Nigeria's two biggest labour unions have agreed to fight the 30% increase in fuel in defiance of a new law banning unilateral strike action. Last year the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) called three crippling general strikes against fuel prices rises. The NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said they are meeting to decide when to strike and will not back down until the prices are reversed.

Kenya's former president, Daniel arap Moi, has rejected a draft new constitution, saying it would cause animosity and mistrust among Kenyans. The proposals, to be voted on in a referendum in November, are dividing the political establishment. Five cabinet ministers have broken rank with President Mwai Kibaki, calling for a 'No' vote in the referendum.

The four largest opposition parties in Ivory Coast say elections scheduled for 30 October cannot happen and have called for a transition government. They argue that it would be impossible to hold free and fair presidential elections at that time, and point out that the country is still split in two. Ivory Coast, once West Africa's richest country, has been divided between north and south for three years.

First of all, thank you for your humanitarian development newsletter. Secondly, as AIDSOM we are realy grateful with your last new plan for the Pambazuka newsletter. The two parts and their schedules are highly appreciated.

I am outraged at the prospect of South Africa undertaking to assist Zimbabwe in repaying her debt.

What debt, pray?! The tyrannical platform from which the G8 contemplates Africa is tiresome and dangerous. Our Renaissance is in its infancy and as such vulnerable and requiring nurturing. Perhaps when our Northern, rich Western brethren have taken responsibility for the planetary bother they have caused we will be more interested in their self appointed role as moral prefects insulting Zimbabweans and thereby, Africans, by treating us as if we are a nation of dissident schoolchildren.

This is not Xenophobia nor misguided romanticism. It is a profound impatience with the white elephants with which we Africans perrenially contend.

The white elephants of development Anglo-Euro style, from which the last to benefit are the indigeneous people of Africa. The white elephants of projects that have fizzled out because funding has expired. The white elephants of vast economic empires spawned in Africa by adventurous captains of commerce who cannot get away with their monkey business in their countries of origin. The white elephants that emerge from generations damaged by displacements and disruptions. The white elephants of interrupted education. The white elephants of Western richness and honkie mischief. The white elephants of a consciousness that deifies sefishness. The white elephants of greed.

The dignity of President Mbeki's offer to assist our Zimbabwean family with their housekeeping is laudatory. Africa is taking responsibility for her own. Undersigning for anarchy wrenched by yet another old African dictator who has allegedly lost the plot. One can hear the moral umpires raising a toast. "Not only have the Negroes learned how to wear ties and speak English, but they are picking up the odd ethic, what? Notch up another centimetre for progress, old chap."

Fellow Africans, we cannot afford this distraction of cowtailing to the mainstream. 80% of homo sapiens live two steps from the cave whilst 20% have more surplus than they know how to use. This is a stupid fraction. The prevalence of poverty is one of humanity's singlemost unintelligent practices. It is so last century and has resulted in undiluted tragedy in our neck of the woods for too long. Poverty takes no prisoners and nowhere is this so grimly demonstrated in beloved Amai Africa.

The timing of the London bombs drew attention to the G8 conference in Scotland and Mr Blair was eloquent in his distress. To those of us who live in Africa the fuss over so few casualties was bemusing. We have no memory of CNN and BBC getting so excited over our many bleedings and dyings. In Africa we do a great line in ongoing 9/11 s and 07/07 s. The living deaths of so many of our people are seemingly far less important than the weakening of the pound.

All atrocities suck. Our condolences to the bereaved and traumatised Londoners are profound and sincere.

However, it is sometimes necessary to join the dots so frequently ignored by western propaganda machines and the irritating mindset of the powermongers whom they serve. Our priorites in Africa pertain to recovery and progress. These are challenges enough without having to pay lipservice to debates about the globe's filthy lucre or being rapped over the knuckles cos we have partied with the petty cash. Obviously accountability is imperative, but it is to ourselves and each other to whom we first must be accountable, not our cousins and friends from elsewhere and their many confusions. When these communities are Africa literate we will be more receptive to their prescriptions. Until then, we will thank them to be respectful of our realities and mindful of their suspect agenda regarding our peoples and resources. If, in our Northern fathers' houses there are many mansions, in our Mother's lands there are many fields. We have strong waters to harness, good crops to plant, various extinctions to halt and new songs to sing. We are waking up to lives we can love, moving beyond mere survival. We need our light to shine far into our future for the lives of our grandchildren's grandchildren are at stake.

