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While other African leaders have continued to overstay in power, Meles Zewani, the prime minister of Ethiopia, has taken a decent decision that caused political earthquake on the continent. It was a surprise for the world to hear Meles announce that he willingly wants to step down. This is something rare on the continent, and it has been done by less than a dozen leaders. Relinquishing power in Africa is not always easy. It is usually by political turmoil that leaves hundreds of innocent people dead. Basing on this, it is unbelievable to hear Meles take this crucial decision. It is a decision that will contribute to stability of his country. Peace and development usually go hand in hand. In any peaceful country, one will ever find signs of development. On the other hand, chaotic and politically unstable countries will always lag behind in terms of development due to suppression imposed on them. Most of the times the African government spend a lot in endeavoring to settle political instabilities in stead of using the money to boast their lagging economical status.

Normally in Africa when there is power change many heads have to be sacrificed as once said by Idi Amin Dada, the X-president of Uganda. Amin is one the Africa leaders considered to have been the fathers of dictatorial governments. During his regime, many Ugandans died simply because they were suspected to be opposing his government. The loss of lives for power has been witnessed in many parts of Africa. Due to reluctance of many leaders to relinquish power, more worries are still coming up because there might be uprising against such governments that take people to be like hostages. On the contrary, Meles is ready to prove that life after the office is also enjoyable. He is going to be in the footsteps of people like late Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania. Nyerere is not only praised to be the father and the teacher of the country but also recently he has been canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church. Nyerere contributed to the current peaceful situation in Tanzania and the country is taken to be one of the most democratic countries on the continent. In addition, Nelson Mandela, the former and first black South African president is another example. Nelson Mandela did not overstay in power despite his toiling for it. He was jailed for a quite unbearable time but showed that what he wanted was not power only but also the well being of his people. That is what other African leaders should take in account. Africa needs leaders that think of its people but not power. How will Africa develop and come out of the problems facing it if our leaders do not stop planning how they are going to win the next elections five years before the scheduled time?

Therefore Meles Zewani can be judged as someone who loves his country and its people. He does not want bloodshed of his kinsmen. Stepping down does not mean that he will not still serve his country. He can always do it as long as he wants. Like Nelson, any leader who loves his country will always contribute to the country in any way. Whether in power or not, one can still do his best for the good of his people. But does African over-staying in power have any good? If so, should we belittle such an epoch-making event that is yet to happen in Ethiopia? Let us call upon our good and benevolent African leaders to always consider the consequences of over-staying in power.

The past taught us: Finding oil is dangerous. The world’s oil rigs and wells were like mosquitoes, sucking the oil like blood and transmitting malaria in return. Malaria in this case is the greediness that comes with the money to those few who really earn from selling oil.
But times have changed. Some say the big days of oil are over. It is harder to find and expensive to get and proceed. There are no more big findings like Nigeria or Saudi Arabia. The recent example of Uganda could show how times really have changed. Tullow Oil is now about to sign a contract with the government to start actually producing oil. Journalists all over the country try now to get Tullow Oil’s real motives and values, but they know how to play their cards.
Some people might think about an oil company, that it is corrupt and only interested in their own profit. Others fear that the world runs out of oil and the economical and even social changes that come with that. Right now these companies present themselves as transparent and aware of human rights and ecological issues. Let us all observe what they are doing and then see if it was a blessing or a curse to Uganda. Click here to read more on Allafrica.com. (picture by blog.kir.com)

It’s coming to the culmination of the US invasion in Iraq. The US pullback of the troops from the Iraq cities is an indication to this. The US troops in Iraq have been helping Iraqis to stabilize security after the downfall of Saddam government. But now that things have begun to change in the country, now is the time for the US to leave Iraqis to control everything on their own as quoted by US ambassador in Iraq. However, there are some worries that Iraq might not yet be ready to defend herself from the tensions of Al-Qaeda.

Despite the pullback of troops from the cities, there are still 131,000 US soldiers that remain in Iraq until the actual pullback which is due 2010. Though this pullback is significant as Rob Watson, the BBC defense and security correspondent says, the actual pullback will pose a greater challenge. It can be an advantage to the tension that is behind the country’s stability.

In Baghdad there are signs draped on some concrete blast walls that say: Iraq: my nation, my glory, my honor! This shows how patriotic and nationalistic Iraqis are. They have love for their country. The fact that they have been victims of whatever has been happening in their country, now it’s high time they celebrated because the situation is changing. It is like they have been suffocated but now they feel they are yet to be relieved. Surely, the world is happy to see peace in every country. Nobody wishes to see their friends or neighbors suffer. Thanks to whoever that contributes to the campaign against human rights violation.

Iraq, as an Arab country, has been americanized. There are many ways in which Iraqis have adapted to American systems. Like any other invasion in the world, the pullback of the US troops from Iraq will not mean the end of American influence in Iraq. When England left India and Africa, English culture and language still remained. Basing on this, the American culture and language will have to augment in once Arabic dominated country. Today, in Iraq there is democracy, which is said to be a western culture. Thus, there are many other western systems that have been introduced in Iraq since the invasion of the US.

However, it remains a mystery whether the US will have a great impact on Iraqis like the British had on Africans and Indians. Today, Africans and Indians have continued to use English as their official language irrespective of their own languages. It is surprisingly interesting how Indians and Nigerian films are produced in the language that was introduced to them not more than five score years ago. So, will this happen in Arab countries as well? Invasions usually leave behind great influence. That is what is expected to happen in the Arab world. But, do you think it will ever happen? The bias the Arab world has on the west is a hard conundrum to break through. Therefore the penetration of American culture in Iraq will be as hard as cracking a hard nut.

