiences and critics. Thirty-odd years later, Lee has returned to the story that launched his career with…
Since 2000, American audiences have been captivated by the reality show Big Brother. Initially a remake of a Dutch show by the same name, the US version has also inspired spinoffs all around the globe. Soon, East Africa will have their own version of the show. Called God Father East Africa, the show is currently…
