Here are 10 things that were learnt from the study, which surveyed 25,000 people in 19 countries.

1. 75% of South Africans think polygamy is "morally wrong" - bad news for their president, as Jacob Zuma took his third wife earlier this year and is engaged to a fourth. However, the survey also revealed some possible double-standards. While only 7% of Rwandans approved of polygamy (although this did include women), a rather higher number - 17% - of men said they had more than one wife.

2. An overwhelming majority of respondents disapproved of homosexual behaviour. In three countries - Zambia, Kenya and Cameroon - this was a massive 98%. Interestingly, one of the countries with the highest numbers of people - 11% - accepting homosexuals is Uganda, where an MP is trying to get legislation passed which would punish homosexual acts with life in prison and even death in some cases. The former Portuguese colonies of Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique were also relatively tolerant of homosexuality.

3. Africa is probably the world's most religious continent, with more than 80% saying they believed in God in most countries. At least half of the Christians questioned expect Jesus Christ to return to earth during their lifetimes. In Ethiopia, 74% of Christians say they have experienced or witnessed the devil or evil spirits being driven out of a person and in Ghana, 40% of Christians say they have had a direct revelation from God. About half of all Muslims expect to see the reunification of the Islamic world under a single ruler, or caliph, in their lifetimes.

4. Zimbabwe, where the Lemba people say they are the lost tribe of Israel, was not one of the countries surveyed. But 26% of Nigerian Christians said they traced their origins back to Israel or Palestine.

5. Belief in witchcraft is also common - about 40%; a similar percentage also visit traditional healers to cure sickness. Belief in witchcraft is highest in Tanzania with 93% - this is the country where witchdoctors say that magic potions are more effective if they contain body parts of people with albinism. Ethiopia had the lowest levels of belief in witchcraft - at just 17%. Belief that juju or sacred objects can prevent bad things happening was generally lower - between 20 and 30%. In Senegal, however, 75% thought such things worked - far higher than in Tanzania (49%). It may come as a surprise to learn that South Africa had the highest number of people - 52% - saying they took part in ceremonies of traditional religions, or honoured or celebrated their ancestors.

6. Predictably, there was also a religious split concerning alcohol, banned by Islam. Surprisingly, however, more Muslims in Chad (23%) approved of booze, than Ethiopian Christians (5%).

7. Attitudes to divorce showed a strong divide along religious lines in Nigeria. A massive 79% of Christians thought it was "morally wrong", while among Muslims, a narrow majority (46-41%) accepted divorce.

8. In recent years, Islamist hardliners in Somalia and Nigeria have introduced strict punishment based on Sharia law, such as amputating the hands of thieves and even stoning to death for adultery. The majority of people disapproved of such Sharia punishments. In Nigeria, they were backed by about 40% of Muslims and less than 10% of Christians. However, a majority did approve of whippings and amputations in Senegal and Mali. In nearby Guinea-Bissau, even 50% of Christians backed them. This was double the rate among Muslims in Ethiopia (25%) - maybe it feels like a more realistic prospect to them, as they share a border with Somalia and most Muslim Ethiopians are ethnic Somalis.

9. The survey also asked about material well-being in the world's poorest continent. Not so long ago, Cameroon regularly topped surveys of champagne consumption per head. However, a shocking 71% of Cameroonians surveyed said there were times in the past year when they did not have enough money to buy food. In Ethiopia, which is commonly seen as a country struggling to feed itself, the rate was far lower - at 30% - the lowest of all countries surveyed.

10. Ethiopia did, however, have the lowest numbers of people - 7% - who said they regularly used the internet. Rwanda's President Paul Kagame is striving to turn his country into Africa's answer to Silicon Valley and is being helped by the arrival of several new fibre optic cables off the east coast of Africa. He will be encouraged by the finding that 30% of his countrymen - the highest number - regularly browsed the web. Mobile phones, were far more common - with 81% of respondents in Botswana owning one. Many countries reported more than 50% having phones but here, Rwanda lagged behind at just 35%.

