the monitor

AFCON curtains and musings

My energy this week is like that of a sloth on sedatives. What had tickled my fancy, no, actually what had taken my valuable time was the AFCON competition for the past month or so.

So, most of my evenings were taken up by watching soccer. Long, boring, endless games of soccer. I watched the tournament spit and sputter like an engine that just got a good solid swig of water. How I watched right to the end has me baffled too. I know some thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle but I remain unconvinced.

I know a poor tournament when I see one and this one was a stinker. There’s obviously going to be a rush to spew the plaudits with not much brainpower generated before the flowers spring into action. Before you point your misfiring guns at me, let me explain how this didn’t push my pulse up. Previous tournaments were painted with pretty faces on the stands, which acted as a salve for the dour football out in the field. Usually this dimension is brought by the participation of Ethiopia. Everyone sat in front of their TVs to see the Ethiopian ladies who are naturally beautiful without any make-up powder tweaks.

Editor's Comment
Medicine before ConCourt

Yet, while this crisis ravages the communities, the administration is championing a major, resource-intensive legal reform and the establishment of a dedicated Constitutional Court. While the principle of strengthening constitutional justice is commendable, the timing is profoundly misplaced. When the President himself admits the government coffers are limited, every thebe and every moment of political capital must be directed towards the...

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