\n

Well, we all agree that Fatoumata Ba is a young African champion from whom we can all draw inspiration. Unfavorable cultures and systems should not be our stumbling blocks from reaching our destiny or achieving our dreams. Instead, they should be our mind openers and catalysts pushing us to think outside the box. She has swiftly beaten all odds and helped others to succeed while at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, only 27% of Africa\u2019s entrepreneurs are women. Fatoumata appreciates the women who are at it for survival. She believes that by economically empowering women and girls, she will be establishing a better and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: How Fatoumata Ba Built The Largest E-commerce Platform In Africa","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-how-fatoumata-ba-built-the-largest-e-commerce-platform-in-africa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=310337","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":401816,"post_author":"10061","post_date":"2021-06-28 16:13:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:13:00","post_content":"\n\nThe world of fashion is absolutely benefiting from up-and-coming fashion designers in Africa. 33-year-old fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, shares the success stories of what made Thabo Makhetha<\/a> a global brand with African Vibes. We enjoyed talking to her and we believe you will too. Hopefully, this story will serve as an inspiration to aspiring designers to aim for the global stage. Obviously, there is no height you cannot reach as long as you set your mind towards it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301892\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1367\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Natali Field<\/em>[\/caption]\n

Who is Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana?<\/h2>\nI\u2019m a fashion designer, wife, and mother of two boys. I was born in Lesotho, but my family left when I was three years old and I've lived across South Africa; Johannesburg, Mafikeng, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, and now, Cape Town. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world and being exposed to the different communities gave me an appreciation for culture and heritage.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Designer Spotlight: Yohannes Sisters Take Ethiopian Fashion To The World<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nI studied Fashion Design at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University<\/a> and started my business in 2009 the year after my graduation. Things really kicked off with Durban July<\/a>, back in 2013, the theme for the event was royalty. I designed the \"Rose Coat\"<\/a> inspired by my heritage and made from the Basotho blankets. It was such a hit at the event, people were asking for my number and I even won the Best Dressed award. And really, that was one of the big pushes in terms of working with the Basotho blankets.\n\nThe other big break came when Jackie Burger<\/a>, then editor of Elle<\/a>, bought one of my capes at Design Indaba<\/a> and wore it to the Louis Vuitton show in Paris, France. She was seated front-row and even wrote an editor's article about the event, the cape she wore, and how it drew so much attention. It was a real honor. Those are basically the two catalysts that pushed the brand forward.\n\n\n

How did you get into fashion, and what are your motivations and training?<\/h2>\nHonestly, it's just something I've always wanted to do. My Grandmother was a seamstress and so some of that came from her. When I was a kid, I would make clothes for my dolls and when whilst I was still in school, my mom bought me my first sewing machine. In high school, I\u2019d sketch and sew dresses for the dances I went to. So even before I went to study fashion, I was already designing.\n\nMy biggest motivation is that this is my passion and purpose. If I wasn\u2019t creating, I don't know what else I'd be doing. I've always grown up knowing that I've got a talent and it's got to do with my hands. I also paint and create artworks in my spare time so one can say it comes naturally.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301903\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
\n
ALSO READ: Designer Spotlight: Mzukisi Mbane Is Building Afro-Futuristic Fashion<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

So, tell us more about your brand and when it was launched<\/h2>\nThe brand was launched in 2009, I had ambitions of interning in Europe, but the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding so there were no opportunities. I started off fulfilling individual clients' orders, basically dressmaking. It was great when clients came in, I could design something custom for them\u2014which was always my preference.\n\nMy most iconic design would have to be the \"Starburst Coat\"<\/a> it was voted the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa, by then Elle-editor, Ellie Gamabade. The \u201cRose Coat\u201d that won best dressed at Durban July is another. My best selling item is the long cape, which Kefilwe Mabote<\/a> wore and it just went viral. She looked brilliant in it, and it's one of my favorite pieces to make.\n\n\n

