East Africa: Uganda set to be a major oil producer
Listen Uganda struck oil in February 2008 in Lake Albert region.Foreign firms exploring oil there estimate the country’s oil potential to be more than 800 million barrels while daily production would be 100,000 barrels for between 15 and 30 years. However, government figures shows that oil potential is more than 200 million barrels while daily [...]
Remembering Walter Rodney in the world of academia and politics.
Listen Dr. Walter Anthony Rodney, a scholar, historian and political activist, was born on 23 March 1942 in Georgetown, Guyana-then British Guiana, a colony on the northern coast of South America. The young Rodney, who was excellent in debates and athletics, was admitted for undergraduate studies at Queen’s College where he graduated with first-class honours [...]
Kenya’s Referendum: Organized Political violence in Maasailand
Listen Kenyans witnessed yesterday the rebirth of the ugly and outdated organized political violence at Suswa area in Narok North district. It reminds us of the dark past of Kenya’s political history. It is shameful that the violence was organized by the YES camp with the blessings of the Maasai leaders who include Cabinet Ministers. [...]
Kenya’s Party Politics: ODM’s falling political fortunes
Listen Orange Democratic Party (ODM) has lost in several political battles recently and the loss indicates its falling popularity and dislike among the Kenyan electorates. ODM was losing ground following poor performance in South Mugirango and Matuga constituencies, and other several civic seats in Rift Valley Province. The cradle of ODM problems were noticed first [...]
Kenya’s 2012 Elections: No front runner for the Presidency
Listen As we approach the general elections, the main political parties in Kenya are still in disarray. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) of Raila Odinga, the Party of National Unity (PNU) of President Mwai Kibaki and the ODM-Kenya of Vice –President Mwai Kibaki, are so far the top contenders. ODM is however losing ground in [...]
Germany-Africa Relations: Development agenda prioritized
Listen ince the advent of the Federal Republic of Germany, her foreign policy is mainly focused on civilian aspects such as conflict management and conflict prevention more than on the military elements of conflict resolution. Therefore the new country’s foreign policy concept in Sub-Saharan Africa is geared towards the development of self-sustaining economic, social and [...]
Geopolitics and Conflicts in Eastern Africa
Listen From the protracted crises in Sudan and Somalia to the border face-off between Ethiopia and Eritrea, to the post-election violence in Kenya in 2008 and the fragile grand coalition government that followed, Eastern Africa is wallowing in conflicts. The region is steeped in conflicts and the threat of both full-blown cross-border and internal warfare [...]
Hydro-Power Politics: Lake Turkana and River Omo on Centre-Stage
Listen The damming of River Omo in Southwest Ethiopia for hydro-power generation will affect negatively more than 200,000 agro-pastoralists in the region and Lake Turkana. The Ethiopian agro-pastoralists use the river’s annual floods for agricultural production and to generate pasture for their livestock while River Omo is the major source of water for Lake Turkana. [...]
Rift Valley Politics: Referendum boosts Ruto’s political stature
Listen After the exit of President Daniel arap Moi from power and active politics, the expansive province in Kenya is yet to have a leader who commands the political dispensation in the region. Leaders in the cosmopolitan region are fighting for the control of political leadership. They range from cabinet ministers and Members of Parliament [...]
East African Community: The Past Haunts the Present Integration Process
Listen This was clearly evident during the negotiations leading to the signing of the East African Community Treaty, the ushering in and implementation of the Customs Union, the Common Market, among other projects. For example, in July 30 1999 the Treaty was postponed as Tanzania disagreed over trade provisions especially concerning the proposed zero tariffs [...]