🔅 Gabon President Overthrown, Unrest in Ethiopia Leads to 183 Dead
Plus, Nigerian Police Raid Gay Wedding & An Update on the Gold Scam at Lusaka Airport
Photo of the day: Anjouan, Comoros
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Uganda's Got Money to Make: Airtel Uganda's Huge IPO | Uganda is about to make some major money, thanks to Airtel Uganda’s upcoming IPO. The telecommunications firm, owned by billionaire Sunil Mittal’s Airtel Africa, is looking to raise a whopping $216 million—which would be Uganda’s biggest share sale ever. It’s all part of the government’s plan to increase local shareholding and deepen the country’s capital markets.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five Highlights
Mutiny in Gabon: President Bongo Overthrown
Well, it’s been a good run, Ali Bongo Ondimba—for 55 years, his family has run Gabon and grown its wealth using tremendous oil revenues, while the country’s economy has stagnated. But now the people have spoken—well, the soldiers have spoken, and they’ve overthrown the president. It all started with a recent announcement of Bongo’s win—again—in a presidential election that was anything but transparent. Not long after, gunfire was heard in the capital city, Libreville, and within minutes, a dozen uniformed soldiers were on TV, announcing they’d seized power. The people of Gabon seemed thrilled, with TV footage showing them singing the national anthem in the city's streets. It looks like this coup was a long time coming—the Bongo family has been facing discontent among his people for years, and the Sahel coups (eight since 2020) probably inspired this one too, even though Gabon doesn't face an insurgency in the same way the other countries do. The latest electoral process was once again shady, so the military was able capitalize on that. The soldiers have vowed to dissolve all institutions of the republic, and the people of Gabon are hoping for a better future.
Nigerian Police Raid Gay Wedding
A wedding ended in 67 arrests in Nigeria's southern city of Warri, after police raided an alleged gay wedding. It turns out, gay marriage is illegal in the country. According to the police, they were tipped off by a male cross-dresser who was being interrogated at the time. In Nigeria, as with most parts of Africa, homosexuality is generally viewed as unacceptable. The nation's anti-gay law includes a prison term of up to 14 years for those convicted, and bans gay marriage, same-sex relationships, and membership of gay rights groups.
Gold Scam at Lusaka Airport: Zambian Court Denies Bail
It sounds like a movie plot: 11 men, a plane full of guns, bullets, cash, and what was thought to be fake gold, and a plan to swindle buyers. But this is the real deal—Zambian authorities seized a plane at Lusaka Airport a few days ago (as we previously reported), and the five Egyptians and six Zambians on board are being charged with espionage. The charge sheet didn’t mention the aircraft or seized goods, but the defence team has confirmed the details. As if that wasn’t enough drama and intrigue, an Egyptian journalist was reportedly assaulted in Cairo for writing about the plane. Now, the court has denied bail to the 11 men, leaving their fate up in the air. What's the story behind all this? Only time will tell.
Ethiopia's Unrest: 183 Dead and Counting
Things in Ethiopia are looking grim. Since July, 183 people have been killed in clashes in the Amhara region, with over 1,000 people reportedly arrested. A reported airstrike on a crowded town square earlier this month killed at least 26 people. The genesis of the situation is a two-year conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region that recently ended, and in which Fano, the Amhara militia, fought alongisde the government. However, Fano is now resisting the federal government's efforts to disband them, which is why the government is targeting them. It's a tragic situation, with mass house-to-house searches, and young people of Amhara ethnic origin being targeted and detained in improvised centres. The UN is calling for an end to the fighting, for detainees to be released, and for mass arrests to stop.
Experiencing Slow Internet in Southern Africa? They're Fixing It
If you’ve been stuck with slow internet connections in parts of Africa, help is on the way! A specialized vessel is en route to fix the West Africa Cable System, which is a 10,000-mile-long cable running along the sea floor from Europe to southern Africa. The cable was damaged by a rockfall earlier this month off the Congo coast, so the 40-year-old vessel, Leon Thevenin, is ready to sail in and save the day. It’s got all the special features for working in extreme conditions and shallow or deep water, so they’re hoping the repair voyage will be finished in September—weather permitting, of course.
Food for Thought
“If two wise men always agree, then there is no need for one of them.”
— Zambian Proverb.
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