What has been your biggest breakthrough so far? Have you participated in any runway events?<\/h2>\nMy runway debut was at Vancouver Fashion Week 2014, which was phenomenal considering I hadn\u2019t yet shown in South Africa. Since then I\u2019ve showcased on several occasions at South Africa Fashion Weeks, Cape Town Fashion Week and I\u2019ve also showcased internationally in the UK, Italy, USA, and at the African Union in Addis Ababa.\n\nMy breakthrough has to be my Basotho blanket range for which my brand is mostly known and once again credit to events such as Design Indaba and people like Jackie Burger. I think having an influential fashion icon put their money down, invest in a brand, and use their influence to sell the brand makes the most impact.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301908\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1195\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: MaXhosa by Laduna Knitwear Brand<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

What are the biggest challenges you've encountered so far and how did you overcome them?<\/h2>\nHonestly, up to date, I think my biggest challenge, not just with COVID-19 and being a Mother, was that I had quite hectic medical issues last year. I think my biggest lesson from that was, people called me a workaholic. I am just learning that you also need to rest because it can take its toll. It did, and everything came to a standstill. So, we're still recovering from that, working backward from that. It's also given me time to actually look at the business as a whole and reanalyze what it is that we are doing and if we're doing it the best way we actually can.\n

What do you think about the African Fashion industry?<\/h2>\nThe African fashion industry, well, it depends which area and which region you're in. I think it's kind of unfair to try and box an entire continent's fashion industry into one subtitle. When I look, we are making strides. Our fashion designers are often only recognized when they move overseas, which I don't think is entirely correct. Big ups to people like Maxhosa Laduma<\/a> doing his thing, in his brand, and he is still based in South Africa.\n\n\n\nIt would be wonderful to also see bigger names in films of Africans that still reside in Africa. Because I think it plays a lot and says a lot when you can achieve big things from your home country and export those creations that you make versus having to go outside of your home country and prove yourself there. Unfortunately, the country that takes the credit is typically the country that you live in.\n\nOtherwise, the fashion industry as a whole is so creative. There are so many things that are still out there. It still has a lot of growth that needs to happen. And not just the fashion that you see, but also at the beginning in terms of the manufacturing, the processing of raw materials. For example, if you look at Lesotho, the wool comes from there, but it's not processed there. They don't even sell their own blankets. So, there's a lot of things like that when you look at the chain that needs to still get developed and evolve. But I think, you know, people are hearing our voice, which is great.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301909\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Ivorian Designer Loza Mal\u00e9ombho Is Afronizing Women Clothing And Footwear<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Any expansion plans and where do you see your brand in five years?<\/h2>\nI think I'm re-evaluating the brand. I do believe that we won't just be about clothing in the future. There will be more aspects to the brand than that. And more than anything, it's the storytelling. Not just about the clothes, or about my home country, Lesotho, but also teaching people about self-expression. Teaching people about taking pride in their identity, especially as an African. And the challenges we obviously come across. You know you look at the USA and what's going on. You look at our own country's history and some areas where we still live today, what's going on. So I think for me, I want to be more about the community and the mentality, than just beautiful clothing and beautiful creations.\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jWloCg71XKM\n

Advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?<\/h2>\nNumber one, don't limit yourself to one thing. You are a creative, you can recreate and keep creating. Do not get trapped in the whole thing of, \"Oh, that was my idea and so-and-so took it.\" I've been down that road and there are no benefits trying to fight half of those battles. You have to keep one step ahead of the others all the time. Measure yourself against yourself, measure your success against what you did previously, and have fun, enjoy it, and balance.\n\n\n\nBalance the work, balance the play and, balance the fun. If you have family, balance the family. You can't just channel everything into one thing because you have to keep finding ways to fill yourself up again. And typically, you find that outside of the fashion, outside of the creativity, with family, with friends, with time off. So, that's my advice to up-and-coming fashion designers and entrepreneurs already doing their thing.\n\nFor further information, please see Thabo Makheta-Kwinana's Brand's Website: Thabo Makhetha<\/a><\/strong><\/em>","post_title":"Interview With Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana SA Multi-Award Winning Fashion Designer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"thabo-makhetha-kwinana-sa-multi-award-winning-fashion-designer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=301886","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":245995,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_content":"\n\n\"\"\n\nJustice delayed is justice denied is debatable. Hence, there is a group of people that believe vengeance is best served chilled. It took 25 years to track the Rwanda genocide sponsor, Felicien Kabuga. Like many activists, we are asking, why did it take so long? The 84-year old was wheeled into a Paris court under heavy police protection. His capture was made possible by Internet clues left by his children. Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, the chief prosecutor for the UN\u2019s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said,\n\n\"We knew already a year ago that he was very likely to be in the UK, France or in Belgium and we concluded only two months ago that he was in France. The French authorities located the apartment in which he was hiding, which led to the operation.\"<\/em>\n
ALSO READ: Rwanda Commemorates Genocide Victims<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFelicien Kabuga was once a wealthy businessman. Before the 1994 genocide, he was considered the richest man in Rwanda, making his money from tea and other sectors. He was the co-owner of Radio T\u00e9l\u00e9vision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). Reports say the radio was used to broadcast hatred against the Tutsi minority in the country. Also, Rwanda prosecutors say he used his companies to import gardening tools and machetes knowing they will be used as weapons.\n\nThe 1994 Rwanda genocide lasted 100-days. However, it is estimated that over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. There are also reports that he established the Interahamwe Hutu ethnic militia and funded their training and weapon used in the massacre. According to French intelligence, due to the coronavirus, many active investigations were placed on hold. This allowed them to focus on tracking down the Rwanda Genocide sponsor.\n\n\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/JamseyRamsey\/status\/1270573772786094080\n