Article from news.bbc.co.uk, you can download a copy of the report by clicking here.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

1. Turkish Airlines to launch service to Dar es Salaam in June 2010
2. Precision Air Launches Frequent Flyer Programme
3. Iran to Open Agricultural Training Centres
4. Mt. Meru Hotel in Tanzania to reopen in late 2010
5. Africa goes to church, the mosque and the witch doctor

 

Mwanaharakati wa haki za binadamu wametoa wito wa kumpatia msaada wa haraka mwanaume mmoja anayehjihusisha na mapenzi ya jinsia moja, aliye gerezani nchini Malawi anayeelezewa kuumwa sana. Mwanaharakati Peter Tatchell amesema amepokea taarifa kutoka gereza la Chichiri kwamba Steven Monjeza anayeendelea na kesi ya uhusiano wake wa kimapenzi na mwanaume mwenzake, hajatibiwa na amekuwa akitapika na kulalamika maumivu ya kifua kwa zaidi ya siku kumi.

Taarifa zaidi zimesema anazuiliwa katika jela yenye msongamano mkubwa na ni chafu.

Monjeza na mpenzi wake Tiwonge Chimbalanga, wanashtakiwa kwa kuikuka sheria iliyowekwa nchini Malawi inayopiga marufuku ndoa za watu wa jinsia moja.

Wapenzi hao walifanya sherehe ya ndoa yao mwezi wa Desemba na wanakabiliwa na adhabu ya kifungo cha mika kumi na minne jela ikiwa watapatikana na hatia.

Chanzo cha habari: BBC Swahili

Lunyo Army Barracks in Entebbe has been renamed Kambarage Nyerere in recognition of the late Tanzanian leader's support to liberate Uganda from Idi Amin's regime. The barracks are located in Entebbe about 40 km south of the capital Kampala consisting of five blocks, four of which consists 12-2 bedroom flats and one 16-2 bedroom flats.

President Yoweri Museveni said: "I have decided to name the barracks after the late Nyerere because of what he did during the liberation of Uganda from Amin." International observers and human rights groups estimates that between 100,000 and 500,000 Ugandans were murdered under the Amin's rule (1971 - 1979). The regime was overthrown in April 1979 by a combined force of Ugandan exiles and the Tanzanian People's Defence Forces during Nyerere's reign.

Haya tena, huko Somalia stesheni za radio zimepigwa marufuku kurusha matangazo yanayoambatana na muziki. Amri hiyo iliyotolewa na waasi wa kundi la Hizbul-Islam, ambao ni waislamu wenye msimamo mkali, inaanza kufanya kazi mara moja.

Kinyume na utekelezaji wa amri hiyo, vituo na watangazaji wa radio watakuwa katika hatari ya kupoteza maisha yao. Mwandishi wa habari wa BBC aliyeko Mogadishu amesema amri hiyo inafanana sana na ile ya Taliban ya kule Afghanistan.

Siku za hivi karibuni katika maeneo mbalimbali ya Somalia... (bofya hapa kuendelea kusoma habari hii).
--
shared by Bob Sankofa: fotobaraza.ning.com | wahapahapa.com

Lake Victoria Mining Company accepted and completed private placements totaling $1,594,600 as of April 12, 2010. The funds will be used to advance the company's gold projects in Tanzania, East Africa and for corporate expenses.

About the Company
Lake Victoria Mining Company, Inc. along with its wholly owned subsidiary, Kilimanjaro Mining Company Inc. (www.kilimanjarominingcompany.com) is working to create another gold mine in the world famous Lake Victoria Greenstone Belt, Tanzania, East Africa. Tanzania produced 1.75 million troy ounces of gold during 2007 and is the 3rd largest gold producer in Africa behind South Africa and Ghana. Lake Victoria holds eleven prospective gold projects and five uranium projects within its Tanzania property portfolio.

