Safari Notes

#Muguka and #Miraa are known to be detrimental and destructive to families, health and wellbeing. In #Kenya most of those who consume the two are #Muslims; and look at what it has done to them - it has kept them low economically and educationally. Children from families who chew the two drugs, very rarely go far in education. It's Muslims who are mainly to be found in poor places like: Kalolenis, Majengos, Bondenis etc. If it wasn't for many Muslims working in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries (where many were being paid well) and if it wasn't for millions of #Somalis migrating and living in Western countries (sending remittances), Muslims would have been even much poorer.  Then look too, at countries that have many people chewing muguka/miraa - they are some of the poorest and most fragmented - #Somalia, #Yemen and #Djibouti. The millions of Muslims in #Ethiopia are poor and uneducated mainly due to their families being dominated by #qat.  How can the laws or constitu...

Many in the West, including leaders and politicians - are forcefully doing all that they can to promote the acceptance of homosexuality. Presently, in America , those campaigning have insultingly gone as far as to equate legal rights for homosexuals with the historic black struggle against racism; there is a specter haunting it. It is the movement to promote and legalize homosexual marriage. The movement has adopted a cunning political strategy to appeal to everyone from the suburban soccer mom to the urban white-male liberal: It has packaged its demand for the radical redefining of marriage in the rhetoric and imagery of the U.S. civil rights movement . For Africa and Africans, if the Western world condones and accepts homosexuality, is not a problem; America and other Western countries (which base their democracy and culture on ancient Greece which tolerated and allowed homosexuality ages ago) are free to decide for themselves what kind of a culture and a society they prefer. But,...

Touted as a promising alternative energy source for decades, solar panels crown rooftops and roadside signs, and help keep spacecraft powered. But how do solar panels work? Simply put, a solar panel works by allowing photons, or particles of light, to knock electrons free from atoms, generating a flow of electricity. Solar panels actually comprise many, smaller units called photovoltaic cells. (Photovoltaic simply means they convert sunlight into electricity.) Many cells linked together make up a solar panel. Each photovoltaic cell is basically a sandwich made up of two slices of semi-conducting material, usually silicon — the same stuff used in microelectronics. To work, photovoltaic cells need to establish an electric field. Much like a magnetic field, which occurs due to opposite poles, an electric field occurs when opposite charges are separated. To get this field, manufacturers "dope" silicon with other materials, giving each slice of the sandwich a...

Rebel, Revolutionary, Freedom-fighter, Leader, Statesman, Legend, Icon, Saint - all these can be used to describe the One and Only: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela . He is comparable to no other leader in Africa or out of it. For a man to have spent 27 years incarcerated for no crime but because he dared speak out his mind; he dared struggle and fight for justice, equality and honor for his own majority citizens - for that man to be released from that prison and still be so humble, kind, forgiving, merciful and magnanimous to friends and foes, and those who hated and imprisoned him; and for that man to rule the country he set free for only four years and then had over power; for that man to treat all alike and equally, be they foes or friends or children or servants or heads of states; for that man, for most of his life until recently, to wake up each morning and still make his bed - these will go down in history as one of Mandela's greatest legacies and gifts to his Rainbow Nation an...

In a normal, just world - any one who commits a crime has to face justice; who ever that person is and whatever that person's position is - who ever commits a crime has to be punished. But, we don't live in a normal, just world. The words 'crime', 'justice' and 'punishment' are used selectively. Especially by the one court that's supposed to serve all the world's people: the International Criminal Court . The ICC decides, hunts, convicts and punishes selectively. The court, so far, has meted out its so called justice - only on Africa . Whatever one might think; however hard one tries to look at it, there is no doubt that the ICC is selectively, unfairly and biasedly focused only on Africa and Africans. Cases in point: leaders in Sudan and Kenya are indicted by the ICC and yet those in Sri Lanka, where similar or worst crimes happened, are not; Joseph Kony is wanted and hunted by the ICC and yet the Burmese Buddhist monk, Ashin Wirathu - wh...

By all reliable accounts, Mr. Robert Mugabe won the recent presidential Zimbabwean elections free and fair. The 15-nation Southern African Development Community and African Union (AU) mission - both  dismiss the complaints of fraud; they say the election was fair and free. But some Western powers, for their own selfish, ulterior reasons and motives do not want to accept the results. They keep on insisting otherwise. They are not doing this because they care much for Zimbabweans; those against Mugabe, are more interested in Zimbabwe's natural resources than how elections take place there. In fact, its natural resources are the prime interest and not Zimbabweans at all.