How the Rwanda genocide sponsor was able to evade justice<\/h2>\nTwenty-eight aliases and powerful friends helped the Rwanda genocide sponsor to evade justice. According to reports, Mr. Kabuga has at least 5 children. Two of his daughters were married to the sons of the former Rwandan president, Juv\u00e9nal Habyarimana. It was the death of Habyarimana that sparked the genocide. Consequently, Mr. Kabuga was charged with seven counts of genocide<\/a> in 1997.\n\nFollowing his role as the Rwanda genocide sponsor, the United States placed a $5 million bounty on information that may lead to his arrest. In the years after the genocide, it was believed that Mr. Kabuga had lived in many East African countries including Kenya. However, there was no proof to back this claim.\n
ALSO READ: Rwanda Mara Group Launches First Made In Africa Smartphone<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/VanityFair\/status\/1271850228367470593\n\nReports have it that the Kabuga family-owned assets in Kenya. However, one such property (Spanish Villas) was the subject of dispute in 2015. His wife, Josephine Mukazitoni, who was the co-owner of the property tried without success to regain access to it. This was because there was a resolution by the UN requiring member states to freeze Mr. Kabuga\u2019s assets.\n\nTrailing the Rwanda genocide sponsor became a dangerous affair\u2014particularly for journalists. William Munuhe, a freelance reporter on the trail of Mr. Kabuga was found dead in his apartment on January 16, 2003. His brother Josephat Gichuki says Munuhe was planning a sting operation with the FBI to arrest Mr. Kabuga. Munuhe\u2019s death was classified as a suicide. However, Gichuki had this to say.\n\n\n\n\"To our surprise, police said Munuhe's death was a suicide [from carbon monoxide poisoning] after inhaling fumes from a charcoal stove. While at the mortuary, I personally saw a bullet wound in his head, and blood in his room.\u201d<\/em>\n

Success at last<\/h2>\nIn 2007, Mr. Felicien Kabuga was in Germany for surgery. This was his last known location. Consequently, extensive analysis of financial records and telephone pointed to Paris. Obviously, it almost impossible for him to pull this off without accomplices. Therefore, the Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation on his successful relocation to France.\n
ALSO READ: <\/strong>Rwanda Using Technology To Transform Public Transport In Kigali<\/a><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/RushAfrican\/status\/1272585906466193409\n\nSome of Mr. Kabuga\u2019s children are living in Belgium, Britain, and France. Through an intelligence-sharing between investigators from these countries, they were able to locate his apartment near Paris. The head of the Gendarmerie's Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity, Eric Emeraux said,\n\n\"We realized\u2026 that trail from the children protecting their father converged on Asnieres-sur-Seine. We also discovered one of his children was renting an apartment there. We decided to open the door, without being entirely sure of who we would find inside. I didn't sleep the night before.\"<\/em>\n\n\n\nFollowing his arrest by 16 elite officers, the Rwanda genocide sponsor was identified using a DNA test. The result of the test matched the sample taken when he was hospitalized in Germany. However, Mr. Kabuga\u2019s lawyers say they will request an eight-day postponement to the legal process. Under French law, this is automatically granted.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/KabirTaneja\/status\/1270567131537534977\n

