Africa Mudzi Wathu

Dear Mr. President, Your trip to Africa this week presents a legacy-defining opportunity. President  George W. Bush  is remembered for the billions of dollars he made available to fight HIV/Aids; a program which has continued under your administration. Bill Clinton, while decried for allowing  genocide in Rwanda , is also hailed for the African Growth and Opportunity Act ( AGOA ), the preferential trade deal that allows some duty free exports from participating African countries to the U.S.; this program was also recently renewed by Congress under your administration. Mr. President, you initiated the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit which can become a transformative forum for increased business interaction and trade between the U.S. and Africa; and through the Young African Leaders Initiative, you've provided fellowship opportunities that brings 500 young Africans to study in the U.S. Mr. President, you can even help Africans with something much more enduring; which is to win their seco

Dr. Frank Habineza, the only opposition figure in Rwanda against the third term and possible constitutional change The Rwandan Supreme Court has agreed to postpone the Green Party v the government of Rwanda case to allow the plaintiff time to find a lawyer. The court was scheduled to hear the case Wednesday July 8 but Frank Habineza, President of the Democratic Green Party requested more time as he tries to get a lawyer in the high profile case where he is suing the government to block a possible alteration to the constitution to lift presidential term li “Rwanda Supreme Court has accepted to postpone the case in order to give us more time to find a lawyer. New date is 29 July 2015,” Habineza said Wednesday via his Facebook page. Habineza and his party have indicated they cant find a local attorney to represent them as every lawyer they contact is afraid to take on the Rwandan government.      Rwanda’s Supreme Court postpones Green Party case

Child marriage is still a reality for millions of girls across Africa. The African continent is home to 15 out of the 20 countries with the world’s highest rates of child marriage. Worldwide, approximately 15 million girls every year are married before they reach the age of 18. That is the equivalent of the entire population of Zimbabwe or Mali. Child marriage jeopardises efforts to improve maternal and infant health and has devastating consequences for the girl, her family, and her future children. Child brides face higher risk of death and injury in pregnancy and childbirth, with girls under 15 being five times more likely to die in childbirth than women in their 20s. Their children are at risk too: when a mother is under 20 her baby is less likely live beyond its first birthday. “I was only 15 when I had my first child and was nearly forced into getting married. I stood my ground and said no, and I went back to school” said Isatou Jeng, Project Officer at The Girls' Agenda,

Pretoria, South Africa – On Monday 15 June 2015, a full bench of the North Gauteng High Court, comprising Judge President Dunstan Mlambo, Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba, and Judge Hans Fabricius, made an order for the arrest of the President of Sudan, Omar Al-Bashir. Immediately thereafter the State confirmed that President Bashir had been allowed to leave the country contrary to an interim order made by the High Court on Sunday 14 June. The interim order compelled the State Respondents, which included the Department of Home Affairs, to take all necessary steps to prevent President Bashir from leaving the Republic until the Court handed down a final order. President Bashir stands accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed in the Darfur region of Sudan. In the face of two arrest warrants issued by the ICC, President Bashir has evaded liability, despite the obligation on ICC state parties, like South Africa,

Recipients of the AU Diaspora Africa Forum women’s awards, leaders and continental legends have dedicated their awards to women across Africa. Graca Machel, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and former Malawi President Joyce Banda, were among those honoured.  While in Mozambique and other home countries of the recipients government mentioned and shared the honor with its citizens, it is noticeable that Malawi Government spokespersons and Ministry of Information did not mention anything about this in any press briefings. The feud between Peter Mutharika and Joyce Banda is at the core of this lack of support for Joyce Banda. It marred an occasion that should have been celebrated by all Malawians. Former President Joyce Banda and current President Peter Mutharika should start acting as adults and bury the hatchet.      AU honor for Joyce Banda visibly ignored by Malawi Government : AU honor for Joyce Banda visibly ignored by Malawi Government

There are tensions between the ICC and the AU, with some on the continent accusing the court of unfairly targeting Africans. The AU has previously urged the ICC to stop proceedings against sitting leaders. The warrants against Mr. Bashir, who denies the allegations, have severely restricted his overseas travel.     Jacob Zuma Welcomes Omar al-Bashir of Sudan despite pleas from ICC

MZUZU, Sunday, June 7, 2015 (MaraviPost): The Peter Mutharika administration soon after attaining office let it publicly be known that Government was cancelling K58 billion (US$128.9 million) worth of Malawi Defense Force contracts with South African military supplier Paramount Group. This was simply a bet and switch negotiating tactic to gain better terms as contracts legally signed by a previous government bounded the incoming administration. It has now come to light that the contract was a controversial one, as it included the purchase of very expensive patrol boats. The Paramount Group, Africa’s largest private defense and aerospace firm signed deals with the Malawian government for agriculture, fuel and military contracts through a network of investment firms. However the controversy sprung from the Sale of the Dassault Falcon 900EX Malawi presidential Jet to Bohnox Enterprises, a firm registered in the British Virgin Islands and linked to Paramount Group. Reports in