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My Africa Today
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Akon In Tanzania.
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Kenyan Arts
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Dr. Philip Emeagwali: World Renowned African Computer Scientist
» My Africa Today Philip Emeagwali was voted history's greatest scientist (#1) of African descent — and the 35th greatest African of all time — in a survey for the September 2004 issue of the London-based New African magazine. President Bill Clinton extolled Philip Emeagwali as “the Bill Gates of Africa” but his fans countered that “Bill Gates is the Philip Emeagwali of America.” Emeagwali won the 1989 Gordon Bell Prize, the Nobel Prize of supercomputing.
In this day and age when Japanese, Chinese or anyone remotely resembling Asian descent is automatically presumed to hold superior mathematical and technological aptitude, Dr. Emeagwali poses a refreshing reminder (1) to the world that intellectual gifts come in all races, creeds and colors; and (2) to Igbos that when we strive for excellence, there is no limit to what we can achieve ... so strive for excellence!
Philip Emeagwali, biography, supercomputer scientist, Internet pioneer, mathematician, inventor.
So who is Philip Emeagwali, and what has he done that has made him so famous? Emeagwali first entered the international limelight in 1989 when he received the prestigious Gordon Bell Prize for performing the world's fastest calculation at 3.1 billion calculations per second. This calculation was remarkable not only because it was twice as fast as the previous world record, but also because of the method used to achieve this phenomenal task. Rather than use a multimillion dollar supercomputer, Emeagwali used the Internet to access 65,536 small computers simultaneously (called massively parallel computers).Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Africa : sexual growth among KAMBA of Kenya
» My Africa Today Lindblom (1920:p419)[1]: “The boys and girls play “father, mother and children” together. They build small huts of grass and imitate grown-ups, an imitation which is sometimes so carefully done that not even the sexual part of marriage is omitted. As is well known, such things cease to be a mystery to children of primitive people at a very early age”. Ndeti (1973:p109)[2] adds that the “period before puberty is characterized by very little sex education and sexual differentiation. Perhaps there is no need for this because sex roles are defined fairly early in life”. Girls are instructed at menarche by the mother or, in most cases, the grandmother. At this time, they may be ritually deflowered by a stick, while boys receive additional genital surgery beyond the circumcision they had at a younger age (Nida, 1962)[3]. Muthiani (1973:p55)[4] notes that “[s]ex education was the responsibility of the parents and, [in the case of girls,] the mothers. Girls had to be brought up to know not only what kind of people they should refrain from on the basis of sexual relations, but
also when and where not to have sexual contact. With their little biological knowledge, they managed to train their girls to the best of their limited ability; thereby training them for avoidance (breaking of sexual mores). As a result, cases of incest and premarital births or even pregnancies were very, very rare”. The same could be true for boys. A girl was not desirable in marriage until she has conceived (Eloit, 1:p125)[5]. During the second of puberty rites (age 15 or so), boys perform symbolic sexual acts on girls with special sticks (Mbiti, [1990:p121]). Marriage does not take place after circumcision or menarche (Kyewalyanga, 1977:p42). Clitoridectomy is practiced at ages unassociated with puberty, sometimes at age 4 or 5 (Middleton and Kershaw, 1965:p80)[6]. A man is not punished if he fornicates with a girl past puberty, even if part of the bride price has been paid, provided no pregnancy results; if she is prepubertal, he pays a goat. If he commits “unnatural” behaviour with a boy, a rare thing among the Kamba, he pays a goat and a bull (Penwill, 1951:p73, 74, 76)[7].Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone!
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Funny photos of Presidents
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The New Nairobi in Pics
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Africa's Billionaires
» My Africa Today Egypt is represented by the Sawiris dynasty patriarch Onsi and the new generation Naguib, Nassef and Samih. South Africa's representation is more varied with entries from the Oppenheimer family, the Rupert family and Donald Gordon. Here is how they pan out according to Forbes Magazine.
Naguib Sawiris (Egypt)
African Rank No.1 - World Rank No.62 - Wealth $10 billion
When the Onsi Sawiris decide to retire after building arguably what is one of the most powerful conglomerates in Africa, Orascom Holdings, it was time for the second generation of Sawiris, Naguib and his brothers Nassef and Samih to step to the fore. Each concentrated on different parts of their fathers empire and have sought to consolidate and then extend the achievements they inherited. Naguib has largely concentrated on Telecoms and has developed Orascom Telecom into one of the most powerful telecom operators in the Mediterranean and middle east.
Nicky Oppenheimer & Family (South Africa)
African Rank No.2 - World Rank No. 158 - Wealth $5 billion
The De Beers legacy started in 1888 and has grown into one of the largest producers of diamonds in the world, with around 40% of world diamond production by value attributable to De Beers "Family of companies". The Oppeheimers have been associated with De Beers since 1929 and have reaped the benefits as clever marketing and strategic alliance has seen the company grow. The Oppenheimers also have extensive holdings in the Anglo America Corporation, the gold mining firm.
Onsi Sawiris (Egypt)
African Rank No.2 - World Rank No.158 - Wealth $5 billion
Once the richest man in Africa, he has since divided his substantial commercial empire amongst his sons. The patriarch of the Sawiris family, Sawiris single-handedly built the Orascom empire from a little engineering consulting firm in Upper Egypt to the global empire it is today. He has since handed day to day running of Orascom's affairs to his three sons.
Johann Rupert & family (South Africa)
African Rank No.3 - World Rank No.194 - Wealth $4.3 billion
Johann Rupert is the eldest son of the late South African tycoon Anton Rupert. The elder Rupert built the industrial Conglomerate into a billion dollar conglomerate from a business he started with £10 in his garage. The conglomerate spans luxury goods, finance, mining interests and more and is now headed by Johan Rupert who has built on the successes of his late father.
Nassef Sawiris (Egypt)
African Rank No.4 - World Rank No.226 - Wealth $3.9 billion
The youngest of the three scions of Onsi Sawiris, Nassef has focused on the construction interests of the Orascom empire. Through a joint venture with Swiss cement giant Holderbank, Orascom controls over 25% of the Egyptian cement market.
Donald Gordon South Africa
African Rank No.5 - World Rank No.432 - Wealth $2.2 billion
Founder of Liberty Life, a life insurance company which he set up in 1958 and sold in 1999. He now has extensive holding in shopping centres, breweries and more. Gordon now lives in the United Kingdom.
