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Published 14th September 2001

Vol 42 No 18


Kenya

Moi versus the economy

Galloping inflation, sinking export prices and corruption are bigger problems for the President than the opposition

President Daniel arap Moi has run out of promises. The Board of the International Monetary Fund refuses to unblock further loans - in particular, a hoped for quick credit of US$125 million. This is suspended until Moi's ruling Kenya African National Union steers an effective anti-corruption bill through parliament, and sells off the state telecommunications company and Kenya Commercial Bank. Opposition parliamentarians threw out an anti-corruption bill last month and a revised bill can hardly be passed before early next year. Any IMF help will come too late to rescue the economy before the elections that are scheduled for December 2002. The economy now hangs on tea. Coffee and tourism, once big foreign-exchange earners, lose millions of dollars to official rake-offs. State-owned companies are mired in bureaucracy and corruption. Business is pessimistic, domestic debt is swelling, public services are among the world's worst and officials are among the most corrupt. KANU has chosen political patronage and corruption scams over effective economic reform, in a desperate bid to buy next year's election, as it did those of 1992 and 1997.


Mixed Marriage

Image courtesy of Panos Pictures

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The wedding of the Kenya African National Union and the National Democratic Party was consummated in a carnival atmosphere at the Moi International Sports Complex outside Nairobi on...


Puppet or prince?

Image courtesy of Panos Pictures

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The ruling MMD's new flagbearer seems too close to Chiluba and too far from the voters

Levy Mwanawasa's emergence last month as the ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy's candidate for president is the least bad option for incumbent Frederick Chiluba, who has no intention...


By a whisker

President René's narrow victory showed that change is in the air

Three thousand more votes for the priest and it would have been curtains for 'the Boss'. Yet after 24 years of paternalistic socialism, plus lucrative capitalism for some,...


Bulyanhulu

Allegations about the brutal eviction of miners are being tested again

Environmental activists are demanding an international investigation into allegations that over 50 people were killed when Tanzanian police cleared the area surrounding the Bulyanhulu gold mine in 1996....


Of tuna and tourists

When supermarkets run out of imported toilet paper and shoppers fight for the last disposable nappies, there's a problem - in Seychelles, if not in most African countries....


In denial

The politics and economics aren't as bad as they look, says President Gbagbo

'There is no political crisis in Côte d'Ivoire,' President Laurent Gbagbo assured diplomats and politicians on 7 September. He was inaugurating the National Reconciliation Forum, which is meant...



Pointers

Milingogate

Zambian Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo has been at odds with the Vatican since 1982, when he was removed from his archdiocese of Lusaka and given unspecified duties in Rome...


The Chile factor

With 34 years in power and reason to fear retirement, President Gnassingbé Eyadéma shows signs of joining the club of presidents seeking to hang on in power. Premier...


Constitutional Conté

Guineans believe President Lansana Conté is also eager to join the 'third term' club. Territorial Administration Ministry officials are behind the 'spontaneous demonstrations' for a referendum on another...