Quite literally - as it's 2.10AM.

However, for Ore's Notes, it is a break from the past in a MAJOR way: I have finally updated the look of the blog.

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Charles Obbo filed a very positive account from a visit to Mogadishu late this past April that must have rubbed M7 off the wrong way; because M7 responded with an opEd diatribe in his government owned New vision newspaper by calling Obbo "One of the greatest enemies of the NRM" Then, in his usual fashion, M7 digresses to claiming the NRM "single handedly discovered oil in Uganda; even though his own government's website on oil and gas clearly states the hunt for oil in Uganda dates back to the 1920's. Judge for yourself from the attachments below: Charles Obbo's post on Mogadishu: MOGADISHU, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH UGANDAN & BURUNDIAN TROOPS - AND GETTING BLOWN AWAY If you are a critic of Uganda and Burundi's role in the Somalia peace-keeping (AMISOM), then stay away. If you come ...

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Direct cash transfers can be more than a smart way to deliver social assistance. In fact, they may provide Africa with a neat solution to its most urgent problem: how to handle its massive commodity bonanza.

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Text and photos by Banning Eyre

On May 17 at the New York Institute of Technology, a new film by Zimbawbwean filmmaker Simon Bright had its US debut before an overflow house. The film, Robert Mugabe... What Happened?, offers a succinct and powerful recap for Robert Mugabe's public career from his early political rise in the nationalist movement of 1960s, through his eleven-year imprisonment, his key role in the Zimbabwean liberation struggle, his triumphant election in 1980, and the twists and turns of his ultimately disastrous 32 years leading Zimbabwe. This event was organized by three enterprising young Zimbabwean living in New York, and featured a panel discussion that included, among others, both Bright, and the Lion of Zimbabwe himself, Thomas Mapfumo, en route from a trip to South ...

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There is growing optimism in the development community that the dawn of the "African Century" may be upon us. The reasons for this optimism are real. Over the last decade, six of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies were in Africa, and substantial political and social progress has been achieved.

But I would say that the potential for this development may be undermined if the everyday tragedy of preventable maternal deaths continues unabated across the continent.

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The UK has a long tradition of bringing unique brands of reggae and dancehall. And a series of producers and artists have been maintaining that tradition for a minute now, mixing in elements of UK Bass and electronic music seamlessly along the way.

The latest offering from the UK-based duo Urban Knights is no different. Featuring Blackout JA, "Step on Dem" is hard-hitting bashment offering just in time for summer. Made up of producers Benny Kane and Dr Specs, the track strikes a funky, dancefloor-ready balance between various grime, UK Bass and modern dancehall. In other words, this track is hot like the weather. We actually heard this track last week but are just now getting to it. Fire!

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So after a story like this last one, I had to move it fast, chale! It's happened, as of Easter this year. For the first time in my life, I have an address I own (if even for two years). My home will always be Kumasi, there's just something about it that Accra doesn't quite have for me, but my house is now officially in Accra. See me in chambers (like Ghanaians say, I have no idea where the phrase came from) to know where the address is. Since this is a monumental thing (moving into my own home), there had to be some story and drama behind it. I finally have three distinct ones to share so here's the blog entry.

Because I am care-free, I am sometimes careless. "I don't care" just started playing in my head. Before I could actually spend a night in the house, I actually managed to lose the ...

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Do you want to help kickstart a media and civil society revolution in Kenya? Code4Kenya is offering four Code4Kenya fellowships for civic hackers who want to help change the way that our societies work.   The fellows will be embedded into some of Kenya's most influential media and civil society organisations (CSOs) for six months [...]

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On Friday last week while I was in Nairobi at a World Bank event on China and fragile states, The Star (Nairobi) published an insightful article by Chinese engineers Su Wu and Kou Yang. I've noted in The Dragon's Gift how China's policy banks have followed the "request-based" financing model made famous by Japan. This article shows how Chinese companies are trying to educate Africans about ways in which they can afford to have [more Chinese companies] build their infrastructure. I especially like this because it combines my two interests: China/Africa, and Taxation and State-Building. A hat tip to Paul S. Rogers.

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So after a story like this last one, I had to move it fast, chale! It's happened, as of Easter this year. For the first time in my life, I have an address I own (if even for two years). My home will always be Kumasi, there's just something about it that Accra doesn't quite have for me, but my house is now officially in Accra. See me in chambers (like Ghanaians say, I have no idea where the phrase came from) to know where the address is. Since this is a monumental thing (moving into my own home), there had to be some story and drama behind it. I finally have three distinct ones to share so here's the blog entry.

Because I am care-free, I am sometimes careless. "I don't care" just started playing in my head. Before I could actually spend a night in the house, I actually managed to lose the ...

[view whole blog post ]