Samih Sawiris (Egypt)
African Rank No.6 - Work Rank No.664 - Wealth $1.6 billion
Samih Sawiris took charge of the tourism and leisure interests of Orascom Holdings after his father's retirement from active management. Orascom has extensive holdings in hotels across the middle east.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Africa's Largest Hotels - Sub-Saharan Region
» My Africa Today 1. Hotel Ivoire - *** - 750 rooms - built 1973, 1977 (Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire)
2. Transcorp Hilton Abuja Hotel - ***** - 670 rooms - built 1987 (Abuja, Nigeria)
3. Eko Hotel & Suites - **** - 604 rooms - built 1983, 1988 (Lagos, Nigeria)
4. Sandton Sun & Towers InterContinental - ***** - 565 rooms - built 1984, 1993 (Johannesburg, South Africa)
5. Southern Sun Waterfront - **** - 546 rooms - built 1998 (Cape Town, South Africa)
6. Sheraton Abuja Hotel & Towers - **** - 540 rooms - built 1985 (Abuja, Nigeria)
7. ArabellaSheraton Grand Hotel - ***** - 483 rooms - built 2003 (Cape Town, South Africa)*
8. Southern Sun Elangeni - **** - 450 rooms - built 1971, 1973 (Durban, South Africa)
9. Garden Court Sandton City - *** - 444 rooms - built 1994, 1995 (Johannesburg, South Africa)
10. Grand Hotel Kinshasa - *** - 422 rooms - built 1976, 1989 (Kinshasa, Congo DR)
*To be renamed Westin Grand Hotel Arabella Plaza by end of July 2007Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Africa's wealthiest people & biggest companies - Forbes
» My Africa Today US$ Billionaires
Global rank___Name_______________Country______Worth (billion US$)
62_______Naguib Sawiris____________Egypt_______10
158______Onsi Sawiris______________Egypt_______5
158______Nicky Oppenheimer & family_South Africa__5
194______Johann Rupert & family____South Africa__4.3
226______Nassef Sawiris____________Egypt_______3.9
432______Donald Gordon___________South Africa__2.2
664______Samih Sawiris_____________Egypt______1.5
Biggest Companies
316 Standard Bank Group.. South Africa.. Banking
333 FirstRand ..South Africa.. Banking
474 Sasol.. South Africa.. Oil & Gas Operations
554 Sanlam.. South Africa.. Insurance
656 Telkom.. South Africa.. Telecommunications Services
705 MTN Group.. South Africa.. Telecommunications Services
1023 Remgro.. South Africa.. Conglomerates
1115 Bidvest Group.. South Africa.. Conglomerates
1190 Impala Platinum Holdings.. South Africa.. Materials
1273 Imperial Holdings.. South Africa.. Transportation
1433 Naspers.. South Africa.. Media
1443 Barloworld.. South Africa.. Conglomerates
1702 Steinhoff Intl Holdings.. South Africa.. Consumer Durables
1748 Alexander Forbes.. South Africa.. Insurance
1765 Gold Fields.. South Africa.. Materials
1837 Metropolitan Holdings.. South Africa.. Insurance
803 Royal Caribbean.. Liberia.. Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure
1508 Attijariwafa Bank.. Morocco.. Banking
957 Orascom Telecom.. Egypt.. Telecommunications Services
1560 Orascom Construction Inds.. Egypt.. Construction
1763 Telecom Egypt.. Egypt.. Telecommunications ServicesCustomize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Senegal sees "Atlantic Dubai" new beachside capital.
» My Africa Today Dubai: DP World said yesterday it will invest $534 million (Dh1.95 billion) in Senegal to upgrade the Port of Dakar and build a container terminal as part of several projects being considered in the West African nation.
The company said it has won a 25-year concession from the Senegal government to manage the port facilities. It will initially invest about Dh490 million in infrastructure and equipment at the Terminal à Conteneur to more than double its capacity to 550,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent container units).
The first phase of the project will be operational by the beginning of 2008 and completion is due by 2010.
In the second phase, DP World will develop and manage the new container terminal called Port du Futur. To be built at a cost of Dh1.46 billion, the facility will become operational in early 2011. Its annual capacity will be 1.5 million TEUs.
The Senegal project will be DP World's biggest port investment commitment in Africa. The Dubai firm is building a $300-million container terminal in Djibouti, which will open in late 2008 and create a transshipment hub in the East African nation. DP World also runs Djibouti's existing seaport and airport, while other Dubai companies manage customs operations and operate a free trade zone.
Several Dubai entities that form part of Dubai World, DP World's parent company, are planning to invest in Senegal, which is building a new $30-billion capital on its Atlantic coast.
Dubai investment will help the former French colony to establish much needed modern infrastructure.
The port concession follows an accord signed between Senegal and Jafza International, a unit of Dubai World, in December 2006 to set up an integrated Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Dakar. The agreement is expected to be finalised soon.
"There is potential for development of a free zone affiliated to the new port at Dakar. We also see considerable potential for tour-ism in Senegal with its beautiful coastline and extensive national parks. We are looking at investing in hotels and other recreation facilities there," Dubai World chairman Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem said.
Jafza International acted as a consultant to the Senegal government in the drafting of the legal framework required to facilitate the creation of the SEZ.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Skyscrapers in Africa by City and Country/.
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Kenya Live TV to promote Kenyan values and traditions globally
» My Africa Today Kenya Live TV is the first thematic channel from Kenya whose purpose is to promote Kenyan values and traditions globally, while encouraging and attracting development to and within Kenya. Kenya Live TV multi-dimensional repertoire of programs covers all facets of human endeavors, including news reports, action sports, soap operas, cultural entertainment shows, musicals and documentaries. Bring Swahili, English and other Kenyan dialect languages entertainment and Kenyan family values into your home with Kenya Live TV, the first nationwide Kenyan American TV network.
This new TV programming will be on satellite and not on the internet – no more delayed news, screen free
zing, picture distortion and loss of connection. Kenya Live TV will offer programming for every member of the family 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Catch a wide array of live news and talk shows, children programming, comedies, dramas, movies, documentaries, East African music videos and much more. Live news will be provided by Citizen TV. Programs such as Vioja Mahakamani, Vitimbi, Nje Huu Ni Ungwana, Tausi, Usiniharakishe, Tushauriane, Kisulisuli, Memorable Moments, Nguvu Zake Mwenyezi Mungu, Kuna Nuru Gizani, Chemi Chemi ya Baraka, Gospel Hour and Neno Litakuweka Huru will be broadcast by KBC (Kenya Broadcasting Corporation)Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Prof Ali Mazrui questioned Tanzania’s historical accounts in relation to Nyerere’s public policies.
» My Africa Today In a thought-provoking article in The Sunday Standard on December 24, 2006, Prof Ali Mazrui questioned Tanzania’s historical accounts especially in relation to the late Tanzanian President Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere’s public policy decisions.In an earlier article that was published in Britain titled: “Tanzania versus East Africa: A Case of Unwitting Federal Sabotage” Mazrui argued that Tanzania’s pursuance of socialism and self-reliance unintentionally destroyed the prospects for an East African Federation.
In most historical accounts Nyerere is said to have been willing to delay Tanganyika’s independence if it would lead to an East African Federation.
The extent to which Nyerere’s ujamaa (socialism) policy contributed to the collapse of the East African Community (EAC) is seldom mentioned.
Historians in Tanzania have not considered whether the country’s divergent policies were the main reason beh
ind the collapse of the community.
Most historians blame former Ugandan dictator, the late Idi Amin, for the collapse of the EAC. In our distorted historical perspective Tanzania’ s hands are clean!
Mazrui left Nyerere’s Pan-Africanist image in tatters when he claimed the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar was initiated by the West to protect Anglo-American cold war interests. He dismissed historical accounts that it was a home grown initiative to build one Africa.
Mazrui suggested that Nyerere was not amused by the contention that the union was part of the cold war strategy and not a case for Pan-Africanism.
Our history books are inundated with information on how our shared history, common security interests, economic needs and a desire for one Africa guided the unification of Tanganyika with Zanzibar.
But Mazrui argued that the then US President Lyndon Johnston and British Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas feared that the archipelago of Zanzibar would be converted by the Soviets into a communist nation with the suport of the Soviet Union and Cuba. This assertion cannot be found any where in our history books.
The books briefly mention that foreign manipulations of Zanzibar were detrimental to mainland interests without singling out machinations of the Soviet Union.
A foreign-initiated unification of Tanganyika and Zanzibar meant that external interests were paramount rather than the need to respond to local interests.
This may explain why the much envisaged benefits of the union are nowhere in sight.
But the professor must account for espousing contradictory thoughts in his column.
His suggestion that Zanzibar was more communism-prone than mainland Tanganyika is not plausible. Zanzibar, which was ruled by the Sultanate of Zanzibar, was feudal in nature. It was ruled by feudalism apologists who were unlikely to change policy direction. The Zanzibar Marxists, who were determined to wrestle power from the rulers of the time, depended on the Sultan’s moral and financial support.
In other words whichever direction the wind of political change in Zanzibar blew the colonial legacy of the economic blueprint of the Sultan would be firmly unaltered.