 Other Rwanda genocide sponsors<\/h2>\nThe arrest of Mr. Felicien Kabuga can help to shed more light on the identity and role of other Rwanda genocide sponsors and suspects. French-Rwanda relation was strained following the genocide. However, that has improved in recent years. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed an expert commission to examine the role of France in the killings. The Report is due in 2021. Also, France commemorated the Rwanda genocide for the first time in April 2020.\n
ALSO READ: Three Rwanda Genocide Survivors Inspire Next Generation Of Camera Kids<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFor many genocide survivors, delay to justice is not denial. Inasmuch as many of them will want him to be tried at home, that can take weeks to happen. This further delay is what genocide survivors detest. The honorary president of the International Federation for Human Rights, Lawyer Patrick Baudouin wants Mr. Kabuga\u2019s trial expedited because of his advanced age. Following Mr. Kabuga\u2019s arrest, the leader of Avega (a widows\u2019 group), Valerie Mukabayire said,\n\n\"Every genocide survivor is happy he is arrested. Everyone has been waiting for this news. It is a good thing that he is going to face justice.\"<\/em>\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fairplanet\/status\/1271952935719665664","post_title":"Rwanda Genocide Sponsor Felicien Kabuga Appears In Court After Evading Justice For 25 Years","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"rwanda-genocide-sponsor-felicien-kabuga-appears-court-justice-for-25-years","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=245995","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":220509,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_date_gmt":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_content":"\n\nAbout two years ago, France promised to return 26 African artworks belonging to Benin. It is over a century since their forceful removal from the West African nation. Two years on, the country still awaits the fulfillment of that policy. However, a small museum outside Cotonou recently celebrated the return of antique royal scepters. This was a gift from a group of Paris gallery owners.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_220513\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"735\"]\"\" African artwork belonging to Benin in a European museum[\/caption]\n\nIn 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the immediate return of the 26 African artworks \u201cwithout delay\u201d. However, that seems like a far cry. It was only in December 2019 that France\u2019s culture minister gave a concrete timeline on the return. According to the minister, the objects which are now at Paris\u2019 leading African art museum will be returned by 2021. During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, President Macron said<\/a>,\n
ALSO READ: France Returns Stolen 19th Century Artifact To Senegal<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\"I cannot accept that a large part of the cultural heritage of several African countries is in France. There are historical explanations for this but there is no valid, lasting and unconditional justification. African artworks cannot be only in private collections and European museums - it must be showcased in Paris but also in Dakar, Lagos and Cotonou. This will be one of my priorities.\"<\/em>\n\nIt is estimated that there are over 400,000 art pieces<\/a> of African artworks in public and private museums across European countries. According to AFP, about 180,000 African artworks are in Belgium\u2019s Royal Museum for Central Africa. Also, Weltmuseum in Austria holds about 37,000 African artworks.\n\n\n

