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Africa press review 20 May 2017

Plenty to choose from this morning : food and politics in Kenya, a "greedy" general in the Gambia and "ill-mannered" remarks in South Africa.

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Kenya first where the papers, understandably, are still focusing on the country's food crisis.

The top story in the Digital Standard this morning reports on what it calls "The Unga puzzle"; Unga being maize flour, a staple in the Kenyan diet.

The latest twist in the saga, says the Standard - is the “sudden” availability of Government of Kenya branded flour retailing at 90 Shillings for a 2 kg bag   an overnight drop of between 40 and 50 per cent drop from last week’s prices of 150 to 180 per 2kg shillings.

Maize - says the Standard, is deeply politicised in Kenya, every meal of ugali effectively has a political dimension.

The paper reports that the opposition was quick to dismiss the move as a cheap, cynical political ploy in the lead-up to the August General Election.

Opponents of the government say it remains to be seen how sustainable or broadly distributed the subsidised maize flour will be.

One clue came from Taita-Taveta County where residents yesterday scrambled to buy the cheaper flour.

The majority went home empty handed as the cheap maize quickly ran out of stock, the paper reports.

Traders interviewed said they had only received a small consignment.

*******

In Gambia Freedom newspaper takes aim at the Chief of the Defence Staff Masaneh Kinteh.

Previously a retired Lieutenant General turned diplomat, in January Kinteh was appointed military aide to Gambia's newly elected President Adama Barrow.

The following month he was made Chief of the Defence staff, a post he'd once held under former President Yahyah Jammeh.

Evidently, the Freedom paper doesn't like the cut of his jib.

"Kinteh To Resume Tour Of Army Barracks Thursday Amid Corruption Scandal Rocking The Army Command!" screams the front page headline.

It has been brought to our attention, the paper says, that after the completion of his tour, Kinteh, is to travel to Cuba, to pick his family.

Formerly Kinteh was Gambia's Ambassador to Havana.

The amazing thing about this greedy CDS is that he owns a residence around Brusubi, but he said the place is too small for residential purposes, the paper informs readers.

He has signed a lease contract with a private homeowner in Brusubi, which he intends to use as his new home. The rent is D375,000 dalasis per annum that's around 7200 euro.

"Now you can see how greedy he is. This is the guy Barrow appointed to help restructure the army. He is living large, while is men are suffering," the paper says.

It should be noted that the military under Jammeh’s rule witnessed total disregard of the welfare of the personnel resulting to very low morale within the army.

A similar trend is being repeated under Kinteh's leadership.

The enthusiasm that greeted the country's change of leadership seems to have been short lived.

*******

In South Africa there's an unusual story in the Sowetan.

The ANC will have to be given a "fight for its money" before it fixes itself, former Nigerian President Olu-shegun Obasanjo has said.

Obasanjo is visiting to promote a book he's co-authored, entitled Making Africa Work - A Handbook for Economic Success.

In an interview, he said success was possible for liberation movements to "convert themselves".

But, where they failed to do so, they risked becoming irrelevant.

A critical problem hampering SA's economic growth was governance and not management of the economy itself, he's quoted as saying.

South Africa and Nigeria had to get their houses in order, politically and economically, or they would not be effective, he said.

Inadequate leadership was a problem, with leaders failing to take responsibility for their actions.

His comments come as the ANC faces criticism from opposition parties, religious bodies and its own alliance partners over President Jacob Zuma's leadership.

What's unusual about the story?

More often than not, the etiquette in Africa is that visitors don't criticise their hosts, however monstrous they may be.

The times they are a' changing?

 

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