The Mail & Guardian‘s editorial cartoonist has been on point about Zuma lately

• Zimbabwe is descending deeper into economic crisis as shortage of dollars have forced the reintroduction of a domestic currency.  Rudo Mudiwa writes a moving account of daily life amongst cash shortages in Harare.  For background, check out the excellent long-form essays on Zimbabwean law and politics by Alex Magaisa at The Big Saturday Read.

• The DRC has just named a new prime minister from an opposition party in an effort to compel Kabila’s government to hold elections in 2018.  Lisez cet entretien avec l’ancien premier ministre : « J’ai navigué dans des eaux infestées de crocodiles ».

• Here’s a rare article in English about the dire state of journalism in Burundi.  Aussi au Burundi, un ex-juge de la Cour constitutionnelle a révélé les manœuvres du chef de l’Etat pour amener les magistrats à valider sa candidature en 2015.

• Hamza Mohamed has written a remarkable article about getting permission to film Al-Shabaab troops in Somalia with a drone.  Uganda is increasingly including female troops in its peacekeeping contingents in Somalia, in hopes that they’ll reduce the amount of sexual violence perpetuated by their male colleagues.

• Meet the local non-profit organizations in Kenya who are taking on extrajudicial killings by the police.  Kenya’s high court is also due to hear a new case about the legality of abortion later this month.  Having safe, accessible reproductive health services is incredibly important — not everyone can afford to fly to India for their healthcare.

• Jeff Paller and George Bob-Milliar have written an excellent summary of seven things to know about Ghana’s elections this week.  My new task when I’ve returned to Accra next year is to figure out where this fraudulent US embassy run by organized crime rings was located.

• There’s a great deal of confusion about where African borders are actually located, no thanks to poorly informed colonial interventions.  This hasn’t prevented a massive amount of internal migration within the continent — much more common than immigration to higher income countries.  Culinary innovation also has few boundaries, as shown by this story about how Vietnamese spring rolls became a common food in Senegal.

• Here’s a new graphic from UNICEF addressing common myths about cash transfers. If you’re interested in learning more about social protection and welfare policy, check out the excellent short course offered by the Centre for Social Protection at the University of Sussex next June.  I attended this year, and can attest to its quality.

• This was a good piece on ethnicity in American politics in comparative perspective.  Listen along with this series of NPR shows about myths and reality of life under the poverty line in the US.  If you’d like more American political news like this, check out Progressive Action Daily, which shares one action or news item related to progressive social change in the US each day.

• Video of the week: I’m choosing to believe in Sinkane’s message of positivity in his glossy new video for “U’Huh.”  Okayafrica has a great summary of the Sudanese-American singer’s work.