Uganda President Museveni’s son Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba is in the quest for the presidency. Muhoozi might not become president, but his bid could have the unintended consequence of giving Uganda it’s biggest democratic advance in over 55 years #UG2026 1/7 Muhoozi's father too still wants the presidency. In power for 37 yrs now, and is being touted as “sole” candidate by the ruling NRM for 2026. Muhoozi has slammed the NRM as the most reactionary party in Uganda, and the war of words with its “Historicals” continues #UG256 2/7

As African food becomes global, it is vital that the rich history and the stories behind West African dishes be shared with the world as well. Pearl millet originates from an area that includes Mali and Mauritania #AGRAF2022 1/9
qz.com/how-west-afric… In Sudan-Sahel, millet and guinea corn (sorghum) are the traditional staple ingredients for food, drinks (kunu), and beer (burukutu and pito). This beer tradition has been wiped out in parts where the population adopted Islam #AGRAF2022 2/9

As Africa’s digital economy grows, expensive internet hinders investor activity in some countries. Mobile data is so costly in these countries that 1GB costs at least $10, 250 times more expensive than Israel, said to have the world’s cheapest data - A
techcrunch.com/2022/07/27/as-… The most expensive mobile data in Africa is in Sao Tome and Principe where 1GB costs $29, while in Botswana it costs $16. In Togo ($13), Seychelles ($13) and Namibia ($11) - B

46 years ago today, on July 4, 1976, elite Israeli forces flew over 3,218kms & rescued hostages in the “Entebbe Raid”. It set off a series of events that eventually ended Uganda military dictator Idi #Amin’s rule in April 1976 #EntebbeRaid #1 The mostly-Israeli hostages were on board an Air France Airbus A300 airliner with 248 passengers that was hijacked June 27 by Palestinian militants. During the rescue, the Israelis destroyed most of Amin's Airforce planes – barely 3kms away was Amin’s State House #EntebbeRaid #2

Have you noticed that the more an African govt shouts anti-imperialist/anti-western slogans, the more likely it or its officials are to cut corrupt & anti-people with the same foreigners? They use it as cover, a false alibi 1/4 If we leave the present lot aside for a while and go back some years, DRC’s Mobutu Sese Seko with his leopard skin hats did “authenticite”, getting rid of “white names” etc as he became Africa’s most corrupt leader & sold off his country to nasty western mining cartels 2/4

It costs $2,000 to ship a container (9,555Km away) from China to Beira in Mozambique, but a further $5,000 to ship it just 500Km inland to Malawi 1/12
economist.com/middle-east-an… If time is money, the Beitbridge crossing at the Zimbabwe-South Africa border would be the most expensive place. $68 is the going rate for bribes to the front. In 2020 four drivers died in their vehicles while waiting 2/12

The fate of other empires teach us lots about how Vladimir Putin's Pax-Russica quest might end. The great Mali Empire collapsed following civil wars, the opening up of trade routes elsewhere (note carefully), and the rise of neighbouring Songhai Empire 1/ 5 The equally impressive Aksumite empire in northeast Africa, collapsed due to invasions by Islamic forces which cut off its booming international trade (trade again), and overuse of agricultural land (climate change) 2/5

Talking of war, in Africa at least – beer and cigarettes are what the warring parties usually agree on. During the Liberian civil war (1989 -1997) the govt side & rebels didn’t destroy the brewery in Monrovia 1/5 It was claimed that under an unwritten agreement, Liberian govt troops would collect their beer in the morning, and the rebels would pick their booze in the afternoon. Neither side attacked the other’s cargo 2/5

LONG THREAD: To know Uganda is to understand how its relatively fertile lands, water, and bountiful harvests shape its social dynamics, politics/democracy, and geopolitical posture in Eastern Africa and the Great Lakes 1/14 Uganda has lower food prices, and a higher calorie intake than ALL the countries in Eastern Africa that have more mechanised agriculture, irrigate several times more, and use fertilisers at far higher levels than it does 2/14

