Zambian president Rupiah Banda has signed legislation regulating the operations of civil society, sending shock waves through the sector, which fears its independence will be severely compromised. Presidential assent means the 2009 NGO Bill, withdrawn in 2007 after widespread protests by civil society and opposition parties, now only needs gazetting to become legislation that will require "the registration and co-ordination of NGOs" and can "regulate the work, and the area of work, of NGOs operating in Zambia".

"Umvuthwandaba Voice" meaning The End of Revelations is a publication that pushes the agenda of new formation of the Zimbabwean politics. In a sense that the youth of Zimbabwe would want to riot now and cause a dramatic change in the leadership of any of the front political parties, it might be Zapu, Mdc, and Zanu PF. This has been brought about the youths that are in UK, South Africa and Botswana. In our view we need to see a man or woman age below 35yrs of Age taking the podium as the new President of Zimbabwe.

Kenyans for Justice and Development have decided to constitute a parallel people’s government to widen the battlefield now that Kenya's two main parties, PNU and ODM have closed ranks to 'protect and propagate impunity', and to originate pro-people public policies and programmes that we will use to create a national platform for the people’s march to the Second Republic of Kenya.

Kenyans against Impunity (KAI)is seeking support from willing Kenyans to carry out its activities which include public engagement on political and legal process to address among others corruption, extrajudicial killings, enforced evictions, enforced disappearances, mismanagement of public affairs, police brutality, arbitrary arrests, police harassments, rape and gender rights violations.

The Feminist Activist Coalition, FemAct, are calling attention to the gross violations of human rights and citizenship rights and breaking of laws carried out by the Tanzanian government operation to forcibly move Maasai pastoralists from their homes in eight villages within Loliondo Division, Ngorongoro districton behalf of the business interests of a private investor from the United Arab Emirates, namely Ortello Business Corporation (OBC).

South Africa's council workers' union said on Friday it had won a pay increase almost twice the rate of inflation, ending a five-day strike that challenged President Jacob Zuma's economic policies. "The wage agreement has now been signed and this effectively brings to an end the strike which has been raging all week," the SAMWU union said in a statement. The strike left rubbish piled up on streets and licensing offices closed. Workers settled for a 13 percent pay rise after demanding 15 percent. Inflation is running at 6.9 percent.

Three varieties of Monsanto’s genetically modified maize failed to produce crops during the 2008/9 growing season, leaving up to 200 000 hectares of fields barren of cobs and crop losses across several provinces in South Africa. According the GRAIN SA, the varieties are: MON 810, NK 603 and MON 810 x NK 603. These seeds were sold to commercial maize farmers and provided to resource-poor farmers in South Africa.

A three-day Stakeholders’ Meeting on the Domestication and Implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa was successfully concluded in Kigali, Rwanda with the adoption of a communiqué containing recommendations and strategies for strengthening the domestication, implementation and reporting on the Protocol fostering and protecting African women’s rights.

The Daniel Pearl Awards for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting are unique among journalism prizes worldwide in that they were created specifically to honor cross-border investigative reporting. The contest is open to any journalist or team of journalists of any nationality working in any medium. Entries must involve reporting in at least two countries on a topic of world significance. Granted by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the awards include two $5,000 first-place prizes, along with five additional $1,000 prizes. The awards will be presented at the 6th Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in April 2010.

South Africa’s bilateral investment treaties should not be read in a way that conflicts with its human rights obligations under its own constitution or under international treaties that it has signed up to. Four non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have joined together in seeking to assist the international arbitration tribunal in interpreting the relevant South African mining legislation in light of the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations.

If anything is to be deduced from the current face-off between the Yar’Adua government and striking staff unions of tertiary institutions: Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Union (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), it is that the ruling class in Nigeria is incurably politically treacherous and intellectually backward.

The Partnership for Change is of the considered view that over the last 17 months the citizens of Kenya have exhausted the mechanisms available to us under the national Accord Agreement to cause the Grand Coalition Government to implement the National Accord. This government acting together with Parliament has no vision, no morals and no desire or intent to uphold the constitution of the Republic of Kenya.

In response to the high rate of teenage pregnancy in Africa, the African Professional Sex Work Union® APSWU has initiated a permanent project called “Campaign Against Teenage Pregnancy in Africa, CATPA” and calls on all those who care about the well being of the African Child to support this campaign with at least one dollar. The caption "one dollar" is borrowed from the famous “less-than-a-dollar-a-day” classification of vulnerable members of society.

Once again the heavy-handedness of the Kenyan police has resulted in the arrest of 27 young members of Bunge La Wananchi this week in Limuru. They were locked up for simply voicing their concern as citizens of Kenya for the accountable use of CDF funds in Kenya. Solidarity Network Kenya calls for their immediate release.

The ABM-WC is calling an end to state criminality of criminalizing it's members by applying old apartheid tactics of arresting, assaulting, and shooting people with rubber bullets when they exercise their right to freedom of expression and the right to protest. The movement will not be silenced by the state under the leadership of so called ANC government, and will continue to be vocal using any forms of engagement.

The military operations launched against the FDLR since early 2009 have been presented as a bid for the unity (Umoja Wetu) and peace (Kimia II) that have so long eluded eastern DRC. In that light they have received considerable international acclaim and support, particularly through the UN peacekeeping force, MONUC. Warnings of potentially devastating consequences for civilian protection over recent months have repeatedly met with the response that this is 'the price to pay for peace.' In May 2009, Oxfam and a number of its partners interviewed residents in some of the areas of North and South Kivu where that price is being exacted.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU began a total and indefinite strike after it became obvious that the government was not ready to sign agreements it jointly reached with ASUU through its Technical committee. Really, what does ASUU want? Why is the government acting up? Is there hope for this country?

In a landmark case in Namibia, 22 hotel workers are taking their employer and a doctor to court for allegedly testing them for HIV without their informed consent. In February 2000, the owner of Oshakati Country Lodge in northern Namibia hired a doctor to conduct HIV tests on all the lodge's employees. Those who asked about the nature of the test were told it was for general hygiene.

Nine candidates are competing for the presidency in Mauritania, in a campaign that runs from July 2nd through the polls on July 18th. Observers believe a balance between majority and opposition leaders in the election – agreed in June's Dakar Agreement – will ensure transparency.

There are a few high profile labour disputes currently taking place in South Africa. The public have entered the fray, influencing the labour debates by engaging with them via newspapers and talk radio programmes. At the same time, public sentiment is being influenced by the manner in which the media is presenting the various labour disputes.