🔅 140,000 Zambians sue mining giant Anglo American
Today’s Issue: Brawl in Senegal’s parliament, An auction house in Belgium tried to sell three skulls, Burkina Faso suffers another attempted coup... ☕
baobabnewsletter@substack.com
Photo of the day: Viewpoint of the Moon, Belas, Angola
Markets
🔺 Nigerian SE: 48,154.65 (+1.04%)
🔺 Johannesburg SE: 74,360.54 (+0.88%)
🔻 Ghana SE: 2,463.44 (-11.68%)
🔻 Nairobi SE: 126.42 (-24.05%)
🔻 US S&P 500: 4,076.57 (-15.01%)
🔻 Shanghai Composite: 3,156.14 (-13.11%)
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Botswana: The Bank of Botswana is keeping the monetary policy rate on lock at 2.65%, citing inflation that's gradually trending downward and on track to get back within its 3%-6% target range by 2024. Inflation has dropped to 13.1% year-on-year in October from 13.8% in September, but that's still way above the bank's preferred band. Bank of Botswana Governor Moses Pelaelo said the dip is due to the dissipating effects of previous price hikes.
HEALTH
140,000 Zambians Are Suing Mining Giant Anglo American
What's happening?
The people of Kabwe, Zambia, have lived with the long-term effects of lead poisoning, and a court in South Africa is finally giving them a chance to get justice. Last week, the court ruled that UN experts can intervene in a class action lawsuit against mining giant Anglo American, who they accuse of causing the lead poisoning at a colonial-era mine they were involved with from the 1920s to 1970s.
It’s a tragic story. Residents of Kabwe have seen their children suffer from lowered IQs, poor school performance, and stomach problems due to lead poisoning. Most of these mothers cannot afford treatment for their kids.
What do the people of Kabwe want?
The lawsuit seeks reparations for the 140,000 Zambian children and women of childbearing age allegedly affected by the lead poisoning, but Anglo American has denied responsibility. They’ve called the lawsuit “opportunistic” and implied a commercial motive in singling out the company.
But the people of Kabwe want justice. As community representative Barry Mulimba put it, they’re looking for the families affected to be compensated and the mining company to provide remedial measures to treat the areas where the lead poisoning is coming from.
What's next?
The South African court ruling is a massive step in the right direction, and a court hearing in January will decide if the class action lawsuit can go ahead.
In the meantime, the Zambian government has been providing medical help to the affected communities, and has already treated more than 10,000 women and children.
The case against Anglo American could significantly impact corporate legal accountability and access to justice for people around the world who have been wronged by big corporations. The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment report listed Kabwe as one of the world’s 50 most polluted places - and this could be the chance to turn the tide.
ACROSS THE CONTINENT
Other Headlines
🇨🇩 An auction house in Belgium tried to put three skulls of Africans killed during the colonial period in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo up for sale. Yes, you read that right. Thankfully, the skulls were pulled from the auction block before they could be sold, but not before the auction house, Vanderkindere, sparked profound anger among human rights organisations and social media users. Vanderkindere has since apologised. Aside from the obvious, the incident also highlights the strange fact that Belgium has no law against selling human skulls.
🇸🇳 Politics can get pretty heated, but nothing like the latest incident in Senegal’s parliament. During a budget presentation on Thursday, opposition MP Massata Samb strolled over to Amy Ndiaye Gniby of the ruling party and SLAPPED HER IN THE FACE. That set off a massive brawl, with chairs flying and insults being hurled, as well as some punches. Tensions between the ruling and opposition parties have been high since the July legislative election, in which the ruling party lost its majority. It doesn’t help that President Macky Sall is refusing to state clearly whether he plans to run for a third term, something the opposition says would be in breach of term limits. But hey, why argue when you can fight? Samb had been responding to some comments Gniby made about a spiritual leader opposed to Sall’s potential third term. Gniby’s response? “I don’t care.” Little did she know, Samb did care. A lot. Footage of the fight has been widely shared on social media, sparking a conversation about violence against women.
🇧🇫 The President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has confirmed reports that some elements of the army attempted a coup against him last week. Traore addressed the situation at a meeting in the capital Ouagadougou, telling attendees he knew who the perpetrators were. Still, he would prefer to take the diplomatic route instead of arresting them. He says that some perpetrators are trying to sabotage the government’s efforts and are even distributing money to influence certain elements to destabilise the government. Burkina Faso has already seen two coups this year and is struggling with an armed uprising that has swept in from neighbouring Mali.
IN TECH
Uncover raises $1M to expand skincare products across Africa.
Uncover Skincare, a Kenya-based startup, has raised a cool $1 million to expand its operations in Kenya and Nigeria. Uncover’s mission is to revolutionise the sector through data-led manufacturing that is tailored to the needs of the modern African woman. They’re selling their products through their online platform, on marketplaces, and in the stores of partner brands. The startup has grown 20-fold since its launch in 2020, and has built a community of 60,000 women in Kenya. Uncover plans to continue building and strengthening this community, starting with Kenya and Nigeria.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Proverb of the Day
“Where there are experts there will be no lack of learners.”
— Swahili Proverb.