Review of the African Blogosphere – May 28, 2009

New in Nairobi wonders whether endemic corruption is changing the relationship between the sexes in Kenya:

“Are men generally being equated with politicians, gangsters or conmen in a country that is losing faith in the former and struggling to deal with the latter?

I have heard that women are quicker now to abandon men who let them down, either by failing to hold down a job, drinking their wages, or just generally not measuring up to expectations. Women are happy to hook up and have children but if the men don't deliver, they are also ready to walk, presumably if their financial situation allows it. I wonder if this is a symptom of general disillusionment with the governing classes, traditionally dominated by men, now distilled into the home?

And if women are taking the lead in the home and showing less tolerance for men's foibles, is there room for a similar shift in politics?”

Edirisa outlines some strategies for preventing the spread of cervical cancer which is now killing one woman every two minutes in Uganda:

“Cervical cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in Uganda. At Mulago hospital 80% of women diagnose or referred with cervical cancer already have the disease in its latter- and far more life threatening- stage. Cervical cancer claims more than quarter of a million lives each year, mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin American, but how can a disease that is so treatable in its early stages be responsible for claiming so many lives?

With very high survival rates in the early stages it is very important that women take the necessary steps to either catch the disease fast or to prevent it in the first place...

Although you may consider it embarrassing to go for a cervical screening it’s important to remember that these are health care professionals and really there is no need for embarrassment.”

Rafiki Kenya writes about Kenya’s first Eco Cabs:

“I had never seen such a strange animal before. Apparently, it is one of the new Toyota Prius Eco Cabs. Eco Cabs is a new fleet of hybrid taxis in Nairobi that provide customers with high standard services and the option of driving green in style. Eco Cabs has been launched to showcase the concept of green transport and to inspire other businesses to make a meaningful transformation towards greener processes. Eco Cabs produce over 60% less emissions compared with other vehicles with the same engine size when driving within the city. The cabs are designed to symbolize the green concept: they are all painted green with a green leaf signifying how green the cabs are.

Ironically, the Eco-cab was parked at one of the petrol stations in Nairobi... what a nice contrast!”

OoTheNigerian makes a case for promoting Nigerian internet startup companies and sprucing the country’s tarnished online image in the process:

“Nigeria has some impressive startup companies on the internet but one thing you’ll notice is the absence of their identity on the ‘about page’. I am making a sure guess that they lack confidence in their Nigerian identity. I doubt having ‘Nigerian’ on your biography will give you more sales...

Nigerians and everyone interested in battling the scourge of internet fraud should help promote the few Nigerian Startups so that those who are seeking to make a way on the internet will see positive role models to look up to. For instance all Nigerian papers and blogs should encourage Sturvs and have ’sturv this’ alongside digg and co, Purchase books from BookNg, e.t.c…

The Federal Government (the first and only time I am calling them) should stop the politics with Nigeria’s TLD name .com.ng. and get the domain .ng working so we can have our identity online. we should not have to call our sites Interswitchng.com it should be interswitch.ng”

Agendia Aloysius sees no benefit in the presence of foreign military bases and troops in African countries:

“Some of these colonial troops arm rebels in different countries, push the rebels to rise against government, then they come in as mediators or peacekeeping forces…

These troops have brought no changes on the lives of the people, on the contrary, they have instilled fear, uncertainty...

Africa desperately needs leaders who will think about their people, not a colonial- relay type of leaders whose only wisdom is in stashing state funds in foreign banks and seeking protection of foreign troops to protect their interest in the country.

In my opinion, foreign troops should only be stationed on temporary basis where there is war and if the stationing of any such troops will aggravate the situation, then foreign troops should not even go there.”

Scribbles from the Den revisits the May 1990 launching of the opposition Social Democratic Front which served as the catalyst for the return of multipartyism in Cameroon:

“On May 26, 1990, a crowd estimated at about 20,000 by CRTV and about 80,000 by the SDF defied the over 2000 troops sent in to prevent the launching... when it was all over, six civilians were dead by gunshot wounds…

The launching of the SDF once again brought into focus the multiparty question in Cameroon...

The launching of the SDF forced the government’s hand on the issue of political pluralism in the country. As Jean-Jacques Ekindi rightly argued, “The deaths of Bamenda come to remind us of the urgency of the debate on multipartyism.”

Thanks to its stand-off with government and the sympathy generated by the Bamenda incidents, the SDF was able to successfully present itself as a credible alternative to the ruling CPDM. The party’s launching also mobilized political activists, particularly those in exile, who began thinking of creating other political parties.”

* Dibussi Tande, a writer and activist from Cameroon, produces the blog Scribbles from the Den

* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at www.pambazuka.org/