12:40 GMT 26th January 2012
Sir
I am pleased Julius Malema has been cut down to size. I have never seen him in public but every picture I've seen of him shows him to be an arrogant loud mouth. Trouble seems to be written all over his face and if the ANC leadership did not step in to discipline him, he would have gone out of control. He spouts the usual radical rhetoric concerning economic empowerment of black people and nationalising the mines, but at the end of the day he is as corrupt as other ANC bigwigs. Good riddance to him.
Lindiwe Tano
Pretoria, South Africa
Sir
Michael Sata seems to be doing all the right things in Zambia, if his budget is anything to go by ('The people's budget, NewsAfrica, December 31 2011). He talked about putting money in his pocket and that is exactly what he is doing. However, I am disappointed that he decided not to go ahead with the windfall tax on miners. Before he was elected he had a lot to say on this, especially when his predecessor withdrew it. I hope this backtracking is not a sign of things to come.
Kumba B, via email
Sir
Why is Nigeria removing fuel subsidy ('Energy Africa, NewsAfrica, December 31 2011 ). It offers an explanation, saying that fuel importers are reaping the rewards, not ordinary people. But making ordinary people suffer for the misdeeds of others is surely not the answer. I believe the government is just following the reguests of the IMF and World Bank, who wish to structurally adjust Nigeria's economy. Fuel is a basic need of life, that is why successive governments have made it cheaper. Withdrawing the subsidy will make everything more expensive as transporters hike their prices to meet the increased fuel costs.
Charles Coker
Lagos, Nigeria
Sir
When Kenya has more than its fair share of problems, why on earth is it invading Somalia ('Defending the nation', NewsAfrica December 31 2011). According to what I have read, its troops have hardly made any inroads. All that has happened is that alShabaab militants have begun throwing grenades about in Nairobi. Therefore, far from protecting national security, the invasion has made it worse. Even more alarming is the fact that the US and France are hovering in the background to help out. It is more likely to be a story of Kenya helping out the US. Kenya should get out of Somalia. No good will come from messing in another country's affairs.
Name and address supplied
Sir
Chika Zeanya's experience of Rwanda was very encouraging, to say the least (Viewpoint, Ne~vsAfrica, December 31 2011 ). Only those who are corrupt themselves would dislike the rule-bound, ordered bureaucracy that she describes. I have been to Nigeria and even dealing with simple things like buying an airline ticket was complicated. The person taking my money refused to give me change, saying the ticket price was different from that advertised. As the change was only small I couldn't be bothered to argue but went away feeling that Nigeria would never progress if people felt they had to stoop so low to make a bit of cash.
Gilbert Adair-Blake
London, UK
Sir
The answer to Africa's population growth is better services and more jobs, all of which can be provided for by careful spending policies ('The demographic dividend', NewsAfrica, December 31 2011 ). Oil rich countries like Nigeria and Angola really don't have any excuse when they say they cannot afford to provide better education and transportation systems. The money they earn through oil could pay for this and more yet over the years it has been mismanaged or stolen. Ghana has become an oil producing nation yet it looks as though the people that will benefit most are the foreigners who run and own most of the industry. The country has taken no steps to train people for the oil industry. Now the oil jobs are going to expats while thousands of Ghanaian graduates are without work. They are educated but not for the oil industry.
Steve Plange
Manchester, UK
Sir
I can't help feeling sorry for Mutharika ('On a slippery slope, Neu;sAfrica, December 31 2011). He is being ganged up against by the donor nations because, as your article points out, he has shown independence of spirit by granting a farmers' subsidy. The fact that this has proved successful means nothing to the likes of the IMF and the US. He was disobeying orders and as a recipient of so much largesse in terms of aid he has to be taught a lesson. He did not help matters by getting his police to fire at protesters, but the US police have dealt brutally with the occupy protesters. Once again there is one rule for the rich, and one for the poor.
N Ahmed
Oslo, Norway
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