Category: Africa
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Zimbabwe has failed to sate the yearning for land and to fix rural hunger, this is why
Almost 40 years after its independence, land reform remains at the heart of Zimbabwe’s political and economic challenges. But perhaps more than any other issue in Zimbabwe, it has historically been met with inertia from government and the international community. Governments throughout the world have found difficulty devising economically successful land tenure models that incorporate…
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Burundi edges closer to the abyss
Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza was hardly a household name. That was before he turned his country into a hellhole following his unconstitutional decision in 2015 to run for a third term. Burundi is an overpopulated and immensely corrupt state. It shares much the same ethnic map as Rwanda. But it hardly attracted a fraction of the…
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Nigeria’s President Buhari delivers $24 billion budget for 2017
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presented a record 7.298 trillion naira ($24 billion) budget for 2017 to lawmakers which is aimed at pulling Africa’s biggest economy out of its first recession in 25 years. The budget, which Buhari said marked an increase of 20.4 percent on last year’s spending plan, seeks to boost spending…
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S.Africa’s Eskom to invite bidders for nuclear power fleet this week
South African power utility Eskom will this week issue a request for proposals to add 9,600 megawatts of nuclear power to the national grid, acting chief executive Matshela Koko said on Tuesday. Koko was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a court case in Cape Town where environmentalists and clean energy activists are challenging…
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Nigeria: How Govt, CBN Policies Cripple Activities At the Nation’s Ports
The recent hike in the import duties of vehicles and rice as well as the introduction of a fish quota system by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan are taking a toll on activities at the nation’s ports, THISDAY investigation has revealed. Also, the restriction of 41 items from accessing the official foreign exchange…
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Uganda: A Kilogramme of Sugar Hits Shs5,000
The price of a kilogramme of sugar has hit Shs5,000, making it hard for the ordinary people to consume it at the time when the economy is suffering low activity. The kilogramme of sugar has jumped by Shs1,500 from Shs3,500 that has sparked fear that prices of other products such as bread, whose ingredients include…
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Nigeria: Govt Launches N13 Billion Mortgage Loan Scheme for Workers
The federal government yesterday launched a N13 billion Federal Civil Servants Mortgage Loan Refinancing Scheme powered by the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company Plc (NMRC). Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said 5,635 Federal Civil Service staff would benefit at the first instance. She said the scheme was a…
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Tanzania: Mtwara Port Buoyed Up By Arrival of Dangote Trucks
Regional authorities are upbeat over the prospects of increased business and revenue after 1,115 trucks imported by Nigerian business mogul Aliko Dangote docked at the Mtwara Port at the weekend. “This is a good beginning as we open up economic opportunities for the region,” said Acting Regional Commissioner Khatibu Kazungu who witnessed the docking of…
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Uganda: Parliament Delays Debate On Loans Over ‘Rot in Roads Sector’
As the curtains close down on the first calendar year of the 10th Parliament, a marking guide on the formative stages of the House would give good grades to the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) over its crackdown on thieving agencies. As one of the four accountability committees of the House,…
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Oil deal will stick as ‘everybody is hurting’ – Nigeria’s oil minister
As OPEC and non-OPEC nations agreed to jointly cut oil production in a landmark global pact on Saturday, Nigeria’s oil minister told CNBC he believed there is more than enough incentive for all involved to adhere to the deal. Eleven oil producing countries, that are not members of OPEC, said on Saturday they are to cut production by…