The Protest Blame Game

Hi????

Protests in Kenya have increased in intensity since Raila Odinga’s first calls for demonstrations against President William Ruto in November 2022. Initially considered by Nairobians to be a public nuisance – or cause for light-hearted jokes about the imposition of a four-day work week – the rising death toll of demonstrators at the hands of police underscores the seriousness of the issue. While local media continues to centre Odinga’s role in riling up the public, the protests are also driven by a cost of living crisis. Kenya’s macroeconomic condition speaks for itself, with the shilling continuing to slide to all-time lows and inflation remaining stubbornly high despite austerity measures. While Kenyans debate rumours of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan flying to Mount Kenya to mediate between Odinga and Ruto, narratives that place Raila as entirely to blame for growing popular outrage ignore the plight of the common mwananchi. The controversial Finance Act 2023 – which is in limbo as the result of legal petitions – remains a source of grievance for many citizens, who object to the imposition of fiscal measures at a time of rising living costs. With the IMF pushing for the implementation of the Finance Act, we hope the country’s leaders can cease politicising the common citizen’s pain and focus on solutions.?

Yours in solidarity,

AP

??? SHE-POLOPOLO

Zambia is making its debut at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The team, dubbed “she-polopolo” – after their male counterparts, known as chipolopolo, or copper bullets – stunned spectators at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics when its brilliant striker,?Barbra Banda, scored consecutive hat-tricks, becoming the first woman to achieve this feat at the games.?

?? 11.6

African countries were exposed to international bond yields averaging 11.6% – a major borrowing premium relative to Asia and Oceania (6.5%), the United States (3.1%) and Germany (1.5%), according to a new?UNCTAD report. Onerous borrowing costs complicate African countries’ efforts to fund capex projects and development plans, while also threatening refinancing, thereby jeopardising debt sustainability.

?? RAINING ON THE PRIDE PARADE

As lawmakers in Uganda, Kenya and Ghana debate bills designed to protect “family values” at the expense of LGBTQ individuals, consultant Hannah Atkins and associate consultant Jasmine Okorougo?consider?the drivers and consequences.

????? FOOD FEARS

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency over food security in the country. Nigeria, which is heavily reliant on food imports, having expended NGN 7.8 trillion (USD 14.58 billion) over the last six years, has been significantly affected by the supply chain?shocks?wrought by the conflict in Ukraine. The government’s proposed action plan includes the immediate release of fertiliser to 50 million farmers and households, increased physical security for agricultural land, and a stipend of NGN 8,000 (USD 10) per month for six months to poorer households. Agricultural unions have expressed their?concerns?over the role of the Central Bank of Nigeria in disbursing funds, citing misappropriation in previous schemes.

????? NOT WAG-AIN

A new contingent of mercenaries from the Wagner Group has?arrived?in the Central African Republic ahead of a constitutional referendum on 30 July. The vote would remove the two-term presidential limit,?enabling?President Faustin-Archange Touadéra to seek a third mandate in 2025. The arrival of the fighters comes in the wake of an aborted mutiny in Russia, led by the group's founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, which raised questions about the future of the group's operations in Bangui. While the government stated that the fighters' movement is part of a routine rotation, senior military sources indicate that hundreds of fighters have been deployed to CAR to secure the referendum.

????? ?????SADC (RE)DEPLOYMENT

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has?renewed?its Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) until 16 July 2024, albeit with a phased withdrawal from December 2023. SADC forces have been deployed in Mozambique since July 2021, supporting the battle against insurgents in Cabo Delgado province. Their withdrawal will force the remaining Mozambican, Tanzanian and Rwandan troops to regroup in order to consolidate gains and prevent a resurgence of violence. Scaling back numbers in Mozambique will enable the regional community to deploy forces to the DRC, as part of a new mission approved by the SADC Organ Troika. SAMIDRC will work to address the deteriorating security situation in the eastern part of the country, which is increasingly drawing in more and more regional players – a contingent from the?East Africa Community?was deployed last November.?

???? DST DRIVE

Following pressure from Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, parliament has passed a 5% tax on income earned by non-resident digital service providers. The digital service tax (DST) proposal was initially thrown out by legislators but was?resubmitted?by the president, with State Minister of Finance Henry Musasizi defending the levy by claiming that it would raise upwards of UGX 5 billion (USD 1.4 million) per year to support public spending. Musasizi explicitly named Netflix, Google, Uber, and Facebook as platforms that would be targeted under this new levy, apparently ignoring the fact that the latter was?blocked?in January 2021 upon?orders?from the President.

???BARBIE AS AI?

Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated film?Barbie?is being praised for its extensive marketing strategy. As part of that strategy, Buzzfeed published a list of AI-generated Barbies from “every country”. Social media users were not pleased. The images received?heavy criticism?for reinforcing stereotypes and depicting cultural inaccuracies. The original AI-generated list included a gun as one of the accessories for the South Sudanese Barbie. This gaffe highlights the?ethical dilemma?associated with AI-generated images. As we delve into the realm of AI-generated images, questions concerning authenticity, consent, and the potential for misuse will continue to arise.

???BASQUI-ART

Nigerian musician Asake, in?collaboration?with his label EMPIRE, has partnered with Jean-Michel Basquiat's estate to host an album listening party and exhibition viewing for?Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure. In June, Asake released his album?Work of Art, which pays tribute to the late Basquiat. The album features a cover inspired by the artist and a track named after him. Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux, Basquiat's sisters, serve as curators of the exhibition, which will showcase nearly 200 rarely-seen paintings, drawings, ephemera, and artefacts. Additionally, the exhibition presents meticulous recreations of Basquiat's studio in New York City.

????DIGITAL FINANCE AFRICA 2023 CONFERENCE

Under the theme “Secure Horizons: Building Trust in Africa’s Digital Finance Future”, this conference convenes digital finance enthusiasts in Johannesburg on 2 August. It aims to dissect the latest industry trends across cybersecurity, data privacy and regulatory compliance; building trust in the digital financial ecosystem, and showcasing innovative security solutions that will play an integral role in the future.

??? EAST AFRICA PUBLIC LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

Applications are open for Futurelect's East Africa leadership programme, intended to support the development of strong, diverse networks of political and government leaders across the region. Participants will engage in a comprehensive nine-month curriculum that includes interactive workshops, expert-led seminars, practical case studies, and collaborative projects.?Deadline?is 31 July.

?? THE CURIOUS CASE OF DASSOUKINE'S TROUSERS – FOUAD LAROUI

Set in Morocco,?The Curious Case Of Dassoukine's Trousers?delves into identity, culture, and the immigrant journey. Laroui's writing is a brilliant blend of wit and insight, skillfully capturing the absurdities of daily existence. With a touch of humour, the stories provide a distinct lens through which to explore Moroccan culture, offering readers a unique and engaging perspective

???SAVIOUR – THE CAVEMEN

While plenty of new West African artists claim Highlife as a source of inspiration, few have centred the sound like sibling duo Kingsley Okorie and Benjamin James – AKA The Cavemen. Though constantly innovating their interpretation of the classic genre, their latest?release, Open Your Mind/Saviour, is a more true rendition, with “Saviour” taking a down-tempo spiritual direction that may induce nostalgia among those who grew up listening to Highlife gospel records.

This newsletter was originally posted on 19 July as part of our subscription service. You can join our mailing list to stay up-to-date on recent developments.

Copyright ? 2023?Africa Practice, All rights reserved.