So George Bush, IMF and Company ... Muchaneta! For the African Renaissance we are prepared to live!

For Africa we live. Nkosi, Sikelele Africa. Ishe Komberera.

I read with great discomfort my friend Chidi's letter that the Nigeria State Secret Service (SSS) arrested two of his professional colleagues and is currently looking for him in connection with his work challenging Charles Taylor's asylum in Nigeria ( Pambazuka News 218, We are not fugitives, Charles Taylor is). That is indeed very frightening news knowing how much Chidi means to so many of us Africans, Pan-Africanists, human rights activists and Afro-optimists. Although I have known Chidi since 1999, I had the opportunity of meeting him in January 2004 when he was Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School. I took Chidi's class, which was one of my best classes in my entire graduate studies program.

Chidi is indeed an "African Child" and one of the heavy brains that Africa is so gifted to have. He is an inspiration to so many of us committed to advancing our scholarly activism for the human security of Africa. Those who know Chidi would agree that he is as well a very cordial person, whose multitude of achievements have never stopped him from being humble and accommodative of even those junior or in opposition to him. I guess that is why he now gets into trouble with a government he seeks to engage with daily but which is opposed to his work. So, I wanted to write this letter to Pambazuka News, if Chidi is reading, to let him know how much we are thinking about him through this difficult moment, as well as his family and colleagues. I would also like to call upon everyone to please send a message of support or take a moment to offer your internal support to Chidi.

I was glad to come accross your website - it's getting increasingly difficult to get the truth behind the tales with all the corporate-advert-sponsored news. I would like to believe that we are of the same mind set when it comes to issues affecting our continent and there is no need to beat around. In the end we as Africans are going to have to do it ourselves and overthrow the system because we will never find justice and self determination in it. Take a look at it might be of intersest. Uhuru!

On the occasion of International Day of the Disappeared (30 August), the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances issued the following message: "The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) is deeply concerned that the phenomenon of enforced disappearances persists around the world. Since its inception in 1980, the WGEID has transmitted some 50,000 individual cases of enforced disappearances to Governments of more than 90 countries."
* Related Link
Vlakplaas Commemoration of International Day of the Disappeared: August 30, 2005
http://www.khulumani.net/

Elections have radically transformed Burundi's political landscape, says the International Crisis Group. "The success of the former CNDD-FDD rebels, including the selection of Pierre Nkurunziza as president on 19 August, gives the party control of all branches of government. Concurrently, the security sector has been profoundly restructured with CNDD-FDD fighters now making up 40 per cent of the army. They provide a safeguard against attempted coups to interrupt the peace process and thus a guarantee that further reforms required under the Arusha agreement for peace and reconciliation will be realised." The ICG says that nonetheless the elections are just one step towards lasting peace.

International donors should not interfere in Tanzania’s general elections on 30 October, outgoing President Benjamin Mkapa said on Saturday while visiting his country’s politically volatile semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar. "I must stress that our development partners should respect our sovereignty," he told supporters at a public rally in Zanzibar. "They should not take advantage of the assistance they give us to decide which political party and leaders suit us."

Candidates vying to be Liberia's next head of state are divided about whether to ask for former president Charles Taylor to be transferred from exile in Nigeria to stand trial for war crimes committed in Sierra Leone. Taylor has been served 17 indictments for crimes against humanity for his involvement and support to the Revolutionary United Front rebel faction in Sierra Leone, known for hacking off hands, feet, lips and ears of civilians during the 1991-2002 civil war.

