The Candle

Journalist, Bapuwa Mwamba, was assassinated in Kinshasa on July 10, 2006.

Congolese journalists stopped working on July 18, 2006 to protest Mr. Mwamba’s killing.

Bapuwa Mwamba always yearned to return to his homeland while he was living in France. Eventually, he returned to Democratic Republic of Congo to directly contribute to the development of his land.

May God bless his soul and his effort to help Africa.

Brazil hosted Pan-African Intellectuals

The President of Brazil, Mr. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, hosted the Second Conference of Intellectuals from African and the Diaspora (CIAD) from 12 to 14 July 2006.

CIAD took place in Salvador, which is one of the predominantly black cities in Brazil.

The event was co-chaired by the Minister of Culture of Brazil, Gilberto Gil, representing the Diaspora, and Kenya's Wangari Maathai, 2004 Nobel Peace Price Laureate, representing the African Continent.

The general theme was “The Diaspora and African Renaissance,” aiming to create a strong working relationship between the Africans and the African Diaspora intellectuals.

African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson, Alpha Oumar Konaré, stated that although physically separated, Africans and the African Diaspora share the same values, history, culture, and destiny.

Mr. Konaré also expressed the belief that Africa's renaissance cannot be realized without the contribution of intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora, and explained that the continent's fate will be transformed by solutions developed by Africans and implemented by Africans.

The "Salvador Declaration" was adopted at the end of the conference, which announced that Africa's Diaspora, scattered across the planet, has an essential role in the African renaissance and aspired to strengthen departments in African Union that deal with the Diaspora.

Participants included heads of states, ministers, Noble Prize winners, scientists, and many other Black intellectuals from around the world.

Prime minister Mrs. Portia Simpson-Miller of Jamaica, presidents Festus Mogae of Botswana, Pedro Pires of Cape Verde, Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial-Guinea and John Kufuor of Ghana, and Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal were among the leaders who participated on the conference. The total number of participants was estimated to be between 1,000-1,500 people.

The first CIAD was held in Dakar, Senegal, in October 2004. Brazil was selected to host the second CIAD because it is one of the countries with a large African population outside of Africa.

The President of Africa

The Pan-African Parliament elected the Dr. Getrude Mongela as the first president of Africa under the African Union. Dr. Mongela will be the highest ranking person in Africa until her term is over in 2009.

She is known around the world as “Mama Beijing.”

The Pan-African Parliament is one of the most important organs in the African Union because it is expected to unify Africa and the African Diaspora politically, economically and socially. The African Union inaugurated the Pan-African Parliament in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 18, 2004.

Most Africans who have heard about this gigantic legislative body are excited that the Pan-African Parliament will eventually have full law making and governing power over the individual African countries starting in 2009.

Dr. Mongela is expected to build up the current the Pan-African Parliament that has consultative and advisory powers only to a full Pan-African legislative office. The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is run by legislators from 44 African counties.[1] Each African country is expected to bring five representatives to the Pan-African Parliament.

By law, at least one of the five representatives must be a woman.

Up until June 2006, the PAP also has four Vice-Presidents: Prof F. Jose Dias Van-Du’Nem, an Angolan, in charge of Southern Africa; Dr. Mohammed Lutfi Farahat, a Libyan, responsible for Northern Africa; Mrs. Loum N. Ne’loumsei Elise, a Chadian, in charge of Central Africa; and Mr. Jerome Sacca Kina Guezere, a Beninois, responsible for the west Africa.

The President of the PAP, Gertrude Mongella, is a Tanzanian woman. She is married and has four children.

She is also an international figure who has demonstrated her superior skills as a teacher, a human rights activist, peace maker, experienced diplomat, and strong politician.
Dr. Mongela has promised to work on conflict resolution, poverty reduction, and fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa. She has demonstrated ability to transform words into action on the international stage.

“She took an active leading role in setting up a mechanism which enables African women to participate effectively, at all decision-making levels, in the continent’s peace and development process,” according to the African Union.

In addition, her commitment to helping women around the word, specifically in China has earned her a pleasant nick name: “Mama Beijing.”

"If you want to be a leader, you have to be clear what you want and what you stand for. You must stand for principle. Principle will never let you down … You have to be able to choose what are the principles worth dying for … And you have to add on a little sacrifice. Leadership needs a lot of sacrifice - personal and public sacrifice."
Dr. Getrude Mongela


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[1] The 44 countries that are part of the Pan-African Parliament are Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The list is expected to increase and include the African Diaspora.

Mandela & Ethiopia

"Ethiopia, always has a special place in my imagination and the prospect of visiting Ethiopia attracted me more strongly than a trip to France, England and America combined!!!"
Nelson Mandela