Socialist Tanganyika was more likely to fall under Soviets control and be a worry to Western hegemonies than Zanzibar. It is likely that the unity was brought about by the confusion in Zanzibar and Tanganyika’s experimentation with the virtues of an egalitarian society.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
General Electric to invest billions in Kenya .
» My Africa Today General Electric — the world’s second largest company — is planning to announce the creation of what could be the region’s biggest company in one massive investment.
This follows an act daring in the first quarter of this year by a committee set up to investigate possible areas of investment in Africa. A few months ago the committee approved the setting up in Kenya of GE’s largest and most capital-intensive venture in the continent, marking a turning point in the company’s investment policies.
Through expansion, GE says that it expects its businesses to achieve over ten per cent earnings growth most years, and is projecting long-term returns at 20 per cent. It is the search for these aggressive earnings figures that has brought GE knocking at Kenya’s door with a proposal that will shock foreign direct investment statistics noticeably in the next three years.
If the Kenyan deal goes through, it will rank as the single-biggest investment by a multinational in East and Central Africa. It will also provide thousands of job opportunities and boost Government tax revenue by an estimated Sh10 billion annually.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Micaela Reis made it among the top 10 finalists of this world in Miss Universe 2007.
» My Africa Today Miss Angola/2007, Micaela Reis, is among the world’s 10 most beautiful women, following an election in the 56th edition of the Miss Universe contest held Monday in Mexico city.
The pageant beauty contest, which brought together 80 candidates from across the world, was won by 20-year old Ja
panese Riyo Mori, followed by Brazilian Natália Guimarães, and Venezuelan Ly Jonaitis who ranked third.
In order to achieve that place, the 19-year old, 1,75-metre Angolan representative underwent qualifying proceedings before the members of jury chose the five finalists.
Micaela Reis was elected Miss Angola/2007 following a beauty pageant contest held in December 2006, in Luanda.Miss Universe Miss contest started in 1952.
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Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Expansion plan.
» My Africa Today On the 14th October 2005, the Kenya Airports Authority announced their plans to expand Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Over the next two years, the authority announced that it would improve airport facilities across Kenya, especially at Nairobi.
The expansion project was prompted as Jomo Kenyatta annual passenger flow topped 4 million, as the airport was only constructed to handel 2.5 million passengers.
In the expansion, the airport's size will be more than doubled, from 25,662 sq metres to 55,222 sq metres. Aircraft parking, which is currently constrained, will be increased from 200,000 square metres to over 300,000 square metres, and additional taxiways will be included. The arrivals and departures section would be fully separated, and the waiting area would be revamped.
The expansion would increase the airport's capacity to 9 million from 2.5 million. The project will cost the Kenya Airports Authority $100million. The World Bank will provide $10million.
It is currently being debated in government if Jomo Kenyatta Intl Airport should build a second runway. This followed an incident that closed the only operational runway for 1 day.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Zanzibar in Pictures.
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Oprah Winfrey has helped fund 28 schools in five African countries.
» My Africa Today OPRAH WINFREY
Through her Angel Network, the public charity she founded in 1998, talk-show host and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey has helped fund 28 schools in five African countries as well as personally creating the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, in South Africa, in 2007. She says, "Education is freedom; it's the only way out. Despite the poverty and despair many of these young African children face every day, they have a fierce determination to get an education. I want to help give them the chance they deserve."
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BARACK OBAMA : I can still remember my first trip to Africa
» My Africa Today BARACK OBAMA "I can still remember my first trip to Africa, two decades ago, when my sister's Volkswagen Beetle broke down," says Senator Barack Obama. "When I went back recently we had better transportation. But there was another difference. While that first trip was about discovering my past, my recent trip was about Africa's future. And it filled me with hope—because while significant obstacles remain, I believe we have the chance to build more equitable and just societies so that all people have the chance to control their own destinies."
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World Famous Photos.
» My Africa Today On July 22, 1975, photograph Stanley J. Forman working for the Boston Herald American newspaper when a police scanner picked up an emergency: “Fire on Marlborough Street!”
Climbed atop the fire truck, Forman shot the picture of a young woman, Diana Bryant, and a very young girl, Tiare Jones when they fell helplessly. Diana Bryant was pronounced dead at the scene. The young girl lived. Despite a heroic effort, O’Neil knew he had been just seconds away from saving the lives of both.Photo coverage from the tragic event garnered Stanley Forman a Pulitzer Prize. But more important, his work paved the way for Boston and other states to mandate tougher fire safety codes.
An experimental – and controversial – procedure for treating a crippling birth defect in the womb offered Trish and Mike Switzer the only chance that their daughter would walk like other children. But the fetal surgery posed a fatal dilemma: Their baby could die before she was born.
Photographer Max Aguilera saiud about this photo: “During a spina bifida corrective procedure at twenty-one weeks in utero, Samuel thrusts his tiny hand out of the surgical opening of his mother’s uterus. As the doctor lifts his hand, Samuel reacts to the touch and squeezes the doctor’s finger. As if testing for strength, the doctor shakes the tiny fist. Samuel held firm. At that moment, I took this “Fetal Hand Grasp” photo.
As a photojournalist, my job is to tell stories through pictures. The experience of taking this photograph has had a profound effect on me, and I’m proud to share this moment with you”
I’m not really sure about this but from what i remember, after this picture abortions were banned in UK. Please correct me if i’m wrong.
![Born Twice [1999]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/aguilera-hellweg1999.jpg)
The girl in the picture is Phan Thị Kim Phúc also known as Kim Phuc (born in 1963), a nine-year old running naked and severely burned on her back by a napalm atack.
Photographer Huynh Cong Ut, known by his colleagues as Nick, was working there as a photo journalist for Associated Press at the time and took a number of photographs of the villagers trying to escape the napalm. This one, epitomising the savagery and tragedy of the conflict, won him the coveted Pulitzer Prize and became one of the most published photos of the Vietnam war.
The boy is her older brother Tam who survived the attack but lost an eye. Ut (the photographer) poured water onto the young girl and took her and some of the other children to a hospital near Saigon where she spent fourteen months recovering from the horrific burns to her skin.
Later, the girl studied medicine and now she; a UNESCO member living in Canada.
The photo is the “Pulitzer Prize‿ winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan Famine.
The picture depicts stricken child crawling towards an United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away.The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat him. This picture shocked the whole world. No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer Kevin Carter who
left the place as soon as the photograph was taken.Three months later he committed suicide due to depression.
It is said this picture killed an industry. On May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg dirigible exploded killing 35 of the 97 people aboard. The incident killed the zeppelin travel industry, which was, at the time, considered the safest mode of air travel available. The funny thing is that it wasn’t the worst zeppelin accident but the only one cought on a picture…
![Hindenburg dirigible disaster [1937]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/hindenburg-murray-becker.jpg)
Omayra Sánchez was one of the 25,000 victims of the Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia) volcano which erupted on November 14, 1985. The 13-year old had been trapped in water and concrete for 3 days. The picture was taken shortly before she died and it caused controversy due to the photographer’s work and the Colombian government’s inaction in the midst of the tragedy, when it was published worldwide after the young girl’s death.
![Omayra Sánchez [1985]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/omayra_sanchez.jpg)
June 11, 1963, Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk from Vietnam, burned himself to death at a busy intersection in downtown Saigon to bring attention to the repressive policies of the Catholic Diem regime that controlled the South Vietnamese government at the time. Buddhist monks asked the regime to lift its ban on flying the traditional Buddhist flag, to grant Buddhism the same rights as Catholicism, to stop detaining Buddhists and to give Buddhist monks and nuns the right to practice and spread their religion.
While burning Thich Quang Duc never moved a muscle.