The evidence is in: Renewable energy is viable, reliable, and ready to go – all that’s missing is the political will to kick start an energy revolution in South Africa and the rest of Africa. Here are some of the most common myths about renewable energy - just that – myths that don’t stand up to reality. Not only for South Africa, but for the rest of the African countries - the facts are overwhelmingly in favor of using renewable, sustainable, clean energy: Right now, renewable energy is actually already cheaper than coal and nuclear power at every step.  Renewables technology is ready to go, and is working reliably in countries around the world.  The key to getting a constant supply of electricity from renewable energy is to have a mix of sources: solar and wind power, natural gas, and anaerobic digestion plants. By having a mix of sources which are spread over a wide area, we ensure there will always be a supply of energy.  The reality is that South Africa’s a...

So far, most, if not all of those wanted, indicted and punished by the International Criminal Court have been from Africa. It makes one wonder: is this international court for Africans only? Is the ' Peace Through Justice ' and its ' years of fighting impunity ' only meant for, and supposed to be enforced on, Africans? Even in Africa, the court seems to be selective: any leader who strongly opposes or chastises Western countries, the US in particular, will most likely end up on the ICC list. Mr. Robert Mugabe, maybe due to his age or his being very knowledgeable about the West, has been lucky; so far.  African leaders who have been friendly profitable to the West, however brutal and cruel they are, have been spared by the ICC. Case in point is the Equatorial Guinea's leader: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who is the longest serving African leader (he has been in power for 34 years now); he is one of the most cruel and one of the most wealthy heads of state in...

As it is, very few Africans blog and make their voices heard. For Africans who take up blogging, very, very few, if any, write about wildlife and the environment. Africa, with the largest, most diverse, most wonderful and most spectacular population of wildlife, has a people who are least interested in it. Be it in: its oceans, its islands, its plains, its jungles - Africa is abundant with wildlife. Plants and animals. Of many species, of many shapes and of many sizes. One can not talk of wildlife, without thinking of the environment. The environment that all wildlife lives in and depends on. And so do we mankind. All living creatures, all life forms are very dependent on the environment they live in. So why don't African bloggers write about these most important of issues: wildlife and the environment?

Africa Internet Penetration - 2012 With about half of its people living below the poverty line; with wars, conflicts, poor infrastructure and poor institutions; and unreliable electricity supply in most urban areas or none at all for most of its people - most people in Africa have no time for thinking of the Internet let alone use it. Still, it is in Africa that the Internet is growing fastest.

Africa Coral Reefs It is not only the Great Barrier Reef that is in danger of disappearing. Found mainly along eastern and southern Africa, stretching from the Red Sea to Madagascar to South Africa - Africa's coral reefs are no better off. The threats are many: climate change is one   - which cause rising sea temperatures and cyclones which are destructive to reefs. Bleaching (when either the algae inside die, or the algae leave the coral) and toxic pollution from industrial waste and other human activities, such as uncontrolled fishing, mining, shipping and tourism, are other factors that are causing the destruction of the reefs. The ongoing oil and gas exploration and drilling along eastern Africa, is another major cause for the reefs being more threatened.

World wide, Africa has the least people using this most powerful, very useful of tools: the Web and the Internet. That's according to Tim Berners-Lee's newly created and just launched Web Index , which is described as a  new country-by-country global study that measures the impact of the Web on the world’s people and nations .

Lesula Monkey It is the 21st Century and, incredibly, a new monkey species has been discovered in Africa. In the Democratic Republic of Congo. In June 2007, a previously undescribed monkey known locally as “lesula” was found in the forests of the middle Lomami Basin in central Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) .

The Democratic Republic of Congo has half of Africa's and one of the  world's largest surface fresh water reserves. Now, for the first time ever, researchers from the British Geological Survey and University College London have presented detailed maps of the amount and potential yield of under groundwater resource across the continent. It is immense. Not all of this groundwater storage is available for abstraction, but the estimated volume is more than 100 times estimates of annual renewable freshwater resources on Africa . This survey and these maps, have the Democratic Republic of Congo as having, too, a huge amount of underground water. And yet in 2011, UNEP report s that an estimated 51 million people in the country ( Congo ) or three quarters of the population – have no access to safe drinking water . Africa has no shortage of fresh water, and yet the case is no different in most of Africa where very few people have access to clean drinking water; in 2010, UNICEF/WHO ...

