Mugabe's zero-sum game President Robert Mugabe seems little constrained by the 2008 Global Political Agreement which established the coalition with the Movement for Democratic Change. Governance in Zimbabwe shows that the rule that “you are either with me or against me” continues to be a powerful force in deciding relations between African heads of state and the rest of the world.

Its not always what you think During the public service strike there was one very clever poster displayed on our TV-screens. In fact it was so clever that it was really a pity that the teacher who had her face framed by a hole in the middle of the poster was not in her class teaching. The poster did, however aptly describe how many of us also felt about the strike by then.

Africa taken for a ride – again As Mozambique’s capital of Maputo and the city of Matola are experiencing violent riots because of rocketing prices of food and other key consumer goods, a report released in late August by Friends of the Earth Europe (FOEE) warns that Africa is at risk of its agricultural land being...

Success? It’s all in the numbers She is the epitome of the essential new breed of South African woman, and a woman who courageously takes things in her stride. Like coming from a rural Swaziland upbringing to earn several degrees and diplomas; being appointed to more professional and business boards than most people would be able to remember; or receiving multiple awards and accolades for her achievements...

Will Africa feed itself? Africa has a quarter of the world's arable land but produces only a tenth of our food. On the eve of a pan-African conference on food security, Lindiwe Sibanda asks how African farmers can turn things round, and what questions and answers you have when facing the huge challenges of maintaining and increasing Africa's food production?