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Published 5th July 1996

Vol 37 No 14

South Africa

White Zulus

Some of the blame for Inkatha's weaker showing in the local elections is being laid at the door of the numerous 'white Zulus' who have attached themselves to Mangosuthu Buthelezi's cause. The white Zulus and their professional advisors misunderstand South African politics, say some disenchanted Inkatha activists. White Zulu input ranges from hands-on constitutional advice from Italian-American Mario Ambrosini to the more discreet expositions of conservationist Sir Laurens van der Post. Somewhere in between can be found British zoo keeper and casino proprietor John Aspinall, who sometimes shares a platform with Buthelezi at Inkatha rallies.

Commonwealth collapse

Foreign minister Ikimi and his team bamboozle Marlborough House

Nigeria's delegation of 17 emerged victorious from its closed-door confrontation with the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group in London on 24-25 June. Led by Foreign Minister Tom Ikimi, it...

Dodging democracy

Having drawn up the rules, Captain Jammeh is to select his electoral opponents

Gambia's military rulers, like Nigeria's, appear to have got the better of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and its attempts to encourage democracy and human rights. After a...

Rabat tries reform

Worries about King Hassan's successor and an apparent power vacuum dominate politics

Political change is in the air. The heavy-handed and apparently politically motivated crack down on drug smugglers pitted the government, led by Interior Minister Driss Basri, against Casablanca's...

The king speaks out

Paul Kagamé has to watch the monarchists – now they are turning against him

Support for the government is shrinking as regional instability grows. After a wave of Hutu defections in the past year, there are signs of growing Tutsi disaffection. Tutsi...

My uncle, the President

Hassan Gouled's nephew is leading the succession race but is yet to convince Paris

Ismael Omar Guelleh, chef de cabinet to President Hassan Gouled Aptidon, has won another round in the struggle to succeed his uncle as President (AC Vol 37 No...

Pointers

To Boutros or not

Boutros Boutros-Ghali is taking his fight against Washington to the 8-10 July Organisation of African Unity summit in Yaoundé. He has spent recent weeks lobbying hard against United...

Talking Sharia

Amid heavy fighting and the rise of Islamist militias, General Mohamed Farah 'Aydeed' has changed his mind about Sharia courts. He had previously opposed them, considering them a...

Border butchery

Thousands of refugees from Southern Sudan have fled their camps in north-west Uganda, amid deepening insecurity. The exodus began on 18 June, emptying Wajo and Adana refugee camps...

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