![Burning Monk - The Self-Immolation [1963]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/budist_monk_on_fire.jpg)
This picture won the Pulitzer Breaking News Photography 2007 award. Photo’s citation reads, “Awarded to Oded Balilty of The Associated Press for his powerful photograph of a lone Jewish woman defying Israeli security forces as they remove illegal settlers in the West Bank.
![The Power of One [2007]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/spot_news_-1.jpg)
This picture is one of the most famous moments in sporting history! It shows Cassius Clay knocking out Sonny Liston (former heavy weight champion) in the first minute of the first round, in a rematch (Muhammad won the match the year before after Sonny resigned to defeat complaining of a shoulder injury).
Speculations circulated about Liston’s fall, many spectators considered the bout fixed, even the FBI investigated the case. Some say while preparing for the fight, Liston was visited by Black Muslims who threatened to kill his daughter Eleanor if he should win the rematch, others say Liston lied down for money.
![Muhammad Ali versus Sonny Liston [1965]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/muhammad_ali_versus_sonny_liston.jpg)
Picture was taken April 18, 1906. It is the most famous photo of the destruction of San Francisco by earthquake and fire on April 18, 1906. After his camera was damaged during the earthquake, Arnold Genthe borrowed a hand-held camera from George Kahn, his dealer, and started taking pictures of the disaster. The most memorable is this one, showing enormous clouds of smoke ominously approach, buildings’ facades collapsed from the quake, and residents standing and sitting in the street…
After capturing and executing Che in 1967, before bury him in a secret tomb, the executioners made a group photo with the body, to demonstrate the people that In Grande Che is dead. The picture actually made him a legend, his admirers said he had a forgiving look on his face and compared him with Jesus.
The tourist guy, is an Internet phenomenon consisting of a photograph of a touristPhotoshopped pictures after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The tourist was identified as Péter Guzli.
Soon after 9/11 an image showing a tourist while an airliner was about to hit the building beneath him circulated on the Internet. It was claimed that the picture came from a camera found in the debris at Ground Zero. The picture won a best 9/11 Photoshopped picture contest.
A Great Day in Harlem is a black and white group portrait of 57 jazz musicians.
Art Kane, a photographer working for Esquire magazine, took the picture at around 10 a.m. in the summer of 1958. The musicians had gathered on 126th Street, between Fifth and Madison Avenues in Harlem, New York City.
Jean Bach, recounted the story behind it in her 1994 documentary film, A Great Day in Harlem. The film was nominated in 1995 for an Academy Award for Documentary Feature.
The photo was also a key object in Steven Spielberg’s film, The Terminal.
Star forming pillars in the Eagle Nebula, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope’s FPC2. These eerie, dark pillar-like structures are actually columns of cool interstellar hydrogen gas and dust that are also incubators for new stars. The pillars protrude from the interior wall of a dark molecular cloud like stalagmites from the floor of a cavern.
Soviet Union soldiers Raqymzhan Qoshqarbaev and Georgij Bulatov raising the flag on the roof of Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany in May, 1945.
The ‘Second Great Fire of London is commemorated in a famous photograph taken from the roof of the Daily Mail building by Herbert Mason, in which the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral rises above clouds of black smoke.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong put his left foot on the rocky Moon. It was the first human footprint on the Moon. They had taken TV cameras with them. The first footprints on the Moon will be there for a million years. There is no wind to blow them away.
Famous photograph of Che Guevara was taken on March 5, 1960 by Alberto Korda at a funeral service for victims of the La Coubre explosion, it was published seven years later. Che Guevara was 31 at the time of the photo.
Adolf Hitler visits Paris with architect Albert Speer (left) June 23, 1940
Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima is a historic photograph taken on February 23, 1945, by Joe Rosenthal. It depicts five United States Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman raising the flag of the United States atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.
The photograph was extremely popular, being reprinted in thousands of publications. Later, it became the only photograph to win the Pulitzer Prize for Photography in the same year as its publication, and ultimately came to be regarded as one of the most significant and recognizable images of the war, and possibly the most reproduced photograph of all times.
Actually this is the earliest surviving photograph, c. 1826. It required an eight-hour exposure, which resulted in sunlight on both sides of the buildings.
In 1901 Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen was the first recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physics, and he truly deserves his place in history because his discovery revolutionized the medical world. A series of experiments helped him notice that barium platinocyanide emits a fluorescent glow. Combining his observation with a photographic plate and his wife’s hand, he made the first X-ray photo, and thus, made it possible to look inside the human body without surgical intervention.
![First X-ray [1896]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/first-human-x-ray-1896.jpg)
December 17, 1903 was the day humanity spread its wings and rose above the ground - for 12 seconds at first and by the end of the day for almost a minute – but it was a major breakthrough. Orville and Wilbur Wright, two bicycle mechanics from Ohio, are the pioneers of aviations, and although this first flight occurred so late in history, the ulterior development was exponential.
![First Flight [1903]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/first-flight-1903.gif)
Albert Einstein is probably one of the most popular figures of all times. He is considered a genius because he created the Theory of Relativity, and so, challenged Newton’s laws, that were the basis of everything known in physics until the beginning of the 20th century. But, as a person, he was considered a beatnik, and this picture, taken on March 14, 1951 proves that.
![Albert Einstein [1951]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/albert-einstein-1951.jpg)
A first for the general public, the picture of the “mushroom cloud is a very accurate approximation of the enormous quantity of energy spread below. The first atomic bomb, released on August 6 in Hiroshima (Japan) killed about 80,000 people, but it didn’t seem enough because the Japanese didn’t surrender right away. Therefore, on August 9 another bomb was released above Nagasaki. The effects of the second bomb were even more devastating - 150,000 people were killed or injured. But the powerful wind, the extremely high temperature and radiation caused enormous long term damage.
![Nagasaki [1945]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/nagasaki-1945.jpg)
World War II was a harsh time for everyone, and of course, the most affected were those involved in combat. Taken away from their families and home lands, the American men were eager to hear from home, but, unfortunately, mail didn’t come very often, and when it did, it may have contained a Dear John letter.
Their salvation appeared in 1942 with Betty Grable – her beauty, charm and sexy legs reminded the boys what they were fighting for, and so, the war became a little less unbearable.
![Betty Grable [1942]](http://worldsfamousphotos.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/betty-grable-1942.jpg)
This is probably the most famous picture you know. This is the picture of a student who tries to stop the tanks in Tiananmen Square standing in front of them. The tank driver didn’t crush the man with the bags but shortly after, the square filled with blood. The photo showed the Chinese that there is hope. However, China is still controlled by a communist regime.
This is a famous picture, taken in 1930, showing tho young black men accused of raping a white girl, hanged by a mob of 10,000 white men. The mob took them by force from the county jailhouse. Another black man was saved from lynching by the girl’s uncle who said he was innocent. Even if lynching photos were designed to boost white supremacy, the tortured bodies and grotesquely happy crowds ended up revolting many.
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2007 TEDGlobal Conference in Arusha .
» My Africa Today Over the past few years, a growing number of people in the TED community have become passionate about Africa, a continent that appears to be at an important tipping point. Its problems and challenges are well known. Less well known is that across the continent, change is afoot. Instead of relying only on development aid, Africans across the continent are beginning to take matters into their own hands. Ingenious solutions are being applied to tackle some of the toughest health and infrastructure problems. Businesses are being launched that are capable of transforming the lives of millions. New communication technologies are allowing ideas and information to spread, enabling markets — and governments — to be more efficient. And the numbers suggest that incomes are starting to nudge up in some countries and real growth is on the way. A new Africa beckons.
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East African Community back then.
» My Africa Today This was the east africa back in 1950's , a beautiful place be. comments are wellcome.
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Tanzania: In US Dollars “We trust”
» My Africa Today The Arusha region, mainly its urban outlets, has been described as an extremely ‘dollar-ized’ precinct, where major and minor transaction are carried out using the American currency. The tendency is said to further weaken the Tanzanian shilling against the US dollar.