For most Africans, since their countries got independence, BBC has been the most preferred and most tuned to - news channel from a foreign country. Then, for TV viewers, in the 1990s came CNN; which was then followed by Al Jazeera. All along, the French on their part have been transmitting news in French and in English. But, whoever thought of Africans tuning in to a Chinese news channel? That's what the main international Chinese channel is aiming at: CCTV (China Central TeleVision) - headquartered in Beijing,  is soon going to expand . The state broadcaster is launching a major expansion in pursuit of an international audience, increasing its overseas staff fivefold by the end of next year and almost tenfold by 2016 . It hopes to win millions of viewers in the US and Africa with English-language services produced in Washington and Nairobi ....... At the heart of operations will be six hubs: two probably in London and Dubai and others in South America and the Asia Pacific re...

It is not how long we live that matters. It is what we do while living that does. For me, she has been the greatest Kenyan who ever lived. A philanthropist. A humanitarian. A politician. An activist. And one of the bravest and greatest campaigners the world has ever known. But, it is as one of the greatest environmentalist that the world has ever known that Wangari Maathai will always be known for and remembered for. That made her, worldwide, be so revered and so highly regarded like no other Kenyan. She was the first woman from the East and central African countries to have a doctorate. And the first African woman to have won the Nobel Peace Price.  Against poverty. Against injustice. For human rights. For women's rights. For peace. And above all, for the environment. She lived. She practiced. She did. And dedicated her life to. Bravely and courageously dedicated her life to. We will always fondly remember her and miss her as not only the greatest activist Kenya has ever know...

"To .. all the dispossessed youth of Africa: for perpetuation of communion with ancestral spirits through the fight for African freedom, and in the firm faith that the dead, the living, and the unborn will unite to rebuild the destroyed shrines." ~ Jomo Kenyatta 'Divided we are weak; united, Africa could become one of the greatest forces for good in the world. I believe strongly and sincerely that with the deep-rooted wisdom and dignity, the innate respect for human lives, the intense humanity that is our heritage, the African race, united under one federal government, will emerge not as just another world bloc to flaunt its wealth and strength, but as a Great Power whose greatness is indestructible because it is built not on fear, envy and suspicion, nor won at the expense of others, but founded on hope, trust, friendship and directed to the good of all mankind.' ~ Kwame Nkrumah “African nationalism is meaningless, dangerous, anachronistic, if it is not, at the...

Click on it to enlarge Do global rankings matter? According to the World Economic Forum, they do. The Forum's report for 2011-2012 , just released, puts most African countries at the bottom of the rankings. I quote from Business Live : Only two Sub-Saharan African economies, South Africa and Mauritius, were in the top half of the Global Competitiveness Index rankings; in fact, among the bottom 20 economies, 13 hailed from the region . Two of my most favorite African countries have done well: Mauritius and Rwanda . Both, small. Both, without any of the valued natural resources. Except, both - have visionary, gifted leaders and governance. Mauritius moved only one step this year. While Rwanda, the wonder nation, moved ten ranks up. For some reason, some countries like Seychelles , the Comoros and a few other countries are not included. Of the East African countries, Kenya , out of the 142 countries, has moved up four places and ranks 102nd; while Tanzania falls by six ranks...

On a scale not seen on the continent in nearly 60 years, famine is once again stalking Africa. Caused mainly by the severest droughts in years; and also by the effects of climate change , floods, mismanagement of land and food supplies, political instability, and regional conflicts. Nearly 11 million people are now affected and starving, mainly in Somalia; and also in: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and even in Uganda - the land of plenty . BLOATED bellies with stick arms and legs; huge eyes staring out of skeletal heads; gaunt mothers trying to suckle babies on withered breasts. The world thought it might never see such scenes again. Famine in Africa, absent for many years, appeared to have gone the way of diseases for which we now have cures or vaccines. Yet, after the worst drought in 60 years, more than 10m people in the Horn of Africa need emergency food aid. Livestock have been annihilated. Hundreds of thousands of people are streaming into refugee camps in search of help. Malnutri...

Slavery still exists. In many forms.What is slavery? It is the involuntary subjection to another or others. Slavery emphasizes the idea of complete ownership and control by a master: to be sold into slavery. Bondage indicates a state of subjugation or captivity often involving burdensome and degrading labor: in bondage to a cruel master. Servitude is compulsory service, often such as is required by a legal penalty: penal servitud e. In many parts of Africa, slavery is still practiced; in some African countries, slavery is openly practiced. Across the continent: children are sold, exploited and used as domestic or sexual slaves; women are trafficked across countries and continents and sold. Human wickedness has no boundaries: recently, in Nigeria - a 'baby producing factory' was discovered: Police in Nigeria freed 32 teen girls from an alleged "baby factory" used to feed the region's exploding sex trade and human trafficking markets, authorities said....... N...