Featured this week

* EDITORIAL: Kepta Ombati and Ndung’u Wainaina unravel Kenya’s contradictions to explain what’s behind the current constitutional crisis
* COMMENT AND ANALYSIS: Africa’s wound has festered for too long. Charles Abugre says it’s time for the bleeding to stop
- Issa Shivji has the final say on Live 8, urging people to understand the history of poverty
- Rafael Marques introduces us to a truck driver, a diamond digger and train-track market in Angola
- There’s a big dam project coming to a town near you. Muramuzi Frank and F.C. Oweyegha-Afunaduula explain what’s wrong with the Bujagali Dam development in Uganda
* LETTERS: Subscribers on drumbeats over Africa, post-colonial boundaries, refugee day and the papacy in Africa
* BLOGGING AFRICA: Sokari Ekine introduces Pambazuka News to the African blogosphere
* BOOKS AND ARTS: A review of ‘Empowering Children: Children's Rights Education as a Pathway to Citizenship’
* CONFLICT AND EMERGENCIES: Background to Niger famine; uncertain peace in Sudan; ICC trials in Uganda
* HUMAN RIGHTS: Sharm el-Sheikh human rights blast fears; human rights concerns in Togo elections
* REFUGEES AND FORCED MIGRATION: Durable solutions for Rwanda’s displaced; access to justice for UK asylum seekers
* WOMEN AND GENDER: Structural adjustment, women and HIV/AIDS
* ELECTIONS AND GOVERNANCE: Constitutional referendum for Kenya; toilet democracy in Zimbabwe
* DEVELOPMENT: Drilling up a debt; religion and development aid; the costs of free trade
* CORRUPTION: Leader looters exposed
* HEALTH AND HIV/AIDS: Community solutions for Aids orphans in Southern Africa
* ENVIRONMENT: Chinese takeaway in forestry sector
AND…internet, advocacy, resources, courses and jobs.

Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa Update:

Cape Verde this week became the 12th African country to ratify the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, an African Union instrument that will offer significant protection for women’s rights once it comes into force. Three more ratifications are now needed before the protocol comes into force. The countries that have ratified are: The Comoros, Djibouti, Libya, Lesotho, Mali, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Malawi and Cape Verde.

Messages received by SMS in support of the protocol:

‘Great news! Thanks 4 the hard work sisters’ – South Africa

‘Thank you for your message and it is a good thing for Malawi and all Africa’ - Zambia

‘Great News. We should continue our fight for more ratifications’. – DRC

Visit to find out about SMSing for social justice.