The Ethiopian dictatorship has sueeded to transform an ordinary teacher and journalist into an international symbol of press freedom, resistance to tyranny and courage under fire. Reeyot’s story of commitment to truth, sacrifice, virtuousness, honesty, decency and humanity should inspire all young people in Ethiopia and Africa to stand up for their beliefs.

Several organisations have written to the African Union and regional bodies asking them to condemn the decision by Ugandan authorities to shut down Internet access during recent elections ostensibly for national security. Such an action – which is becoming widespread - violates human rights and international law. It must not be allowed to become the new normal in Africa.

Sudan should stop the brutal suppression of protest and hold to account the security forces responsible for killing, injuring, and torturing protesters throughout the country.

Alarmingly, it appears that the presumption of guilt is alive and well in international justice. Will this presumption be allowed to continue to smother the right to be presumed innocent? Will violations of human rights principles of fair trial be remedied? The successful survival of international justice depends on the answers.

What started with rejection of the statue of a Dutch colonialist in Cape Town fast expanded to nationwide student protests against a racist, colonialist and classist education system that denies many South Africans the right to study. President Zuma finally respondend and turned an intended increase in tution into a 6 per cent cut for 2016, but this can only be a beginning.

The blacklisting of Ugandan musicians by their erstwhile fans is a pointer that Ugandans are utterly disgusted and disillusioned with President Museveni.

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 15, 2015- The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the late Wednesday by Kenya's national assembly of a bill that would .
"This bill has no place in a democracy," said CPJ's Africa Program Coordinator Sue Valentine. "The public has a right to hear news and criticism of what is discussed in parliament and how members conduct themselves. We urge President Uhuru Kenyatta to live up to his promise to respect press freedom and the role of the media in ensuring the free flow of information."

The Kenya Correspondents' Association issued a

The draconian law passed by the National Assembly is likely to be easily replicated by the County Assemblies across the country, setting in motion a wave of intimidation and harassment of journalists and ultimately lead to censorship.

A project that could potentially meet a number of national priorities would be if the government incorporated a new capital district somewhere in the centre of the country and moved Parliament there. Geography dictates that a site somewhere in the Free State would probably be most suitable for this purpose.

E-learning offers a range of benefits to students and society as it is cheap and based on resources that are becoming more available on the African continent. Rather than solely relying on traditional education, Africa needs to leap forward and realize the potential of e-learning in creating innovators and curbing mass youth unemployment.

Intimidated for exposing the dark secrets of an African regime out of control, Canadian journalist Judi Rever drew the line at having the life of her own children threatened.

Is President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya plain dumb? It is nearly a month since all public schools shut down following a strike by teachers. National exams are supposed to start next week. Kenyatta’s handling of this crisis, like his performance in previous instances, raises serious questions about the abilities of the man who won a bitterly controversial election two-and-half years ago.

Govier’s book does a good job of generating anxiety about the future of humanity and of victims, using serious restorative concepts which are very useful in Eastern Africa where there are consistent efforts to rethink the term ‘victim’.

The civil society group is concerned that the recent approval is typical of GM decision-making in South Africa, which simply reiterates and summarises information provided by Monsanto, who has a clear vested interest in the approval. The government is under a legal obligation to apply a risk averse and cautious approach, which takes into account uncertainties and the limits of current knowledge about commercial production of GMOs.

South Africa’s democratic system, heavily dominated by the ANC, could best be served by a genuinely democratic, mainstream trade union-based party, like Brazil’s Socialist Party. The time for Zwelinzima Vavi's United Front lobby to transform into such a party is now.

It is quite evident that for someone already detained in solitary confinement, these measures amount to mental torture in violation of the International Convention Against Torture, to which Rwanda is a contracting party.

Ethiopia is a heavily aid dependent country. Its Western supporters should ask themselves why such a poor country spends millions of dollars a year trying to hack the phones of exiled journalists instead of using the money to feed hungry citizens and provide other essential services.

A government minister accused the chairman of the independent Rwanda Media Commission of working for foreign forces. And then the government embarked on moves to weaken the commission. When the RMC head was tipped off about plans to kill him, he fled the country in May.

The University of Ghana School of Law, in collaboration with the Open Society Global Drug Policy Program and Open Society Initiative for West Africa, is inviting applications for its intensive 6-day 2nd West Africa Executive Course on Human Rights and Drug Policy to be held at the University of Ghana, Legon between July 27 and 1 August, 2015.

Nigeria’s new leader is the subject of much hype. He is being hoisted up to the status of a cult figure. Apparently, he is the man Africa’s giant needs to solve its extensive problems. But Muhammadu Buhari’s history and thinking suggest otherwise.