Elections International is a voluntary nongovernmental organization in Kenya that strives to build peace and enhance democratic practices by empowering citizens to conduct transparent electoral processes and services. Elections International was formed this year by citizens from diverse professional backgrounds with experience as electoral officers, election observers, civic education providers, and human rights advocates. The organization’s objectives are to empower citizens to conduct and participate in free and fair elections; monitor and observe electoral processes; analyze and advocate for reforms in electoral policies and statutes; build the capacities of electoral management bodies, electoral reform organizations, political parties, legislatures, and judiciaries in matters pertaining to elections; and to build partnerships with organizations with similar objectives. For more information, contact: [email protected] (Sourced from World Movement for Democracy)

Sierra Leone is taking tentative steps to move from a conflict-dominated agenda to a development-orientated one. But donors are not providing the funding, says a Eurodad paper. Sierra Leone has produced its first full PRSP for the period 2005 – 2007. It signals an important move from a conflict-dominated agenda towards a much-needed development-orientated one and should be welcomed and supported by the international community. The problem is that funding for the PRSP is failing to materialise. Despite the PRSP having been produced in a relatively participative manner and being viewed by the international financial institutions (IFIs) and civil society as providing adequate policy solutions, funding both in the short-term and long- term appears limited.  

Public-private partnerships have been hailed as a new way to conduct state business and harness the funding and expertise of the private sector. But a new study by the South African Institute of International Affairs shows they fail unless government plans well and fixes its chronic problems of non-transparent politically-manipulated procurement. African governments face a cash and capacity crunch. They need to dramatically improve public services but lack money and the technical and management capacity to deliver new roads, improved ports, efficient electricity plants, effective schools and desperately needed health services.

Creditor countries have in principle agreed to cancel around $17 billion of Nigeria's debt. This debt cancellation is long overdue - but is being implemented in a way that could mean Nigeria paying more money to the rich world in the short term. The deal was agreed by the Paris Club, a creditor cartel of 19 rich countries. The UK (which is Nigeria's biggest creditor) was the strongest advocate for debt cancellation for Nigeria, having come under strong pressure from campaigners. The offered cancellation of $17 billion is a huge amount - but it is dependent on Nigeria paying off arrears of about $6 billion, and 'buying back' around $8 billion of the debt.

Globally, the lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities results in the deaths of 3,900 children daily. The importance of water and sanitation is recognised in the Millennium Development Goals. What will it take to expand water supply and sanitation coverage to the extent necessary to achieve them? How can water use be optimised to achieve the rest of the Goals?

At this time we have to go beyond celebrating the carrot of debt relief being offered to Africa by the west and look critically at the conspiracy of forces that has positioned this continent at the bottom of the global economic pyramid, writes Chris Ngwodo of Nigeria World. "It goes without saying that even with total and unconditional debt cancellation, African countries would still be in no position to launch themselves into the orbit of first world development. At best, their chances of such a transmutation might improve. To truly release Africa from the curse of servitude, we need to recognize the workings of the unholy trinity of transnational corporations, local despots and western governments and their satellite monetary institutions."

Operatives of the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) have searched the US home of Vice President Atiku Abubakar as part of an international anti-corruption probe, according to reports. US State Department spokeswoman, Joanne Moore, said the search of the house located in an upscale Maryland suburb of the US capital took place on August 3, but declined to provide details. "All inquiries about the search of the United States residence of Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar should be directed to the Department of Justice," Moore said.

Contrary to its earlier stance, the government of Cameroon has admitted that the German Anti-Corruption NGO, Transparency International, TI, was right when it classified Cameroon as the most corrupt country in the world for two consecutive years. Five years after that classification, government seems to have come out of its shell to admit that TI was right. "When Cameroon topped the chart as the world champion of corruption, the entire nation was disturbed and traumatised. Some citizens considered it a betrayal or even a show of hatred for our country by certain donors or super powers. A closer look would, however, reveal that many indicators seem to confirm the classification in almost all sectors of national activity."

Former Ethics Permanent Secretary John Githongo says he is ready to give whatever information he has on corruption in Kenya to the Government. In a brief statement, Githongo - who resigned in February while on assignment in the UK - said he remained firmly committed to the eradication of corruption in Kenya. The former PS, who was President Kibaki's advisor on corruption, was responding to a call on him by Planning minister Anyang' Nyong'o to return to the country and tell the Government what he knew about corruption.