The United Nations rural development arm is helping to improve agricultural programmes in West Africa’s Sahel region, especially in Niger, which is currently in the throes of a growing food crisis. Recurrent food shortages have impacted the Sahel, a narrow band south of the Sahara desert also including Burkina Faso, Chad, Eritrea, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan. The last severe drought in 2005 resulted in a famine that claimed 1 million lives and affected another 50 million people.

A reminder to the ANC that it needed to deepen democracy in society arrived at the ANC’s Polokwane conference, where one major gripe against President Mbeki was that he had failed to create “policy coherence” amongst the ANC and its alliance partners, let alone the broader society. Mbeki was criticised for insulating public policy through technocratic methods, and failing to build consensus in society beyond the so-called chattering classes. Whilst Mbeki’s vision for a post-colonial society that worked rested on making unpopular decisions, it was at least palpable.

It looks like a simple enough issue: whether a pocket of land in the middle of Sudan is part of the north or the south. But the Abyei question is key to lasting peace in the country. The last time the area’s residents were denied the right - enshrined in a 1972 peace accord - to make the choice themselves, the backlash helped push the country back into civil war.

Jairos Mukotosi, 50, is avoiding a team of consultants, sent as part of a parliamentary outreach programme to the Rushinga area of rural Mashonaland Central Province in northeastern Zimbabwe, to find out what people would like included in a proposed new constitution. But for the past two months the members of the youth militia aligned to President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party - have been warning villagers to either shut up or support ZANU-PF's view on the new constitution, which includes no limit on the number of presidential terms that can be served. They have dubbed their operation "Vhara Muromo", or Shut Your Mouth.

Responding to Edward Herman and David Peterson's critique of his review of their book, Gerald Caplan continues to challenge the notion that the Rwandan genocide never took place: 'Since the authors and I are never going to agree, the only point of continuing this exchange is not to change each other's minds but to persuade readers whose minds remain open.'

With Abahlali baseMjondolo's 'Kennedy 12' due to go to court this week, Lucy Bamforth summarises the background to the case, the accusations against the movement's members and the stalling of the trial.

The following statement was released by Abahlali baseMjondolo on Sunday 11 July in anticipation of the trial against its 'Kennedy 12' at Durban High Court, beginning Monday 12 July.

The following is a press statement from Abahlali baseMjondolo released on Monday 12 July. It details the movement's plans to attend Durban High Court in solidarity with the accused 'Kennedy 12'.

The following is a press statement from Abahlali baseMjondolo released on Monday 12 July and detailing the postponement of the trial.

With the United States Social Forum (USSF) concluding last month, Lucy Bamforth explores the range of discussions around the contemporary challenges facing the US's African-American community.

If a single hummingbird tries hard enough it has the power to put out a forest fire. As Alemayehu G. Mariam writes, Ethiopian citizens and opposition politicians – the hummingbirds – have become too complacent and uncoordinated to mobilise and end the current dictatorship in Ethiopia. Despite claims that only violence can end the authoritarian rule, Mariam points to the examples of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr and Nelson Mandela as cases where citizens have united for a cause to peacefully end suppression. He also points to periods of history where ‘hummingbirds’ have prevailed, only to take the same road as the ‘forest fire’ predecessors they’ve succeeded. Mariam calls for the need for a united Ethiopian political opposition and citizenry to bring an end to the current dictatorship.

Since its creation in 2002, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has worked to bring the perpetrators of some of the most serious crimes to justice. The ICC is currently working its way through five criminal cases in five countries, all African. Ronald Elly Wanda argues that the court’s system of trial and justice doesn’t fit in with traditional African legal systems based in culture, history and community. After years of colonisation by European nations, Africa has become wrought with poverty and illiteracy, leaving the continent in no condition to adhere to international legal standards, writes Wanda. He additionally argues that strong ties to the European community and a tendency to ignore war crimes outside of Africa are further evidence that the resolution of African conflict is better left to African legal systems.

Nelvis Qekema's article 'dispels all the lies peddled by Jacob Zuma and the ANC', writes Gcobani KaNgcibi.

Agreeing with , Melakou Tegegn stresses that the DR Congo's Patrice Lumumba must occupy a prominent place in the country's history.

I am glad to welcome Pambazuka News to Facebook – it is perhaps one of the most if not THE most important source of news of Africa and the diaspora. I suggest everyone take advantage of this great opportunity. We all have so much learn about each other.

Sidy Diop

A. Ndimby

In her round-up of the African blogosphere this week, Sokari Ekine explores the unifying theme of challenging the 'single story' of Africa through discussing the AfroMusing, SACSIS, That African Girl, Gukira, Black Looks and Book Southern Africa blogs.

I have a story I have been trying not to tell for a long time. I don’t know why I have been keeping it to myself really. Maybe I have never had anyone to tell the story, but it had been nagging me all the same. Now I feel I must do something about it, tell someone, anyone, in the hope of a break in my unending painful infliction…

Addressing his fellow Kenyans, Isaac Newton Kinity aims to clear up confusion around what is implicit in voting 'yes' or 'no' when it comes to the country's referendum on its Draft Constitution on 4 August.

Following the success of 'the octopus' in predicting the result of various World Cup matches, Tumusiime K. Deo wonders what role the cephalopod might play in Uganda's elections.