DJ Bwakali
How Burkina Faso’s 2014 Revolution Shaped Ibrahim Traoré
October 30, 2014. Dust and smoke hung like a cloud in Ouagadougou’s hot streets. Burnt shells and tear gas canisters littered the crowded streets....
Wasini Island’s Elusive Search for Freshwater
I first felt Wasini’s thirst in the silence after a boat leaves. The engine coughs, the wake settles, and the channel between Shimoni and...
Seeds of revolution taking root in Traoré’s Mind
One year earlier in 2010, a 22-year old Traoré had watched President Compaoré win re-election with over 80 percent of the vote. Although the...
Traoré Experiences People Power in Action
For Traoré, Compaoré’s regime had always been a shadow in his life, looming over his youth. Since 1987, when Compaoré seized power through a...
Traoré Witnesses the People Kicking Out Sankara’s Killer
On October 30th as the day progressed, the protests grew more violent. Ouagadougou witnessed a turning point in Burkina Faso’s history. Thousands of citizens...
Traoré Observed President Compaoré’s Hollow Victory
President Compaoré, under pressure from the rising unrest, finally relented. He dismissed his government and named Luc Adolphe Tiao, a former journalist and ambassador...
A Cry for Lasting Peace and Prosperity in the Somalia Region
The regional administration of Puntland, which has semi-autonomous status within Somalia, has announced its withdrawal from the federal government system. Puntland will now self-govern...
Puntland, the UAE, and Sudan’s Firestorm
I have been watching closely as Sudan’s tragedy deepens, and in that firestorm, Puntland’s name has suddenly been dragged into the smoke. Khartoum has...
A Nation’s Discontent The Simmering Uprising in Tanzania
For weeks, Tanzania has pulsed with a slow, steady thrum of discontent. Traders, the lifeblood of Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam's vibrant market, shuttered their...
Protect the Maasai and Their Ancestral Lands
In the swirling sands of the Serengeti and the sacred slopes of Ol Doinyo Lengai, a story of survival, identity, and legacy unfolds. It...