This was remarked this week, by the Head of sales, Structured Solution and Global Markets for the Standard Chattered Bank, Lawrence Mafuru, during a one day workshop which was organized by the Bank for its corporate customers an event which took place at The Arusha Hotel conference room, last Tuesday.
According to Mafuru, Arusha leads in the country for being a precinct where the dollar rules the economy and most of the local transactions. “In Arusha practically everything is done in US dollars, people pay their house rents in dollars, hotel rooms are charged in dollars and all retails outlets accept dollars some even insisting the foreign medium of exchange over the local currency.
Mafuru was presenting a paper on ‘Global Markets’ when the issue of local currency fluctuations became inevitable. The Tanzanian Shilling apparently is badly falling against the dollars and for the last two months, this has been a major concern among local people, especially those with a foothold in the country’s economic circles.
“It is all speculation, there is no need for fear, among the major fundamentals of economy is that it does not thrive on speculations.” Assured Mafuru adding that, while the local shilling was far from being stable due to the country’s high import bill, compared to its measly exports, Tanzania still had an edge in the economy, due to its political stability, which as far as he was concerned, it was the most important economic factor.
“Currency fluctuation is a normal thing, not only in Tanzania, but in other countries worldwide.” Pointed out Mafuru, explaining that the 8-10 percent trend has been a regular figure, until recently when due to some contributing factors, the fluctuation shot up to 14 percent. He named the unavoidable factors as being prolonged drought spells and the current electricity power problems.
“But on the other hand, we are also contributing in creating the high but unnecessary demand of the US dollar through entertaining mass usage of the currency, even in trivial matters such as shopping and settling bills, a negative trend which is becoming a ‘popular’ habit, but in reality we are actually shooting ourselves in the foot.” He warned, adding that, “This trend was mostly becoming rampant in Arusha.”
The current exchange rate in Arusha Municipality, by the time we went to press, was around Tsh.1335 against a single dollar. Six months ago in January 2006, the average exchange rate here was around Tsh. 1200 per dollar. As a result most business outlets and landlords here are now insisting to transact in the dollar medium.
Standard Chattered Bank hosted the workshop purposely to educate its Arusha customers on the various products that the Institution was offering, to the customers who were running companies and large businesses. More than 50 such customers attended the occasion.
The workshop was opened by the Bank’s Arusha based, Business Development Manager Mrs Lilian Bulengo, who also presented a paper on corporate Visa cards being issued by SCB. Later that evening, the Bank’s head of sales for Clients Relationships Department, Mr. Anthony Angelo, officially winded up the event.
Standard Chattered, according to the Bank’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Juanita Mramba, has a history of over 150 years, with an extensive global network of 1200 branches, in over 50 countries, employing more than 50,000 people, representing over 90 nationalities in Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East and Americas.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Doing Business in Africa
» My Africa Today Doing Business in Africa
According to the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the UN trade agency, UNCTAD, Africa offers the highest return on direct foreign investment in the world, far exceeding all other regions. While petroleum products are the driving force behind those returns, other sectors offer impressive growth.
One of the fastest growth areas is telecommunications. From 1999 to 2004, cell phone use in Africa grew at an annual rate of 58%, whereas in Asia, the region with the next highest growth, cell phone use grew at a relatively paltry 35%.
Africa is of increasing strategic interest to the global economy. The continent is expected to soon provide the US with more petroleum than the Middle East. The top supplier of oil to China is Angola. China and India are rapidly increasing their business dealings with Africa. These new power-houses are often beating out American and European firms.
Africa offers a consumer base of more than 900 million people. While more than half of Africa is estimated to live on a dollar or less a day, the other half does not, and they are hungry for products and services. Even among the poor, there are surprising opportunities. The rapid expansion of telecommunications is a prime example of the premise of C. K. Prahalad’s groundbreaking book, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid. Incremental profits may be low, but vast numbers of potential consumers can result in high overall profits.
The risks of investing in Africa remain high, just as they are for most emerging markets, but as noted by Kim Jaycox, CEO of Emerging Markets Partnership’s Africa Fund, the largest fund investing in Africa, the perceived risk is much greater than the real risk. And once the risk goes down, the returns won’t be as good.
For more information on investing in Africa, contact:
International Trade Administration (ITA)
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
1-800 USA TRAD(E)
[trade.gov]
The Corporate Council on Africa
1100 17th Street, N.W., Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 835-1115
Fax: (202) 835-1117
http://www.africacncl.org/
The Whitaker Group
1725 I Street, NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006
Tel. 202-349-3781
[thewhitakergroup.us]
AGOA – Africa Growth and Opportunities Act – US Government site with trade information and a very helpful resource page.
[www.agoa.gov]
Mbendi – online information service on business in Africa.
www.mbendi.co.za
Databank Financial Services Ltd. - investment house and mutual fund managers in Ghana.
www.databankgroup.com
Liquid Africa Holding Ltd. – investment and information service for all African markets.
[www.liquidafrica.com]
Allafrica.com – news service with financial information on African markets.
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Africa : Sexual growth among LUO of Kenya
» My Africa Today Blount (1973:p325)[2]: “Young Luo boys begin to experiment with sex when they are four to six years of age, but their behaviour is severely criticized and restricted. As mobility is limited, boys are first interested in girls who reside in the immediate vicinity, and due to residential patterns, these girls are close relatives. Sexual relations with them are incestuous and although this concept is not immediately understood by a young boy, he quickly learns that they are not “available sex playmates”. If need be, a young boy will be sent to stay with a relative to remove him from temptation of nearby female cousins or sisters. Only after a boy becomes a youth, at the approximate age of 13 to 15 years, is there opportunity for considerable contact with members of the opposite sex”. Luo boys are said to practice a preputial conditioning at the age of 10 to 12 (Parkin, 1973:p335-6)[3]. Schoolgirls begin to take a great interest in romantic aspirations, and eagerly await thelarche (Ominde, 1952)[4]. The marital cycle “proceeding” to the act of childbearing, is imitated (p31). Genitals are compared, and “something approaching a crude sexual intercourse” takes place when older members of the family are absent.
During the period when the crops are ripening these older children, sometimes accompanied by younger ones who act as sentries, disappear into the cornfields to carry out this practice”. The parental reaction is one of reproach and restriction. Before age eleven, restrictions of exogamy are suggested to the girls. The girls learn from the coquetry and customs of more mature girls with whom they sleep. Sexual instruction for girls took place within the swindhe, a form of communal living (Cohen and Odhiambo, 1989)[5].
Child betrothal (p92) or marriage (p117) may take place (Wilson, 1961)[6], but this seems a peripheral custom. Child marriage (nyar osiep) includes marriage ceremonies without consummation (cf., Kyewalyanga, 1977:p24)[7].Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Why Africa is worth investing?
» My Africa Today Africa may seem an unlikely investment opportunity, but with its markets growing at a clip, the continent looks increasinly attractive, says Simon Wilson.
Isn’t Africa a mess?
Yes. Much of sub-Saharan Africa has got poorer in recent decades, thanks to wars, corrupt or weak governments, lack of education and healthcare, and crippling debt most of the world¹s poorest 30 countries are African. And its share of world exports fell from about 6% in 1980 to 2% in 2002. The contrast with Asia is striking. Malaysia and Ghana are broadly similar countries: both achieved independence in 1957, both lie just north of the equator, and both had similar levels of income dependent on commodities. At the time of independence, Malaysia¹s income per capita was roughly equal to Ghana¹s. Today it is ten times Ghana¹s yet Ghana is a success story in African terms.
So why invest there?
