Africa News blog

Angola throws back punches

Tired of being criticised for being one of the world’s most secretive governments, Angola is finally throwing back some punches. Top government officials, including the economy minister, the finance minister and the head of the central bank, held a news conference late on Friday to discuss the government’s first 200 days in power — the second news conference of the kind this year. “You thought we wouldn’t do this again,” said Carlos Feijo, Angola’s powerful minister of state who is seen by many as the president’s right-hand man. “Well, here we are.” He then went on to speak non-stop for 40 minutes, describing how the economy had improved in recent months, plans to pay billions in debt to construction firms and the fight against poverty and corruption before opening up the floor to questions. Many journalists praised the government’s decision to hold the news conference as a step in the right direction in a nation where officials seem to be paid to keep quiet and where people are afraid to openly criticise the president. Greater transparency could also bolster Angola’s chances of receiving more Western loans and placing debt with private investors abroad, as it seeks cash shore up its finances after the recent slump in oil prices. Angola was ranked in the bottom 19 of 180 countries in a Transparency International corruption study last year. State-run daily Jornal de Angola hailed the news conference a success in an editorial a few days later. “The Angolan government has explained how public funds are being managed so that Angolans continue to trust in those they elected into government for four years,” said Jornal de Angola. “It is important that all Angolans, whether or not they voted for the ruling party, to be aware of the importance of this extraordinary performance.” The question is whether the Angolan government is serious about increasing transparency or simply using the media’s thirst for information to campaign ahead of the nation’s 2012 elections.

Do Ethiopia’s politicians mean it on democracy?

Should Zimbabwe’s election go ahead?

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai detained twice in a week, U.S. and British diplomats forced from their cars by police, rallies banned, aid workers stopped from working, reports of violence from across the countryside. The campaign for Zimbabwe’s presidential election run-off on June 27 is being hard fought, literally.

The opposition accuses President Robert Mugabe of responsibility for violence and says 65 people have been killed. The ruling party blames Tsvangirai’s followers and says Mugabe’s Western foes and some aid agencies have been campaigning for the opposition.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s economy plumbs ever greater depths. A U.S. dollar could buy more than a billion local dollars on Thursday. But that was then.

Simba Makoni, the ruling party defector who came third in the first round vote on March 29, called this week for the presidential election run-off to be scrapped. He was certainly not the first to suggest that it might be better to abandon the election and have the rivals try to agree some sort of national unity government.

Should the election go ahead? Could it be fair? Who would win?

Have your say.