Slow Government Restitution Process<\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_220516\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"800\"]\"\" France promises to return 26 Benin artworks<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSince the official process of returning stolen artifacts is taking an endless amount of time, a group of Paris Left Bank gallery owners are taking a different approach. The group which calls itself the Petit Musee de la Recade buys these African artworks and returns them to Benin. Recently, they returned over two dozen pieces including 17 scepters from the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey. To date, this is one of their biggest troves.\n\nApart from buying and returning art pieces, the group has also raised funds to build a small museum outside Cotonou to keep these African artworks. However, the Paris gallery owner, Robert Vallois makes it clear that the gesture is a private initiative rather than part of the government\u2019s restitution of ill-gotten art.\n
ALSO READ:<\/strong> Benin Is Getting Back 26 Of Its Looted Artifacts from The Colonial Era. Will Others Follow Suit?<\/a><\/div>\nBenin is building a new museum in Abomey with the support of the French government. Abomey was once the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey. In an interview with VOA<\/a> sometime in 2019, Jose Pliya, the head of Benin\u2019s national agency for heritage promotion and tourism development explained the importance of the new museum. According to Pliya,\n\n\"We really have to have the good condition \u2014 temperature, isolation, conservation \u2014 to welcome them ... a lot of things have to be done. The training of all the conservators in Benin, how to protect the pieces.\"<\/em>","post_title":"Return Of Precious African Artworks From France Excites Benin Museum","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"return-of-precious-african-artworks-from-france-excites-benin-museum","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=220509","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Well, we all agree that Fatoumata Ba is a young African champion from whom we can all draw inspiration. Unfavorable cultures and systems should not be our stumbling blocks from reaching our destiny or achieving our dreams. Instead, they should be our mind openers and catalysts pushing us to think outside the box. She has swiftly beaten all odds and helped others to succeed while at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, only 27% of Africa\u2019s entrepreneurs are women. Fatoumata appreciates the women who are at it for survival. She believes that by economically empowering women and girls, she will be establishing a better and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: How Fatoumata Ba Built The Largest E-commerce Platform In Africa","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-how-fatoumata-ba-built-the-largest-e-commerce-platform-in-africa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=310337","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":401816,"post_author":"10061","post_date":"2021-06-28 16:13:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:13:00","post_content":"\n\nThe world of fashion is absolutely benefiting from up-and-coming fashion designers in Africa. 33-year-old fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, shares the success stories of what made Thabo Makhetha<\/a> a global brand with African Vibes. We enjoyed talking to her and we believe you will too. Hopefully, this story will serve as an inspiration to aspiring designers to aim for the global stage. Obviously, there is no height you cannot reach as long as you set your mind towards it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301892\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1367\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Natali Field<\/em>[\/caption]\n

Who is Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana?<\/h2>\nI\u2019m a fashion designer, wife, and mother of two boys. I was born in Lesotho, but my family left when I was three years old and I've lived across South Africa; Johannesburg, Mafikeng, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, and now, Cape Town. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world and being exposed to the different communities gave me an appreciation for culture and heritage.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Designer Spotlight: Yohannes Sisters Take Ethiopian Fashion To The World<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nI studied Fashion Design at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University<\/a> and started my business in 2009 the year after my graduation. Things really kicked off with Durban July<\/a>, back in 2013, the theme for the event was royalty. I designed the \"Rose Coat\"<\/a> inspired by my heritage and made from the Basotho blankets. It was such a hit at the event, people were asking for my number and I even won the Best Dressed award. And really, that was one of the big pushes in terms of working with the Basotho blankets.\n\nThe other big break came when Jackie Burger<\/a>, then editor of Elle<\/a>, bought one of my capes at Design Indaba<\/a> and wore it to the Louis Vuitton show in Paris, France. She was seated front-row and even wrote an editor's article about the event, the cape she wore, and how it drew so much attention. It was a real honor. Those are basically the two catalysts that pushed the brand forward.\n\n\n

How did you get into fashion, and what are your motivations and training?<\/h2>\nHonestly, it's just something I've always wanted to do. My Grandmother was a seamstress and so some of that came from her. When I was a kid, I would make clothes for my dolls and when whilst I was still in school, my mom bought me my first sewing machine. In high school, I\u2019d sketch and sew dresses for the dances I went to. So even before I went to study fashion, I was already designing.\n\nMy biggest motivation is that this is my passion and purpose. If I wasn\u2019t creating, I don't know what else I'd be doing. I've always grown up knowing that I've got a talent and it's got to do with my hands. I also paint and create artworks in my spare time so one can say it comes naturally.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301903\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
\n
ALSO READ: Designer Spotlight: Mzukisi Mbane Is Building Afro-Futuristic Fashion<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

So, tell us more about your brand and when it was launched<\/h2>\nThe brand was launched in 2009, I had ambitions of interning in Europe, but the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding so there were no opportunities. I started off fulfilling individual clients' orders, basically dressmaking. It was great when clients came in, I could design something custom for them\u2014which was always my preference.\n\nMy most iconic design would have to be the \"Starburst Coat\"<\/a> it was voted the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa, by then Elle-editor, Ellie Gamabade. The \u201cRose Coat\u201d that won best dressed at Durban July is another. My best selling item is the long cape, which Kefilwe Mabote<\/a> wore and it just went viral. She looked brilliant in it, and it's one of my favorite pieces to make.\n\n\n

