Pambazuka Blog Review – July 9, 2009

Up Station Mountain Club links to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald about the purchase by rich countries of huge swathes of farmland in Africa:

“The acquisiton of farmland from the world's poor by rich countries and international corporations is accelerating at an alarming rate, with an area half the size of Europe's farmland targeted in the past six months, say reports from United Nations officials and agriculture experts… at least 30 million hectares is being acquired to grow food for countries such as China and the Gulf states, who cannot produce enough for their populations.

The UN says the trend is accelerating and could severely impair the ability of poor countries to feed themselves...

Some of the largest deals include South Korea's acquisition of 700,000 hectares in Sudan, and Saudi Arabia's purchase of 500,000 hectares in Tanzania.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo expects to shortly conclude an 8 million-hectare deal with a group of South African businesses.”

Koye-Ladele Mogbekeloluwa explains why Ghana and not Nigeria will be President Obama’s first stop in Africa:

“According to Obama, part of the reason why he is visiting Ghana first of all is that Ghana has conducted peaceful elections and seen peaceful power transitions in recent times. Remember that their last election generated quite close results, but the transition was still relatively uneventful. He also says that President Mills (the new president of Ghana) has shown himself committed to the rule of law, and to the kinds of democratic commitments that ensure stability in a country. He postulates that there is a strong correlation between governance and prosperity. In other words, countries that are well governed are prosperous! Ghana is well governed, that translates into prosperity.

Did I hear someone say Nigeria IS the giant of Africa?

Someone might argue that Ghana has a smaller population (23,382,848 people as at 2008) than Nigeria, and that we cannot model our political system after theirs. I contend that principles hold everywhere; the political system is no exception. If you plant beans in Nigeria, and you plant beans in Europe – you still get beans; not apples. Ghana might be smaller, but they are currently following principles that are guaranteed to make them into a developed country quite soon; and at the present rate – way before Nigeria. However, that will only continue if we refuse to take our places, and do our thing.”

Saharan Vibe showcases and writes about the origins of the Busuuti/Gomesi, the official dress for women in Buganda:

“The busuuti/gomesi is very elaborate, with a square neck adorned with two buttons, pointy sleeves, full skirt, and a huge sash. There are many historical contradictions about the origin of the busuuti/gomesi. Contemporary history indicates that the it was originally made for Gayaza schoolgirls in around 1940s and 50s. Their first school uniform was a cotton sheet, which they wrapped around their breasts and tied to the waist with a strip of cloth. But the uniform often slipped off whenever the girls bent down to dig. Their missionary tutors thought it was indecent for a woman to expose her breasts. So, they had an Indian tailor sew out the busuuti/gomesi. Two decades later, the gomesi became a popular outfit at all traditional functions for the Baganda and later the Basoga, Iteso, Alur and Japadhola.
But some people, especially the Baganda, dispute this version of history and say the busuuti/gomesi existed long before the coming of the missionaries and that missionaries only improved the existing design made from bark cloth and changed the name to claim the discovery.”

Zambian Economist supports the proliferation of new political parties in Zambia, which have been criticized by many:
“Dr Ludgwig Sondashi has formed another political party after leaving MMD called Forum for Democratic Alternatives (FDA)...Dr Sondashi's announcement comes hot off the heels of another recently formed par.ty by Fred Mutesa (Head of Development Studies, UNZA), the Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) party... Also let us not forget the recently formed Leftist Progressive Party, but now appears to have collapsed as its leader has joined the new FDA party.
I find this all very interesting and probably The Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) disagrees and have appealed to the National Constitution Commission (NCC) 'to adopt a clause in the draft Constitution that would allow a political party to havvery healthy for democracy. e more than one thousand members before it could be registered...'
I have a natural preference for laws that alter behavior in a positive way without reducing the choices of others. People should always be free to congregate as they wish and form as many parties as they like as long as tax payers don't have to foot the bill for their activities.”

Innocent Chia interviews Cameroonian blogger Dibussi Tande, who talks among other things about new book, the impact of the Internet on press freedom in authoritarian societies, among other issues:

First of all, I think that the traditional media is still in chains in repressed societies, and the Internet has not really helped that much apart from being able to quickly publicize cases of press censorship and harassment or persecution of journalists. One simply has to look at the Reporters Without Borders’ 2009 Press Freedom Barometer to understand what I am talking about; 26 journalists killed, 167 journalists, etc.

The Internet’s main advantage is that it has been able to give unfettered freedom to those who operate outside traditional media, particularly bloggers, who are not restrained by the shackles of the state’s repressive apparatus. As I write in the preface of “Scribbles from the Den”, all over Africa, regimes which once had absolute control over the flow of information are taking note of, and trying to adapt to, this new phenomenon.”

Scribbles from the Den publishes a reader commentary following President Paul Biya’s 33rd cabinet reschuffle in 27 years:

“Accepting a prime ministerial position in Cameroon is an exercise in anxiety, which may not be worth a bucket of warm spit. You live in perpetual fear of the inevitable and the palpitation is heightened because the end can be anytime and for no reason. Young people should do it for the adrenaline rush, the fun and adventures. But I don't know how somebody in his or her sixties and above would want to submerge his or her dignity under the psychedelic pleasures of the president.

Every few years, an old man goes through the tortured ritual of being sacked as PM as the president becomes bored, restless, paranoid or futuristic, depending on which mallam you ask. What actually goes on in the head of the new PM - the next day after his appointment, the spectacle of primitive exuberance by elites and villagers alike paying pilgrimage homage to the homes of the newly minted PM and others shaking anatomies at various stages of inebriation, thanking God for Biya, is a combination phenomenon for psychologists and anthropologists to study. You bring in a hypnotist if the PM thinks merit is necessary for staying power.”

* 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/