1/5• Isaac Vah Tukpah (R), co-author of “George Weah: The Dream, The Legend, The Rise to Power”, leaves Liberia after his departure was blocked last week. The book, among other things, quotes President Weah speaking about the sexual habits of his wife. 2/5• As the torments of Ugandan author .@KakwenzaRukira remind us, writing about African leaders, their relatives, body parts, and habits, has become dangerous business. Seems only those who have fought lions should venture.
theguardian.com/world/2022/jan…

A friend in Nairobi, who can’t publicly comment on the Ethiopia-Tigray conflict “for diplomatic reasons” (his initials are D.O) sent me these “6 Things The Ethiopia Conflicts Tells Us About Africa Today” 1/7.
📸Amanuel Sileshi/AFP We are seeing the crisis/death of 2nd generation constitutions: Ethiopia with its diversity-sensitive constitution, federalism & self-determination clauses, mirrored in the angst and twitches in South Africa 2/7

Poverty is why people are religious and churchy, says Nigerian activist Reno Omokri, and that overcrowded & underdeveloped places make people believe their prayers do not get answered 1/ 4
kaftanpost.com/poverty-is-why… When these same [religious Africans] relocate abroad and see that their prayer requests are easily met in their new locations, they lose their religiosity 2/4

The CIA saw Congo nationalist Patrice Lumumba as “a [Fidel] Castro or worse”, and moved in with dollars and a hitman instructed to assassinate Lumumba with poisoned toothpaste - THREAD 1/14
historyextra.com/period/20th-ce… The money secured the loyalty of Col. Joseph-Désiré Mobutu. His soldiers detained Lumumba, who was murdered soon afterwards. Mobutu was America’s man. He amassed a personal fortune estimated at several billion US dollars by stealing the nation’s wealth 2/14

Now there’s a chance of justice for Thomas Sankara, it’s useful to review what got him killed 1/8
theconversation.com/now-theres-a-c… Thomas Sankara was the leader of a bold initiative to transform a country trapped in a dependent relationship with the rest of the world, particularly France 2/8

In Lekki, one of the poshest suburbs of Lagos, the Nigerian army removed the cameras, turned off the street lights & LED billboard and killed "over 78" #EndSARS protestors singing the national anthem…then put the dead bodies in their trucks 1/7
thetelegram.com/opinion/local-… Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation (200M people), is really two countries. The southern, mostly Christian half, with all the oil, ports & most industry, is around 95% literate. Only 1 of the 19 northern, mostly Muslim states is over 50% literate 2/7
thetelegram.com/opinion/local-…

The wall network of Benin City was collectively 4 times longer than the Great Wall of China and consumed roughly 100 times more material to build than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt 1/5
humanprogress.org/centers-of-pro… Benin City was also notably AMONG THE FIRST urban centres to have a likeness of street lighting. There were large metal lamps that burned palm oil, standing many feet high, placed around the city 2/5

Struck up a conversation with the chap who cuts pineapple & other fruits at the Nairobi Carrefour where I shop. Seems he was puzzled, then surprised, that a customer would want to talk to him in any serious way. But he has a story 1/5 #NairobiPineappleCutter Over the last 3 years, and he's gotten very adept at slicing pineapples. I asked him how many pineapples he has cut. Another puzzled look. He laughs, and says, "ah, they are too many to count".
I tell him, "You can, just write them down each day" 2/5 #NairobiPineappleCutter

“No Roses from My Mouth” .@drstellanyanzi’s collection of poetry (159 of them, some were seized) that was written in prison, is a deliberately provocative – and apt – response to a dictatorial regime that fails to see the folly of imprisoning writers 1/8
theelephant.info/features/2020/… We have not had a book like “No Roses From my Mouth” this in this region. It is hard to think of another writer doing what Nyanzi is doing - A. K. Kaiza 2/8

On 1 March 124 years ago, Ethiopian Emperor Menelik's warriors, farmers, pastoralists & women routed a well-armed Italian army in Adwa. The spectacular victory ensured Ethiopia’s independence, making it the only African country never to be colonised 1/4
theconversation.com/the-battle-of-… Before it was defeated, Italy’s expansion across Ethiopia was facilitated by the devastation caused by rinderpest that killed up to 90% of the country’s livestock. Famine & disease had also wiped out over 30% of Ethiopia’s population between 1888 & 1892 2/4