To help Africa help itself and make profits in the process. Despite the continent’s structural problems and the relentless focus on aid and debt relief, Ghana’s stockmarket was the world¹s
third-best performer last year, while Egypt topped the global table and is soaring this year too. In the long term, Africa¹s best chance for prosperity and stability is not from dependency on foreign aid, but from sustained private investment and enterprise. Currently, only about 1% of the private capital in the world is invested in sub-Saharan Africa. As the continent becomes gradually more prosperous, levels of private investment are set to increase significantly, especially since (according to World Bank figures) Africa currently offers ‘the highest returns on foreign direct investment of any region in the world’.
How are Africa’s economies doing?
Currently, they are doing pretty well. Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing its ‘best economic performance in years’, according to Goldman Sachs economists, who reckon ‘gross domestic product growth could average 5% over the next decade, compared to less than 3% over the past 30 years’. They also point to dramatic differences in outlook between countries, with Botswana near the top and Zimbabwe near the bottom. The big growth areas for the continent are infrastructure, agribusiness, vehicles, tourism, finance and natural resources.
But is it safe to invest?
Investing in Africa is high risk for many reasons, including currency fluctuations, poorly developed markets and political risk. (Although in Transparency International’s most recent survey, Botswana is rated less corrupt than Italy or Greece.) Yes, there are still some poorly run and unstable countries, but the number of African democracies has jumped from just four in 1990 to 17 today. At the same time, many countries have begun liberalising their economies and developing their capital markets. A good example is Uganda, whose GDP grew an impressive 7% a year from 1993 to 2002.
So how are stockmarkets doing?
Extremely well and not just in Ghana and Egypt. African markets easily outperformed the world averages last year and over the past three years. Moreover, the number of stock exchanges has jumped from ten to 18 in the past decade. In the best-case scenario, Africa could be right at the start of a virtuous circle of investment, in which the growing size of the markets and the growth in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows boosts credibility in Africa¹s exchanges, making it easier to raise capital and encouraging Africans to invest in them.
What about South Africa?
The picture there is pretty rosy too crucially, as it accounts for a quarter of Africa¹s entire GDP. The economy is growing strongly predicted annualised growth of 6% in the second quarter together with a strengthening rand, employment levels are up, and government debt down. In spite of a solidly performing stockmarket (up 9% this year), assets are still cheap compared to the developed world. Most significantly, FDI is buoyant. The return of Barclays last month is widely seen as a major boost to investor confidence in the region. This is the latest in a line of big FDI deals in the country, including General Motors¹ decision to build Hummer H3s in Port Elizabeth.
So how do I invest in Africa?
It’s not easy. As yet, low demand means that none of the mainstream UK fund managers offer African funds, although investors can get good exposure to South African mining stocks through popular funds such as Merrill Lynch Gold & General, or JPMF Natural Resources. Some emerging-market funds do offer exposure to Africa, in particular the successful Genesis fund, which is 10% invested in South Africa and 5% in Egypt, with smaller holdings in Ghana, Kenya, and other African states. Elsewhere, the boutique private-client investment firm Blakeney has a strong track record of investing in Africa. Alternatively, investors could consider investing directly in South African plays such as Investec, the Anglo-South African bank, or European-listed colonial’ firms with significant African assets, such as Belgium’s SIPEF.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
The African Renaissance Needs Entrepreneurial Fuel.
» My Africa Today In Africa, the paradigm of a united Africa is spreading like a veld fire. People are being made aware of uniting forces that they believe can benefit us all here in Africa.
The principle of synergy teaches us that 1 and 1 doesn’t necessarily make 2. I heard a story told to me by a farmer that one of his workhorses could haul a wagon with a load of three and a half thousand pounds (one and a half thousand kg), but when he uses two horses the weight doesn’t double - it triples. With two horses he couldn’t only haul double what one horse could do, he could haul triple - a wagon with a load of ten thousand pounds (four and a half thousand kg). This is synergy; one labouring with another brings about a result higher than the sum of the two working separately.
Many circumstances should be in place to accommodate any paradigm shift successfully. One of the circumstances that would contribute to assisting the paradigm of the African renaissance to succeed is economical sustainability. Economical sustainability is a very scarce idea in Africa. In Africa, we either live for the here or now or we are simply ignorant of the way we should think economically.
A paradigm most definitely worth our earnest consideration for successful transition to African renaissance is the paradigm of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial thinking frees people to embrace their autonomy and take charge of the future they want to create. Entrepreneurial thinking elicits in us the willingness to embrace responsibility that motivates us to participate in creating economical sustainability.
One wonders which one came first – poverty or a scarcity mentality? I know for certain a scarcity mentality can lead to (physical) poverty. I also believe poverty created by natural or external circumstances, like drought or dictatorial leadership, can eventually cause a scarcity mentality in people. In Africa we had our fair share of these external and natural circumstances that inhibited us to live in abundance.
Now if it’s true that we have to change our thinking, even our thinking that was formed by external and natural circumstances, how are we going to do it? How can we embrace a paradigm of abundance, like entrepreneurial thinking, to lift us up from the scarcity mentality that has made ingrained roads on the creases of our brains?
A quick answer added to this article will simply not suffice to give a clear picture of what we should do to embrace the entrepreneurial paradigm of abundance. I suggest you frequent this blog over the next couple of weeks in order to follow a line of thinking that will empower you to take hold of yourself. A line of thinking that will empower you to embrace the entrepreneurial paradigm of abundance.
I will show you, thought by thought, how we can get up from the dust, shake it from us and start to live the way we were meant to live!Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
18 Properties which are owned by President Museveni and his family
» My Africa Today What corruption can do for a poor country like Uganda. Here are some of properties owned by the first family in Uganda.
1.Charm Towers, the former headquarters of Uganda Commercial Bank in Kampala.
2.Garden City Complex, Kampala. That is why it was built on a wetland but nobody could say anything to stop it.
3.Roofings Limited. This is the property of Janet Museveni. We are yet to find out if she owns it alone or as a partnership with her children.
4.Uganda Telecom. This one is owned by Janet Museveni but we have information that she got it in conjunction with her relative and the then Finance Minister Sam Kuteesa.
5.MTN Uganda. The First Family owns a 47.5 percent stake in MTN Uganda which is Uganda’s largest mobile phone service provider.
6.Kabira Club we are also told is owned by the First Family using Sudhir Ruparelia as a front. It follows therefore that Kabira International School is also owned by the First Family.
7.Orient Bank. It is controlled exclusively by Sam Kuteesa and he made sure that all the payments to the Uganda Revenue Authority whether they are normal taxes, general receipts for driving permits, passports, trading licenses, new car registration and so on are paid through Orient Bank. You can imagine how much he gets from the URA account.
8.Kampala International University Kampala and the proposed Mbarara branch are also owned by the Museveni conglomerate using businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba as a front.
9.Lake View Hotel Mbarara is also for the First Family. It was bought from Wavamuno some years back.
10.St. Lawrence Citizens High School is owned by the First Family. In fact you could remember a story in the newspapers recently when Museveni and Janet were the guests of honour at Parents Day at the school but when they have no children in the school.
11.Imperial Resort Beach Hotel. It has a bullet-proof presidential suite and sometimes Museveni goes there to rest from his state duties or to meet his other women behind Janets back.
12.Nakasero Market. That one is now in the hands Janet Museveni and Basajjabalaba was brought in as a frint with Kampala Mayor Nasser Sebaggala as a "facilitator."
13.Speke Resort Munyonyo is another property owned by Janet Museveni with her children that is why you see that when heads of state have been coming to Uganda they have been booked there.
14.The Simu 4 U phone call boxes in Kampala are owned by Janet Museveni. These boxes were targetted by protestors during the arrest of Besigye in 2005 becasue they knew the owners.
15.We suspect that Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel Entebbe of Karim Hirji and Crested Towers in Kampala are also owned by Museveni these days. But we cannot yet confirm it.