What has been your biggest breakthrough so far? Have you participated in any runway events?<\/h2>\nMy runway debut was at Vancouver Fashion Week 2014, which was phenomenal considering I hadn\u2019t yet shown in South Africa. Since then I\u2019ve showcased on several occasions at South Africa Fashion Weeks, Cape Town Fashion Week and I\u2019ve also showcased internationally in the UK, Italy, USA, and at the African Union in Addis Ababa.\n\nMy breakthrough has to be my Basotho blanket range for which my brand is mostly known and once again credit to events such as Design Indaba and people like Jackie Burger. I think having an influential fashion icon put their money down, invest in a brand, and use their influence to sell the brand makes the most impact.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301908\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1195\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: MaXhosa by Laduna Knitwear Brand<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

What are the biggest challenges you've encountered so far and how did you overcome them?<\/h2>\nHonestly, up to date, I think my biggest challenge, not just with COVID-19 and being a Mother, was that I had quite hectic medical issues last year. I think my biggest lesson from that was, people called me a workaholic. I am just learning that you also need to rest because it can take its toll. It did, and everything came to a standstill. So, we're still recovering from that, working backward from that. It's also given me time to actually look at the business as a whole and reanalyze what it is that we are doing and if we're doing it the best way we actually can.\n

What do you think about the African Fashion industry?<\/h2>\nThe African fashion industry, well, it depends which area and which region you're in. I think it's kind of unfair to try and box an entire continent's fashion industry into one subtitle. When I look, we are making strides. Our fashion designers are often only recognized when they move overseas, which I don't think is entirely correct. Big ups to people like Maxhosa Laduma<\/a> doing his thing, in his brand, and he is still based in South Africa.\n\n\n\nIt would be wonderful to also see bigger names in films of Africans that still reside in Africa. Because I think it plays a lot and says a lot when you can achieve big things from your home country and export those creations that you make versus having to go outside of your home country and prove yourself there. Unfortunately, the country that takes the credit is typically the country that you live in.\n\nOtherwise, the fashion industry as a whole is so creative. There are so many things that are still out there. It still has a lot of growth that needs to happen. And not just the fashion that you see, but also at the beginning in terms of the manufacturing, the processing of raw materials. For example, if you look at Lesotho, the wool comes from there, but it's not processed there. They don't even sell their own blankets. So, there's a lot of things like that when you look at the chain that needs to still get developed and evolve. But I think, you know, people are hearing our voice, which is great.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301909\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Ivorian Designer Loza Mal\u00e9ombho Is Afronizing Women Clothing And Footwear<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Any expansion plans and where do you see your brand in five years?<\/h2>\nI think I'm re-evaluating the brand. I do believe that we won't just be about clothing in the future. There will be more aspects to the brand than that. And more than anything, it's the storytelling. Not just about the clothes, or about my home country, Lesotho, but also teaching people about self-expression. Teaching people about taking pride in their identity, especially as an African. And the challenges we obviously come across. You know you look at the USA and what's going on. You look at our own country's history and some areas where we still live today, what's going on. So I think for me, I want to be more about the community and the mentality, than just beautiful clothing and beautiful creations.\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jWloCg71XKM\n

Advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?<\/h2>\nNumber one, don't limit yourself to one thing. You are a creative, you can recreate and keep creating. Do not get trapped in the whole thing of, \"Oh, that was my idea and so-and-so took it.\" I've been down that road and there are no benefits trying to fight half of those battles. You have to keep one step ahead of the others all the time. Measure yourself against yourself, measure your success against what you did previously, and have fun, enjoy it, and balance.\n\n\n\nBalance the work, balance the play and, balance the fun. If you have family, balance the family. You can't just channel everything into one thing because you have to keep finding ways to fill yourself up again. And typically, you find that outside of the fashion, outside of the creativity, with family, with friends, with time off. So, that's my advice to up-and-coming fashion designers and entrepreneurs already doing their thing.\n\nFor further information, please see Thabo Makheta-Kwinana's Brand's Website: Thabo Makhetha<\/a><\/strong><\/em>","post_title":"Interview With Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana SA Multi-Award Winning Fashion Designer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"thabo-makhetha-kwinana-sa-multi-award-winning-fashion-designer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=301886","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":245995,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_content":"\n\n\"\"\n\nJustice delayed is justice denied is debatable. Hence, there is a group of people that believe vengeance is best served chilled. It took 25 years to track the Rwanda genocide sponsor, Felicien Kabuga. Like many activists, we are asking, why did it take so long? The 84-year old was wheeled into a Paris court under heavy police protection. His capture was made possible by Internet clues left by his children. Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, the chief prosecutor for the UN\u2019s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said,\n\n\"We knew already a year ago that he was very likely to be in the UK, France or in Belgium and we concluded only two months ago that he was in France. The French authorities located the apartment in which he was hiding, which led to the operation.\"<\/em>\n
ALSO READ: Rwanda Commemorates Genocide Victims<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFelicien Kabuga was once a wealthy businessman. Before the 1994 genocide, he was considered the richest man in Rwanda, making his money from tea and other sectors. He was the co-owner of Radio T\u00e9l\u00e9vision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). Reports say the radio was used to broadcast hatred against the Tutsi minority in the country. Also, Rwanda prosecutors say he used his companies to import gardening tools and machetes knowing they will be used as weapons.\n\nThe 1994 Rwanda genocide lasted 100-days. However, it is estimated that over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. There are also reports that he established the Interahamwe Hutu ethnic militia and funded their training and weapon used in the massacre. According to French intelligence, due to the coronavirus, many active investigations were placed on hold. This allowed them to focus on tracking down the Rwanda Genocide sponsor.\n\n\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/JamseyRamsey\/status\/1270573772786094080\n

How the Rwanda genocide sponsor was able to evade justice<\/h2>\nTwenty-eight aliases and powerful friends helped the Rwanda genocide sponsor to evade justice. According to reports, Mr. Kabuga has at least 5 children. Two of his daughters were married to the sons of the former Rwandan president, Juv\u00e9nal Habyarimana. It was the death of Habyarimana that sparked the genocide. Consequently, Mr. Kabuga was charged with seven counts of genocide<\/a> in 1997.\n\nFollowing his role as the Rwanda genocide sponsor, the United States placed a $5 million bounty on information that may lead to his arrest. In the years after the genocide, it was believed that Mr. Kabuga had lived in many East African countries including Kenya. However, there was no proof to back this claim.\n
ALSO READ: Rwanda Mara Group Launches First Made In Africa Smartphone<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/VanityFair\/status\/1271850228367470593\n\nReports have it that the Kabuga family-owned assets in Kenya. However, one such property (Spanish Villas) was the subject of dispute in 2015. His wife, Josephine Mukazitoni, who was the co-owner of the property tried without success to regain access to it. This was because there was a resolution by the UN requiring member states to freeze Mr. Kabuga\u2019s assets.\n\nTrailing the Rwanda genocide sponsor became a dangerous affair\u2014particularly for journalists. William Munuhe, a freelance reporter on the trail of Mr. Kabuga was found dead in his apartment on January 16, 2003. His brother Josephat Gichuki says Munuhe was planning a sting operation with the FBI to arrest Mr. Kabuga. Munuhe\u2019s death was classified as a suicide. However, Gichuki had this to say.\n\n\n\n\"To our surprise, police said Munuhe's death was a suicide [from carbon monoxide poisoning] after inhaling fumes from a charcoal stove. While at the mortuary, I personally saw a bullet wound in his head, and blood in his room.\u201d<\/em>\n

Success at last<\/h2>\nIn 2007, Mr. Felicien Kabuga was in Germany for surgery. This was his last known location. Consequently, extensive analysis of financial records and telephone pointed to Paris. Obviously, it almost impossible for him to pull this off without accomplices. Therefore, the Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation on his successful relocation to France.\n
ALSO READ: <\/strong>Rwanda Using Technology To Transform Public Transport In Kigali<\/a><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/RushAfrican\/status\/1272585906466193409\n\nSome of Mr. Kabuga\u2019s children are living in Belgium, Britain, and France. Through an intelligence-sharing between investigators from these countries, they were able to locate his apartment near Paris. The head of the Gendarmerie's Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity, Eric Emeraux said,\n\n\"We realized\u2026 that trail from the children protecting their father converged on Asnieres-sur-Seine. We also discovered one of his children was renting an apartment there. We decided to open the door, without being entirely sure of who we would find inside. I didn't sleep the night before.\"<\/em>\n\n\n\nFollowing his arrest by 16 elite officers, the Rwanda genocide sponsor was identified using a DNA test. The result of the test matched the sample taken when he was hospitalized in Germany. However, Mr. Kabuga\u2019s lawyers say they will request an eight-day postponement to the legal process. Under French law, this is automatically granted.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/KabirTaneja\/status\/1270567131537534977\n

