Sokari Ekine

Urgency is required at this very moment as the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 is pending before the Ugandan parliament. Same-sex relationships are already illegal in the country under sections 140, 141 and 143, with sentences running from five years to life imprisonment.

Following the hate campaign against LGBTIQ people in Uganda and Malawi, last week three men in Kenya were attacked by a group of youths.

Given the severity of the earthquake in Haiti and the criticisms of the delivery of humanitarian aid and massive deployment of US and UN troops in the country, it is disappointing that there has been so little commentary from African bloggers.

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As a blogger using the web as an agent of social change, I find the growth of mobile phone use in Africa offers an opportunity to look at the innovative ways this emerging technology is being used by grassroots groups and small and micro NGOs across the continent.

This is my last roundup of 2009 so I thought I would do something different and cover some of the arts and literature blogs from and on Africa. The blogs fall roughly into two categories – those which publish their own work; and those which review and report on the work of others.

The demand for the mineral coltan, 80 per cent of which is in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), continues to fuel the conflict in the DRC.

In keeping with this week’s special Bejing + 15 edition of Pambazuka News, The Entrepreneur from Cameroon argues for the need for a female candidate in the 2011 elections.

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The 5 October marked the UN World Habitat Day idea to reflect on our towns and cities and the right of all to adequate shelter.