16.The greedy man and his family have now been entering joint businesses with the Libyans to co-own Uganda Telecom, Crested Towers, and the National Housing flats in Kampala.
17.Reports of Museveni family hotel in London.
We are getting reports that the Museveni clan owns an hotel in Knights Bridge in SW1, London, the United Kingdom. If anybody has information on this, please send it in.
18.Museveni owner of BIDCO factory in Jinja
BIDCO company which manufactures cooking oil in Jinja is also has the First Family's hands all over it. The factory is located in Masese. Why do you think Museveni pushed for Bidco to get the huge land on Kalangala island the same way he is pushing for Mabira to go to Mehta?
If you know other properties owned by the Museveni family as usual feel free to give us a shout and tell us so that we shout it to the Ugandans.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
How Tanzanians are proud of their nation?
» My Africa Today Recently I had the pleasure of touring Tanzania. During my one-week tour, I managed to travel through five popular regions of the country, where I had the opportunity of seeing the Tanzanians up-close.
I was leaving Uganda on my way to South Africa, through Tanzania, where I would board a flight in Dar e-Salaam. So I boarded one of Gateway's Dolphin coaches from Kampala to Bukooba in Tanzania. This journey seemed shorter and more interesting for most travellers on board courtesy of the hospitality accorded to us by this bus' crew.
In just a few hours, we were already at Mutukula border post, and to my surprise the Ugandan immigration officers at the border cleared us very fast. This seemed like a miracle considering what I have seen and undergone through the brutal hands of immigration officers at different border posts in the country.
We hurriedly crossed the border and we were equally accorded the same hospitality in Tanzania, although this time the officers there, greeted us with smiling faces accompanied with words like "Karibuni katika Jamuhuri ya Maungano ya Tanzania" (Welcome to the United Democratic Republic of Tanzania).
URBAN GROWTH: The aerial view of expanding Bukoba town in Tanzania.
As we arrived in Bukooba town, everybody I cast my eyes on seemed to have friendly gestures, which showed a lot about Tanzanians' hospitality.
While in Bukoba, I visited standard tourist sites like the Rocky Mountains that surround the beautiful town, then the Bandari-Beach and several other nooks. While at the beach, I put on my swimming suit and enjoyed the warm summer water that Tanzania has to offer.
And while still on the streets of Bukoba, I drank the popular Swahili coffee locally referred to as Gahawa. Although the coffee was concentrated with no sugar, I loved it. My Swahili friends told me that once I drank Gahawa I wouldn't sleep in the night and so they asked me if at all I needed a "dada" to "push the night" with. I replied in the affirmative.
Tanzanian students stand by their national flag raised in their school compound. Net photos
So we visited one of the popular nightspots in town located in Camp Swahili area not far away from my hotel room. This popular pub was playing Saida Karooli's popular Wanchekecha, which revellers seemed to enjoy a lot as I noticed that everyone was singing along to it.
I watched with admiration as the Wahaya (tribe) women wiggled their waists. As I continued staring at the Wahaya beauties, one girl speaking a language similar to Runyakore approached me, muttering something, similar to, "Hallo Braza (Hullo Brother) are you waiting for someone or you're in need of company?"
Although at first I was amazed at the brazenness of this Tanzanian woman, it later it turned out to be an exciting encounter. I have never been good at the seduction routine anyway, but this time I was determined to experience what I used to hear about the women of Bukoba.
"You have no company, eh? I will offer you all the company you need, welcome to Bukoba," she assured me. Although I rarely go to the dance floor, here I was dancing to Karooli's hit and my night's companion was busy making endless requests. "Oh darling, buy chicken and beer." I had nothing to do but succumb to her wishes.
Tanzanians are friendly, their cities are safe and clean and most of all, everything works; from streetlights, policing, sanitation to road usage. Although Tanzania is a country where most people are still poor because of Mzee Nyerere's communist policy, the citizens have peace, love and unity that they enjoy.
It is a country where you would be proud to serve in the military, perhaps because shops, restaurants and theme parks give you discounts and preferential treatment because you are serving in the military or police. It's a country that honestly believes that things must be bigger and better.
MORE WORK: Like in the rest of Tanzania, Bukoba town road network needs developing.
The country lags behind
However, Tanzania is a country that still needs to develop its road network. Owing to the fact that Tanzania is big enough and has many natural resources, the country still lags behind in terms of infrastructural connectivity.
But it is also a country filled with paranoia; where to get onto a plane; you must get your bags thoroughly searched and remove your shoes, belt and all metallic items; where a snow globe from Disney World is confiscated by petty airline security officials as it has liquid in it; where a kite is broken in half to ensure that it is just a kite and that nothing sinister is hidden in the dell rods.
Tanzania seems to be more security conscious because of the 1998 bomb blasts on the US embassy in Dar-es-salaam. But despite all that, I envied them - for I have never seen a people more patriotic and proud of their nation like Tanzanians; where flags adorn every building and where people drive cars with bumper stickers praising their country "Oya Tuku Nyumbani" (meaning Proudly Tanzanian).
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Tanzania: Jakaya Kikwete marshals Stars backing today.
» My Africa Today WHILE President Jakaya Kikwete is today scheduled to lead Tanzanians to cheer up the national soccer team, a 19.5m/- bounty awaits Stars after a do or die match with Senegal at the CCM Kirumba Stadium here today.
The president made the promise to attend today’s encounter at the end of his official tour to Mwanza a few weeks ago.
A member of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Imani Madega announced the reward yesterday in Mwanza in the presence of Coach Marcio Maximo and team captain Mecky Maxime.
He said the money had been jointly raised by the TFF and Stars’ chief sponsors Serengeti Breweries Ltd (SBL). TFF contributed 15m/- while SBL put in 4.5m/-
“We would like to announce a non-conditional motivational package of 19.5m/-to Taifa Satrs players and leaders immediately after the match today,” said Madega who is heading the TFF delegation to Mwanza.
Meanwhile, Stars players were in top mood to win the return leg tie against the lions of Teranga from Senegal, national team skipper Mecky Mexime assured Tanzanians on behalf of his fellow players here yesterday.
Mexime told a battery of reporters last evening that good training coupled with moral and material support they had received from the National Coach Maximo, and other Tanzanians, there was every indication that they would win today’s match.
The skipper explained that their coach had drilled them on all mistakes the players committed during their first leg tie in Senegal and that all players were physically and psychologically motivated to face Senegal without fear.
Thrilled by the support his team was receiving from city residents ever since they arrived here on Wednesday, Maximo observed that ordinary people had understood his decision to groom a reliable team gradually rather than preparing a team for a single match.
Responding to critiques that he selected too young players for the national team, Maximo admitted that his team comprised players of three generations to build a team that would last for at least three years, stressing that Tanzania had a lot of nascent talents that ought to be nurtured.
Allaying fear of the presence of a number of professional players in the Senegal team, Maximo said only tactical, technical, physical, psychological support was required for Taifa Stars to win confidence and to jointly employ their talents to the maximum.
Maximo reiterated his call on all stakeholders in the game to refrain from analysing Taifa Stars basing on results of a particular match, arguing that football entailed more than results of a match.
The Simba of Teranga players refused accommodation and transport arranged by their hosts here on Thursday, contending that New Mwanza Hotel and the minibuses were substandard, compared to the services with which Taifa Stars players were provided back home.
Financial Controller of the Senegalese Football Association, Songa Matar Ndiaye, who arrived about a week earlier, had booked a newly built three-star hotel known as Isamilo Lodge situated on the hill on which the British explorer, John Speke, stood when he first discovered Lake Victoria.
