Vol 57 No 16 | SOUTH AFRICA Nkosazana's trial balloon 5th August 2016 The Youth League of the African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal has fired the first salvo in the 2017 ANC succession race. It has publicly backed the outgoing African Union Comm...
Vol 57 No 15 | ZIMBABWE Dollar crisis puts opposition on the streets 22nd July 2016 Economic meltdown and political anger raise doubts about the International Monetary Fund debt deal When the government failed to pay army salaries on time on 14 July, it sparked fresh argument among ministers and ruling party barons about the way out of the economic morass. Army... READ FOR FREE
Vol 57 No 15 | SOUTH AFRICA ANC unruffled by DA surge 22nd July 2016 Governing party stalwarts are sanguine about their prospects in the local elections but the opposition smells a breakthrough On a cold July evening, downtown Johannesburg was abuzz with celebrities and African National Congress politicians sporting designer outfits in party colours and drinking Champagne...
Vol 57 No 15 | ANGOLA Dos Santos takes stock, shares 22nd July 2016 As the President plans his succession, he takes a stronger hold of the economy while promoting his daughter to giddy heights The centre of Angolan politics shifted to Spain this month as President José Eduardo dos Santos arrived for his twice-a-year retreat on 2 July. It is in Barcelona that he takes st...
Vol 57 No 15 | ZAMBIA Lungu's media vendetta 22nd July 2016 The President is determined to keep an opposition-supporting newspaper off the streets, seemingly at any cost President Edgar Lungu wishes to keep The Post, the newspaper and news website which is his declared opponent, closed until after the 11 August election, say sources close to State ...
Vol 57 No 15 | ZAMBIA Kaizar the kingpin 22nd July 2016 Presidential advisor Kaizar Zulu is the architect – or is blamed for – a ruthless re-election strategy Most people in Lusaka see Kaizar Zulu merely as President Edgar Lungu's State House sidekick but as the top aide puts it himself, nobody gets to see his boss without his say-so. He...
Vol 57 No 14 | ZAMBIA A close political race gets angrier 8th July 2016 The government has closed the leading independent newspaper which uncovered plans to rig next month's election Credible claims of bias at the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the suspicious inflation of the number of registered voters are heating up the campaign ahead of presidentia... READ FOR FREE
Vol 57 No 14 | MOZAMBIQUE Frelimo's ostrich plan 8th July 2016 Faced with an economic emergency, the country's leaders pray for indulgence from donors and hope hungry citizens do not revolt President Filipe Nyusi still refuses to take special measures to deal with the economic crisis and is butting heads with donors over what is to be done. Meanwhile, he and his gover...
Vol 57 No 13 | SOUTH AFRICA The big rand short 24th June 2016 The National Treasury has launched an investigation into companies suspected of trying to profit from the volatility of the rand over the past year. Business circles have been buzz...
Vol 57 No 13 | ZAMBIA Not the last Post 24th June 2016 Ahead of national elections on 11 August, the government has shut Post Newspapers, publisher of the country's biggest selling daily, claiming the company has failed to pay its taxe...