U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Southern Africa

Tel: +27 11 880 4633
Fax: +27 11 880 1421
e-mail: irin-sa@irin.org.za


SOUTHERN AFRICA
IRIN-SA Weekly Round-Up 283
13 - 19 May 2006


CONTENTS:

MADAGASCAR: Alarm bells ring as new crisis hits south
ANGOLA: No end yet to cholera crisis
ZIMBABWE: People flock to church as inflation tops 1,000 percent
COMOROS: New president elected
MALAWI: Mutharika pays Banda a US$620,000 tribute
NAMIBIA: Government turns down poverty reduction grant but leaves door open



MADAGASCAR: Alarm bells ring as new crisis hits south

Aid agencies have warned that drought may lead to crop failure in 
southern Madagascar, aggravating already precarious food security and 
low nutrition levels. The early warning system covering southern 
Madagascar has estimated that the prolonged dry spell in 21 counties of 
the southwestern province of Tulear could affect over 300,000 people. 
Repeated floods in the coastal areas in 2005, recent insect infestation, 
cyclones and now drought have caused food security to deteriorate 
steadily in southern Madagascar.

Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=53409


ANGOLA: No end yet to cholera crisis

Supermarkets in the Angolan capital, Luanda, are struggling to meet the 
demand for bottled water as citizens try to protect themselves from 
cholera. The waterborne disease has claimed more than 1,300 lives, 
mostly in the capital. This is the first serious outbreak to hit Luanda 
in over 10 years, and the interior of Angola has not seen cholera for 
even longer: people rarely travelled during the war and the disease was 
confined to the slums of the capital. Ironically, government efforts to 
rehabilitate the country's crumbling infrastructure are allowing cholera 
to spread.

Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=53444


ZIMBABWE: People flock to church as inflation tops 1,000 percent

As inflation topped 1,000 percent in Zimbabwe, its residents, including 
former Socialists from the ruling ZANU-PF, have sought refuge in 
religion. Gospel tunes and evangelical preachers are on TV daily, while 
political rallies, and even military parades, are now enlivened by songs 
of praise.

In other news the authorities predicted a much-improved maize crop this 
year, but6 analysts said affordability and not availability would 
determine food security in the coming months. The government, which has 
banned independent crop assessments, said it expected a crop of 1.8 
million mt of maize. Most food security analysts believe Zimbabwe's 
annual requirement is around 1.4 million mt.

See reports:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=53381
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=53374


COMOROS: New president elected

Moderate Islamic religious leader Ahmed Abdallah Sambi was declared 
president of the Union of Comoros this week. Comorans across the 
three-island Indian Ocean archipelago went to the polls on Sunday for 
the last round in a presidential race aimed at ending a history of 
corruption, coups and inter-island strife since independence from France 
in 1975.

Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=53352


MALAWI: Mutharika pays Banda a US$620,000 tribute

The political rehabilitation of Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda, reviled as a 
dictator and murderer when he was swept from office a decade ago, was 
completed at the weekend with the unveiling of a mausoleum honouring him 
as Malawi's first head of state.

At a ceremony attended by thousands on Sunday, President Bingu wa 
Mutharika proclaimed Banda a national hero, and vowed to "continue his 
work". There was no mention of the jailing and torturing of opponents, 
which helped keep Banda in power for 30 years until domestic and 
external pressure forced him to make democratic reforms.

Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=53354


NAMIBIA: Government turns down poverty reduction grant but leaves door 
open

Namibian civil society's demand that all Namibian citizens be given a 
monthly cash allowance to help them cope with poverty was turned down by 
the government this week.

Churches and NGOs in Namibia formed a coalition last year to alleviate 
the plight of people living in abject poverty by giving them a basic 
income grant, proposing that a monthly cash grant of N$100 (US$16) be 
paid from the state coffers to every Namibian, regardless of income, and 
should also reach rural dwellers to provide them with a basic lifeline. 
Government said the monthly allowance was unaffordable.

Full report:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=53377


IRIN-SA
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Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za


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