The lodge with 25 rooms ranging between 50 and 120-US-dollar each does not only cater for a spectacular view of the lake, but, according to the players first impression, resemble one in France and another in South Africa with the exception of faulty air conditioners, which were, however, rectified yesterday.
In another development, Madega said all preparations and procedures for the match were completed last evening with the exception of referees, who were late yesterday expected to join the match commissar here from South Africa.
Madega paid a glowing tribute to the city residents and media practitioners for supporting and advocating for the team, which, he said, was receiving all necessary services at the camp within the Bonk of Tanzania Institute premises.
He, however, called on soccer fans to cheer the national team peacefully and to reciprocate the generosity the Senegalese had extended to Taifa Stars during the fist leg tie in Dakar.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
Miss Universe Tanzania arrives in Dar es salaam.
» My Africa Today -
Bill Gates recommends Ubuntu
» My Africa Today -
World's Weirdest Roundabout
» My Africa Today Until September 1972, there was only one Magic Roundabout and it was a children's television programme featuring Dougal the dog, a hippy rabbit called Dylan and the spring-loaded Zebedee.
Then a revolutionary idea (in more ways than one) which had been tested in Colchester, Essex, was also tested on Swindon's County Ground Roundabout. Until then the area had been a motorist's nightmare which routinely failed to handle the volume of traffic which converged on it from five directions.
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11 Business Naming combinations
» My Africa Today 1. Common Words (net, mart, school)
2. Greek and Latin Prefixes (ante, contra, intra)
3. Greek and Latin Suffixes (able, icle, tion)
4. Greek and Latin Roots (chrono, hydro, lum)
5. Beginning Word Parts (other than Greek and Latin Prefixes)
6. Ending Word Parts (other than Greek and Latin Suffixes)
7. Ending rhymes (blue/shoe)
8. Last syllable rhymes (timber/harbor)
9. Double rhymes (conviction/prediction)
10. Beginning rhymes (physics/fizzle).
11. First syllable rhymes (carrot/caring)Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
East Africa : Kenya gifts six key oil blocks to China
» My Africa Today The Chinese have lately taken a keener interest in oil exploration in sub Saharan Africa – regarded as one of the fastest growing oil arenas in the world. A STAFF WRITER reports
Two major European oil exploration companies have protested that they are unable to access Kenya even as the country emerges as the latest frontier in the ferocious global battle between Europe and China for oil resources.
The EastAfrican has learnt that the two European companies, Compania Espanola de Petrolas (Cepsa) of Spain and Sweden’s Lundin International, have both lodged complaints with the government.
In an unprecedented act of generosity, the government in April gave the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Company Ltd (CNOOC) exclusive rights over a total of six out of 11 available blocks, including the hotly contested Blocks 9 and 10A in the Mandera area.
So dominant has China become in the oil exploration scene in Kenya that CNOOC alone now controls 28 per cent of the total exploration acreage in Kenya.
Cepsa, the first to apply to the government for the two sought-after blocks, was until last year considered a frontrunner in the race for the coveted Block 9 and 10A when the Chinese jumped into the fray. In 2005, top government officials led by President Mwai Kibaki conducted a high-profile tour of China during which the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding calling for co-operation in several sectors including the oil industry.
After the visit to Beijing, the application by the Spanish appears to have been put into cold storage as it became clear that Kenya had fallen for the charms of the world's new economic powerhouse.
Events moved very fast from then on. On April 29, acting Energy Minister Henry Obwocha signed away the six blocks to the Chinese under terms that – according to oil industry experts – were far inferior to what the Spanish and the Swedish exploration company had put on the table.
Apparently, CNOOC negotiated and signed only one complete production sharing agreement for Block L4 with the government. The rest of the contracts were one-year-study agreements granting them exclusive access to the five blocks – with the option to relinquish the blocks at the end of the one-year period.
The one-year study period covers Blocks 1, L2 and L3, 10A and 9. The blocks are located in three basins of the country covering 115,343 square kilometres.
With the door having been closed on the European companies, it is understood that the government advised Lundin and Cepsa to try negotiating with CNOOC to get the Chinese to accommodate them in joint-venture exploration deals, a common practice in the business.
But as it turned out, the Chinese have not been willing to accommodate the Europeans.
Recently, Cepsa wrote to the government lamenting that the Chinese had not responded to its offer despite several approaches.
Lundin International has also written to the government narrating its tribulations.
Why the government agreed to sign such a lopsided agreement dishing out liberal privileges to the Chinese and allowing them to hoard exploration acreage at the expense of the two European companies, is clearly the most intriguing aspect of the saga.
Apparently, the Spanish had made the government an offer whereby they would go straight into drilling exploration wells as opposed to the arrangement with the Chinese, where most of the acreage is being hoarded for studies.
Cepsa currently acts as an operator on the onshore Ouhourd Oilfields in Algeria in a joint venture with state-owned Sonatrach.
Recently, it was awarded a new exploration permit in Egypt. Currently, its upstream activities are concentrated in Spain, Algeria, Egypt and Colombia. Fields where the company has interests produce approximately 250,000 barrel per day.
The Chinese have lately taken a keener interest in oil exploration in sub Saharan Africa – regarded as one of the fastest growing oil arenas in the world.
Last year, the activities of the Chinese in Africa grabbed headline attention when CNOOC purchased a stake in Nigeria's OML Block 130 for $2.3 billion – taking China into the top league of foreign direct investment providers on the continent.
With the entry of China and other Asian companies into the oil exploration field in Africa, including such companies as Petronas of Malaysia and ONGC Videsh of India, the expectations are that this will encourage interest even in the more marginal oilfields such as Kenya’s.
China is also turning to Africa as its preferred source of oil with imports already being sourced from several African countries including Angola, Congo Brazzaville and Sudan.
Interest in oil exploration in Kenya has picked up lately after Shell stopped drilling in the Loporot area of northern Kenya in 1992.
Currently, the total number of leased blocks in Kenya is 11: Apart from the blocks leased to the Chinese, others are leased to Pan Continental Inc and the Australian company, Woodside Energy.
Until recently, the Ministry of Energy had discretionary powers over allocation of exploration acreage.
But in 2003, the responsibility was transferred to an inter-ministerial committee chaired by the ministry with representation from the Treasury, National Environmental Management Authority (Nema), the Office of the Attorney General and the National Oil Corporation of Kenya.
Petroleum exploration in Kenya began in the 1950s with the first well being drilled by British Petroleum (BP) and Shell in 1954 in Lamu, where they drilled 10 wells.
However, none of the wells was fully evaluated despite several indications of oil. In 1975, several companies acquired acreage in the upper part of the Lamu Basin
Texaco drilled at a location called Hargaso – and encountered oil and gas shows. In 1976, Chevron and Esso drilled the Anza-1 and Bahati-1 wells where the mud drilled was suspected to have hydrocarbons.
A group of companies led by Amoco and Total drilled ten wells between 1985 and 1990. The wells were found to contain limited oil and gas.Customize your mobile with your Complimentary Ringtone! -
East Africa: Welcome to New Dar es salaam part 2
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Africa: This is Tanzania’s Taifa Stars.
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Taifa Stars To Camp In Brazil.
» My Africa Today The national team of Tanzania, Taifa Stars, will travel to South America for a month’s training camp as they continue preparations for the ongoing 2008 African Nations Cup qualifiers. After winning their opening qualifier against Burkina Faso 2-1 early this month, the team is planning to camp in Brazil in February ahead of their qualifying fixture against Senegal in March. The tour will serve as boost for the team and they will play against local sides when they make the tour, which will be sponsored by a local business tycoon tycoon Mohammed Dewji. Dewji is chairman of a committee that was appointed by the Tanzania government to help raise funds geared towards the national team’s campaign for the 2008 African Nations Cup finals. Tanzania have only made one Nations Cup appearance in 1980 and failed to progress beyond the first round.
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