Author: Anjianjei Constantine
There are increasingly persistent rumours that the current President of Côte d’Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, is unlikely to stand for a fourth term. This could happen if he withdraws. The announcement is not yet official. But rumours about the possible withdrawal of the current Ivorian head of state, Alassane Ouattara, are coming from all sides, and especially from the political camps. Normally, by this time in the run-up to an election, the head of state has already opened the floodgates to explain his candidacy to his supporters and to all Ivorians. All sections of the Ivorian population, his government and his…
A protean personality, Mohamed Aziza, writer, poet and man of action, author of some twenty books, is celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the Med 21 Programme. You’ve just finished writing your memoirs, retracing your long and eclectic career. How did you go about capturing the experience of a lifetime? I hesitated for a long time before embarking on the perilous exercise of writing a memoir. Indeed, it seemed to me that these introspective plunges were reserved for women and men who, in different ways and in different fields, had influenced the course of their country’s history or marked a significant milestone…
Household energy saving tips Geyser Switch off at 17:00 and back on again at 21:00 (5pm to 9pm) Reduce thermostat to 60 degrees Insulate geyser and water pipes Lighting Switch off all unnecessary lights Shower Shower rather than bath –less hot water is used. Install an energy efficient shower head Climate control Minimise use of air conditioners by first opening windows to allow cool air to circulate Set air-conditioners’ average cooling temperature to around 23°C Pool pumps Switch off the pool pump between 17:00 and 21:00 Reduce the operating time to limit water circulation to twice a day Vampire…
Basic literacy, numeracy, and transferable skills that are the building blocks for a life of learning – foundational learning – are in urgent need of attention in Africa. writes Lennox Yieke. Access to education in Africa has steadily improved over the past two decades, with more girls attending school and a higher number of students enrolling in tertiary education than ever before. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), school completion rates between 2000 and 2022 have risen from 52% to 69% in primary education, 35% to 50% in lower secondary education, and 23% to 33%…
While the world’s elite gathered in Davos, Switzerland, for conversations about ‘collaboration in the intelligent age’, I was collaborating with incredible young entrepreneurs from Kenya and Tanzania for the launch of Africa’s first citizen-led, co-produced, localised measure of prosperity – The Maisha Bora (‘Good Life’) Index. Historically, governments have had a long-held obsession with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the key way of measuring prosperity and growth of any country’s economy. In reality, we know it’s fruitless. It does not help to demonstrate how individuals are benefitting, or losing out from an economy. When you look at Tanzania, the country…
Trust is the foundation of everything—our economies, our governments, our relationships, and our ability to thrive as a continent. Yet, in Africa, trust remains our most fragile and elusive asset. We are rich in gold, cobalt, lithium, and oil, but what do these resources mean if we cannot trust each other enough to build something lasting? Without trust, we find ourselves stuck in cycles of political instability, economic uncertainty, and fractured diplomacy. Right now, we are seeing the effects of this trust deficit everywhere. Embassies are being burned, ambassadors recalled, and peace talks failing before they even start. Kenya’s embassy…
In the face of the multiple crises shaking the world, it is time to rethink our collective trajectory and move away from models imposed or inherited from the colonial past. The ‘Global South’, this mosaic of nations rich in their cultural, historical and geographical diversities, is at a decisive turning point. In the face of the multiple crises – environmental, economic, social and geopolitical – that are shaking the world, it is time to rethink our collective trajectory. For too long, our countries of the Global South have been locked into imposed models, inherited from a colonial past and shaped…
Ngie, Momo – A meeting of Ngie elites took place on Saturday, November 23rd, at 10 am in the conference room of the Regional Assembly building in Bamenda. The assembly was attended by a diverse group of political, civil society, business, and traditional leaders from across the country. This gathering was convened by the prominent members of the ruling CPDM party in the Momo IV section, notably under the leadership of Justice Mbah Acha Rose, head of the Momo central committee and Minister of Supreme State Audit. Key figures in the discussions included section president Ujambeng Stephen Andong, Mbong Grace,…