Additional information regarding the Company is available on the corporate website at: www.lakevictoriaminingcompany.com

Info source: marketwatch.com

Haiya sasa, habari ndiyo hii.

Waziri wa Kilimo wa Kenya bwana William Ruto ametoa ruhusa kutumia pombe ya Pwani al maaruf 'mnazi', kwa kuwa ni mojawapo ya utamaduni wa Waswahili wa Pwani.

Habari kwa mujibu wa TBC1, bofya kifute hapo usikilize.

YATOKANAYO
Nakumbuka mchangiaji mmoja wa habari katika kundi pepe fulani hivi majuzi, nadhani wiki mbili tu zilizopita, aliandika na kuhoji kwa kirefu tu sababu za ni kwa nini angekuwa kiongozi angeruhusu utengenezaji halali na matumizi ya pombe aina ya 'gongo' iliyozoeleka nchini Tanzania. Pamoja na mengi, alisema pombe hii itakuwa chanzo cha ajira kwa wanaoitengeneza, itakuwa zao la biashara kama zilivyo Konyagi, Valeur na aina nyingine ya 'gin' vile vile alisisitiza kuwa kuhalalisha pombe hii kutaondoa utengenezaji haramu ambao ni hatari.

Nadhani mawazo yake yalipitishwa kutoka akilini Tanzania hadi kwenye matendo Kenya. Hii nayo imenikumbusha tena kauli aliyoiandika bwana mmoja katika mdahalo ule, '...sisi Watanzania ni wazuri sana wa kutengeneza sera, Rwanda ni wazuri wa kutekeleza sera zetu'.

Hii nchi hii, mi sijui tena bana.

Wanandoa wamoja huo nchini Australia wameshitakiwa kwa kosa la kujipatia fedha kwa kutokuonesha uaminifu. Wanandoa hao walikumbwa na shitaka hilo pale walipokwenda katika duka la kuuza vifaa vya mtumba na kununua kijisanduku ambacho ndani yake kulikuwamo dola za Kiaustralia laki moja (100,000). Fedha hizo zilikuwa zimehifadhiwa kwenye kijisanduku hicho na wazee wawili waishio katika kitongoji cha Beaconsfield huko mjini Melbourne nchini Austalia. 

Mmoja wa wazee hao, mke, hakufahamu kuwa mumewe amelikificha fedha zao katiak kijisanduku hicho na hivyo yeye kukitoa kwa shirika la Jeshi la Wokovu (Salvation Army) kwa ajili ya kuuza. Mumewe alipogundua kilichotokea, aliharakisha kwenda kwenye duka la Shirika hilo kujaribu kukipata lakini ilikuwa bahari mbaya alichelewa kwani kijisanduku chenyewe kilikuwa kimeshauzwa.

Harakati za kukisaka zilifaniiwa kugundua kuwa kijisanduku kilikuwa kimeuziwa wanandoa waliokinunua na kulipia kwa kutumia kadi ya benki.

Polisi walikipata kijisanduku lakini walikuta kuwa fedha zilishachukuliwa na kuwekwa kwenye akaunti mpya ya benki. Kiasi fulani cha fedha hizo kimepatikana.

Wahusika wameshitakiwa kwa kosa la 'theft by finding'.

KISA HIKI KIMENIFUNDISHA NINI?
Dhana ya ubinadamu imekuwa kitu adimu sasa. Tusichoke kutenda wema. Tusiache kuwa waaminifu. Tusipende vya bure.

Jama, hivi mimi na wewe na Watanzania wengine tutakuwa lini mstari wa mbele katika kuchangamkia fursa mbalimbali humu duniani? Tukiwa na vyetu jirani wanavifaidi, sisi tunaishia kulalamika tu. Vikitoka sandakalawe, sisi tunajikunyata wakati wenzetu wanadaka nafasi. Ni lipi hasa tatizo letu lakini?

