President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF party have been given their stiffest electoral battle since independence in 1980. As we went to press, Zanu had lost its majority in the lower House of Assembly for the first time in 28 years – by two seats. The opposition MDC-Tsvangirai party (MDC-T) had performed much better than many expected. None of the four presidential contestants – President Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai, Simba Makoni and the little-known Langton Towungana - had secured the required majority to win outright and form the government. As such, a run-off was to be held in the presidential race. How did the monumental shift of political power happen? How did a seemingly “weak and fractured” opposition inflict such telling blows on a hitherto impregnable ruling party? On the other hand, if Mugabe is such a “hate figure”, as the Western media has widely reported, why did he and Zanu PF still manage to stave-off a wipe-out by the opposition? Baffour Ankomah was in Zimbabwe before, during and after the 29 March elections, and from Harare, he sent this report. More...

A British-born South African columnist, David Bullard, thinks Africa should be grateful for colonialism. But his black editor is fed up with his bile and has fired him, creating another race controversy in South Africa, reports Pusch Commey from Johannesburg. More...

A new Budget Bill has been signed by the government, President Umaru Yar’Adua has been rushed for emergency medical treatment in Germany, two ruling party state governors have been removed from office by the Appeal Court, and more revelations of perfidy in the energy sector continue to come out – all coinciding with the first-year anniversary of Yar’Adua’s government. It is clear that despite the president’s best efforts, Nigeria is not yet at ease. Lindsay Barrett reports. More...