Lord Holme of Cheltenham
 Richard Holme, Chairman of the Royal African Society from 2004 to 2008, died on May 4th after a long battle with cancer. Lord Holme made an immense contribution to a better understanding of Africa in Britain. Despite his failing health he devoted much time and great energy to bringing together a wide range of people from business and government to meetings and debates and played a crucial role in encouraging the private sector to invest in Africa and play a positive developmental role there. With his unerring instinct for clear direction and presentation he helped renew the Society and mould a more positive view of Africa. We will all miss his warm enthusiasm and his wise advice.
Jacob Zuma speaks at a Royal African Society Africa Business Breakfast at Simpsons-in-the-StrandThe recently-elected President of the African National Congress and the man almost certain to be the next president of South Africa, told the Business Breakfast that the resolution of the conflict in Kenya should "renew the confidence of the world in the ability of Africa to solve its problems". "Closer to home," Mr Zuma said, "we reiterate that the manner in which the March election was handled in Zimbabwe leaves much to be desired. It is unacceptable to withhold election results; it is tantamaunt to sabotaging the democratic process. However we remain confident that the Zimbabweans, assisted by SADC, will find a solution to hi impasse. Our message to you is, have faith. Africans have demonstrated an ability to resolve even the most protracted of conflicts, for example the Democratic Republic of Congo or Sierra Leone."
Read the full address and key quotes here
The Royal African Society hosted the launch of Alan Whiteside's new book HIV/AIDS: A Very Short Introduction on May 8th. Read The Economist's review of Alan Whiteside's book here
AFRICA COMMENTARIES: THE ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS Leading Africa specialists give their views
Mugabe boycotts emergency summit, Tsvangirai meets African leaders for crisis talks
By Mark Ashurst
Like everyone else, the southern African leaders gathered in the Zambian capital of Lusaka this weekend could be forgiven for thinking they have seen it all before. Their extraordinary summit was called to broker an end to the stalemate between Mugabe and his challenger, Morgan Tsvangirai. But on Friday, Mugabe announced he would boycott the meeting. (read full article)
A New Era for Africa
By Richard Dowden Zimbabwe, the physical heart of southern Africa, is once again its political and spiritual battleground. As I write this, President Robert Mugabe is trying to block democratic change that challenges his 28-year rule. But he and his party, the Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front, do not regard the people's votes as the arbiter of power — or, if they do in theory, they do not accept in practice that they could ever lose an election. In Mugabe's eyes, his right to rule derives from his status as the leader of the liberation movement, the breaker of white power and the creator of Zimbabwe. Whatever happens in the days to come, this is a watershed moment for the nation and for Africa as they struggle to move beyond the burdens of that history. (read full article)
Africa's version of democracy is in deadly crisis
By William Gumede
Unless African ruling elites overcome their obsession that regular elections – where the winner takes all – is the main measure of democracy, the orgy of violence such as that over disputed elections in Kenya will be repeated elsewhere on the continent. Western donors, with their requirements that elections are enough to warrant aid, have helped along this limited view of democracy. Zimbabwe is staging its long-awaited presidential election this weekend, with Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF so blatantly rigging the elections that the outcome risks the same terrible violence. (read full article)
The March 2008 Elections: The Significance of Makoni’s Candidacy
By Knox Chitiyo, Head of Africa Programme, RUSI
Simba Makoni’s decision to stand as a Presidential candidate in the March 2008 elections in Zimbabwe has galvanised international and domestic attention on the forthcoming polls. Within ZANU–PF, Makoni was not regarded as a political heavyweight, and certainly not as an “insider”. He has always been seen as a technocrat, an economist whose greatest strength lies not in fighting the bruising battles of internecine intra–ZANU-PF politics, but in trying to salvage Zimbabwe’s economy. Win or lose, his candidacy has a great deal of significance, both within Zimbabwe and externally. (read full article)
What Makoni’s candidacy means for Zimbabwe
By Innocent Chofamba Sithole, Journalist
“You who are with us here, I hope we can trust you”. So President Robert Mugabe addressed party cadres gathered for the launch of his presidential campaign in Harare last Friday. Such is the level of paranoia gripping the octogenarian leader ever since the defection of former finance minister, Simba Makoni, that he has instructed all Zanu PF candidates to campaign for him first before they can sell their own bids to the electorate. (read full article)
Read more on Zimbabwe Patrick Smith, The President, the army chief, his wife and her rival
Mark Ashurst, A Rough Time to be in Charge
Rasnah Warah, Kenya is the wrong example.
Norma Kriger, Understanding Zimbabwe's election.
Army deployed to campaign for Mugabe.
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