Nilkuwa naperuzi mtandao wa cnn.com kwenye tuzo alizozianzisha Anderson Cooper na kuziita, 'CNN Hero' ambazo hufanyika kila mwaka tangu mwaka 2007. Ukitizama katika kabrasha la miaka iliyopita hadi mwaka huu, jirani zetu wameshachukua nafasi kadhaa katika kinyang'anyiro hicho, hata kama hawakuibuka kidedea, bado wameonesha kuwa wamechangamkia fursa na wameweza kujitangaza.

YOUNG WONDER
Evans Wadongo, 23, invented a way for rural families in Kenya to replace smoky kerosene and firelight with solar power. Through his Use Solar, Save Lives program, he's distributed an estimated 10,000 solar lanterns, for free. Click the links below to learn more:
Evans Wadongo (story)
CNN Hero: Evans Wadong (profile)
Solar power from scrap metal
See Evans Wadongo's Web site

Pengine unaweza ukawa bado hujaelewa umuhimu wa tuzo.
Ni kwamba, tuzo inaposhindaniwa, wale wote wanaoshiriki wanapata fursa kubwa na ya kipekee ya kuonekana na kufahamika katika kadamnasi kubwa. Ndani ya kadamnasi hiyo wapo watu ambao huvutiwa na ubunifu au umahiri wa walioshindanishwa hadi kufikia ngazi za juu. Ni miongoni mwa watu hao ambapo hujitokeza watu wakawafadhili na hivyo kuweza kuendeleza karama au vipaji vyao na hivyo kutengeneza ile wazungu wanayosema, 'win-win situation', kwa maana kwamba, mwenye kipaji anawezeshwa kufikia lengo lake (attain your potential) na aliyemfadhili akawekeza na hivyo kufaidi matunda ya kipaji alichowekezea. Hii si sheria au maneno ya kutunga mimi bali ndiyo ilivyo, kwamba wewe unakuwa na hiki na yule anakuwa na kile kisha mnakutana au kukutanishwa na kuweza kutumia kila mmoja chake kwa faida ya wote.

Shime wananchi tuvumbue vipaji na tukiona mwenzetu anachipuka, tumpe ushirikano na kumwonyesha mwanga kwani faida yake ni msaada kwa wengine pia. Tuachane na roho za umimi, uchoyo, usengenyaji na kukatishana tamaa. Hayo yote hayatufikishi kokote bali kutusababisha tuendelee kuliliana shida kila kukicha.

Utaniuliza, 'wewe Subi unatupigia kelele hapa, kwani umefanya nini?' nami nakujibu sijafanya lolote, lakini nipo tayari kumsaidia yeyote yule anayejitahidi, kwa kadiri nitakayoweza kumsaidia.

Wewe nawe umefanya nini?

Ukitaka kupiga kura unaweza kufanya hivyo kupitia » www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/nom

DEFENDING THE PLANET
New York teacher Jude Ndambuki started the Help Kenya Project to provide refurbished computers to schools in need. His group has sent more than 2,000 discarded computers to Kenyan students, who have planted more than 150,000 trees in exchange. Click the links below to learn more:
Jude Ndambuki's story »
CNN Hero: Jude Ndambuki (profile)
Technology for trees
See Jude Ndambuki's Web site

If you have lived in the rural areas especially the highlands, you probably have seen these beautiful butterflies. I remember to have seen them when I was young but for some reason(s) they dissapeard. I didn't have a good reason but kept guessing their dissapearance could have something tied to climatic changes.

This week I just learned something.

Forest ecologist says that, apart from their transparent wings offering a natural camouflage mechanism, their presence is an indication of high habitat quality, and their demise alerts that there is an ecological change.

Tanks Donna for sharing this tip.
The above photo isn't clikable but the bottom ones are, click to enlarge for a better view.