Africa – Page 32 – Prologue Journal

Burundi’s President Says Gay People Should Be Stoned

New York Times President Evariste Ndayishimiye also railed against Western governments that he said had conditioned providing aid on accepting gay rights. His remarks do not carry the force of law. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/world/africa/burundi-president-gay-people-stoned.html

Incumbent President Leads in a Congo Election Count Marred by Delays and Protests

New York Times The Central African nation’s election, which cost over $1.25 billion to run, drew accusations of fraud, prompting several key opposition figures to call for its annulment. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/world/africa/congo-election-results.html

Mbongeni Ngema, Playwright Best Known for ‘Sarafina!,’ Dies at 68

New York Times Before the fall of apartheid, his plays, which also included “Woza Albert!” and “Asinamali,” challenged the South African government’s racial policies. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/30/theater/mbongeni-ngema-dead.html

Gas Tanker Explosion Kills More Than 40 in Liberia

New York Times After the tanker overturned in an accident, people gathered around the vehicle trying to scoop up fuel before it caught fire and exploded. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/28/world/africa/liberia-gas-tanker-explosion.html

In Burkina Faso, Criticizing the Army Could Get You Drafted

New York Times The military junta in Burkina Faso, a West African nation struggling to defeat extremist groups, has been forcibly conscripting critics, say human rights organizations. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/28/world/africa/burkina-faso-military-conscription.html

Calls for Congo Vote to Be Annulled Mount Amid Fraud Accusations

New York Times The election in Africa’s second-largest nation, which cost over a billion dollars, is being closely followed across the world. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/24/world/africa/congo-election.html

A Thriving Border Town Undercuts South Africa’s Anti-Immigrant Mood

New York Times People by the thousands risk crocodile attacks, robbery, drowning and arrest to cross the Limpopo River from Zimbabwe to South Africa, part of a booming migrant economy. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/24/world/africa/south-africa-migrants-zimbabwe.html

Yacouba Sawadogo, African Farmer Who Held Back the Desert, Dies at 77

New York Times Against the odds, facing the encroaching Sahara, he built a forest in Burkina Faso, becoming “a national hero” and winning acclaim abroad for his innovations. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/22/world/africa/yacouba-sawadogo-dead.html

Strike in Somalia Said to Kill Mastermind of Attacks on Americans and Kenyans

New York Times Maalim Ayman, a senior leader of the extremist group al-Shabab, was believed responsible for attacks in Kenya on a university town that killed 148 people, and on a U.S. military base that killed three Americans. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/22/world/africa/somalia-shabab-maalim-ayman-killed.html

Sudan’s Army Faces Scrutiny After Major City Falls to Rival Forces

New York Times The capture by paramilitary forces of Wad Madani, a strategic city in the country’s agricultural region, marks a watershed in the civil war that has upended life in the northeast African nation. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/20/world/africa/sudan-army-rsf-wad-madani.html