On 26th June 2009 the world mourned for the king. This time it was not the political king but the king of pop. Michael Jackson, a 50 year old artist was named the king of pop, and considered one of the most successful recording artists of all time. Sadly, one of his body parts failed and inevitably he took his last breathe in Los Angeles while the world still needed him. It was such a great loss to the world that the news about his death made many shade tears. This shows how his kingdom had expanded. His kingdom also has been peaceful because it is not always common that when a king dies everybody in his kingdom has to wail. Click for more…

At times things have to change. Like it is stated in the Bible that the first will be last. It was a great change on 21^st June 2009, when football turned against the so-called masters in it. Egypt’s loss to United States in confederation cup in South Africa was not only a loss but also a big shame to their coach who could never dream of a team like US beating African champions. It was a breathtaking event that all Arabic countries would never like to watch. In other words it was another US attack on the Arab world after the invention of the United States in Iraq. This left United States’ team feel high in the group as they even emerged to be on top of the world champions, the Italians. Was it something to show that the world will have to change? It is not comprehensible since such changes rarely happen. Despite the hardships at times change we must. Click for more…

It sometimes surprises how people take others to be. Whether someone holds whichever position in any field or not but we are all equal. Human beings are equal the fact that no one has special gifts from the supreme God that others cannot possess. It is just the matter of being chosen to serve in a specific field that differentiates our gifts. If someone is special in writing, someone else is special in reading or speaking and many other special gifts that people have got in this world. Then, why not remove this ideology from our heads of considering others higher or lower than us. In other words everyone is special in his own way.( From John Runbayiza of Studio Edirisa) Click for more…

It is another time when Ugandans prepare to have important elections to vote for their leaders. Many people are eager to reach that year which will again decide who to lead their precious country for the next five years from 2011. But what does the country need? Any African country needs stability in order to be with ability to fight against any crucial problems that normally face the continent. When it comes to fighting poverty and rampant diseases like malaria, AIDS and other terrible killer diseases, Africans have a little say about them compared to political rallies. Though Africa needs political stability, it has to first be free from diseases so that it can succeed in achieving all ways to its development. Click for more…

Football proved once more to be more than just a sport. When it comes to political tension in a country football is a great way, a great symbol for values like solidarity, dignity and courage. We saw that before in Honduras and Venezuela, where the two countries just started a war, because the public put so much symbolic power in the win or loss of their country. We had the same with East and West Germany, who just celebrated a big convention of people from one country, shouting out loud not only for their team, but also for a reunion in the late 1980s.
The recent example comes from Iran.
Iran’s citizens are crazy about football, and again, after the tense situation in the country after the controversial elections, football is a great way to display protest. The Match was in Seoul, South Korea. Formally it was about the World Championsship qualification, but considering the background with its thousands of Iranians demonstrating, shouting and marching on their streets people focussed more on the message the Iranian footballers would leave to the world. The country’s Football confederation warned the players before not to show any symbols as they would face the authorities’ fury after their return to Iran. Seven players wore green armbands -a symbol of solidarity with the protesters at home. On that day the protests were comparably big to Iran’s protests in 1973 that led to the Islamic Republic.
By the way, the game finished with a draw. South Korea couldn’t qualify, but who cares about football?
Read more about Iran, its history and its current political challenges on The Majority World Blog. (Picture from nytimes.com)

Everyone knows it. There are good and bad places to spend your weekend evenings in. Many of us just want to compensate the week’s stress with dancing, others like to drink, but the big majority does both, more or less successful. Let’s have a closer look in people’s party habits, what they like and dislike in a pub, club or bar. “I need reggae music and some booze” said Fred Mbabazi, 30. But what about facilities? For Noah Marahi, 21, it is most important to have discolights and nice soundproof corners to relax from, most likely with one of the hot girls. But how do you get in the mood, Noah? “Of course the place needs to offer also al kinds of drinks, both with and without alcohol.” Okay, now we have mentioned music, lights, dark corners and drinks. What else do we need in a nice club? Good company! Do you reach that club with friends, or do you just go alone and find company inside? “it is nice to find sharp guys, who know how to dance give good company, but there’s not too much they can get. I don’t even give them my phone number”, Prossy Katusiime, 23, says. Don’t you think that some people can get really annoying? “That is why a good club needs to have strict bouncers, who take care that no crooks enter and disturb me” says Comfort Abemigiha, 20, “and of course it’s nice to have pool tables, for times when you don’t feel like spinning on the big dancefloor.”
What is most important for your favourite club, to have fun, enjoy nightlife and get into the right mood? Drop us a line.

Have you ever seen a diamond? Have you ever held one in your hands? Do you know what it means to buy it, to own it and to wear it? Diamonds are often seen as synonyms for purity and truth. Women love it to get diamond rings, necklaces and other accessoirs, since they show the true, romantic feelings of their men. It is a symbol for wealth, style and status.
But where do these luxourious stones come from? Although it is quite hard to see where a diamond comes from it is very crucial to know where it was found, exported to and processed from. The reason is that some Rebels, Governments and even terrorist groups sell raw diamonds to fund conflicts, wars and for money laundering, tax evasion and organized crime. (Studio Edirisa’s Jan Limpinsel has more on this. Picture by liberalyouth.wordpress.com) Click for more…