 Other Rwanda genocide sponsors<\/h2>\nThe arrest of Mr. Felicien Kabuga can help to shed more light on the identity and role of other Rwanda genocide sponsors and suspects. French-Rwanda relation was strained following the genocide. However, that has improved in recent years. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed an expert commission to examine the role of France in the killings. The Report is due in 2021. Also, France commemorated the Rwanda genocide for the first time in April 2020.\n
ALSO READ: Three Rwanda Genocide Survivors Inspire Next Generation Of Camera Kids<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFor many genocide survivors, delay to justice is not denial. Inasmuch as many of them will want him to be tried at home, that can take weeks to happen. This further delay is what genocide survivors detest. The honorary president of the International Federation for Human Rights, Lawyer Patrick Baudouin wants Mr. Kabuga\u2019s trial expedited because of his advanced age. Following Mr. Kabuga\u2019s arrest, the leader of Avega (a widows\u2019 group), Valerie Mukabayire said,\n\n\"Every genocide survivor is happy he is arrested. Everyone has been waiting for this news. It is a good thing that he is going to face justice.\"<\/em>\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fairplanet\/status\/1271952935719665664","post_title":"Rwanda Genocide Sponsor Felicien Kabuga Appears In Court After Evading Justice For 25 Years","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"rwanda-genocide-sponsor-felicien-kabuga-appears-court-justice-for-25-years","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=245995","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":220509,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_date_gmt":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_content":"\n\nAbout two years ago, France promised to return 26 African artworks belonging to Benin. It is over a century since their forceful removal from the West African nation. Two years on, the country still awaits the fulfillment of that policy. However, a small museum outside Cotonou recently celebrated the return of antique royal scepters. This was a gift from a group of Paris gallery owners.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_220513\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"735\"]\"\" African artwork belonging to Benin in a European museum[\/caption]\n\nIn 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the immediate return of the 26 African artworks \u201cwithout delay\u201d. However, that seems like a far cry. It was only in December 2019 that France\u2019s culture minister gave a concrete timeline on the return. According to the minister, the objects which are now at Paris\u2019 leading African art museum will be returned by 2021. During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, President Macron said<\/a>,\n
ALSO READ: France Returns Stolen 19th Century Artifact To Senegal<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\"I cannot accept that a large part of the cultural heritage of several African countries is in France. There are historical explanations for this but there is no valid, lasting and unconditional justification. African artworks cannot be only in private collections and European museums - it must be showcased in Paris but also in Dakar, Lagos and Cotonou. This will be one of my priorities.\"<\/em>\n\nIt is estimated that there are over 400,000 art pieces<\/a> of African artworks in public and private museums across European countries. According to AFP, about 180,000 African artworks are in Belgium\u2019s Royal Museum for Central Africa. Also, Weltmuseum in Austria holds about 37,000 African artworks.\n\n\n

Slow Government Restitution Process<\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_220516\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"800\"]\"\" France promises to return 26 Benin artworks<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSince the official process of returning stolen artifacts is taking an endless amount of time, a group of Paris Left Bank gallery owners are taking a different approach. The group which calls itself the Petit Musee de la Recade buys these African artworks and returns them to Benin. Recently, they returned over two dozen pieces including 17 scepters from the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey. To date, this is one of their biggest troves.\n\nApart from buying and returning art pieces, the group has also raised funds to build a small museum outside Cotonou to keep these African artworks. However, the Paris gallery owner, Robert Vallois makes it clear that the gesture is a private initiative rather than part of the government\u2019s restitution of ill-gotten art.\n
ALSO READ:<\/strong> Benin Is Getting Back 26 Of Its Looted Artifacts from The Colonial Era. Will Others Follow Suit?<\/a><\/div>\nBenin is building a new museum in Abomey with the support of the French government. Abomey was once the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey. In an interview with VOA<\/a> sometime in 2019, Jose Pliya, the head of Benin\u2019s national agency for heritage promotion and tourism development explained the importance of the new museum. According to Pliya,\n\n\"We really have to have the good condition \u2014 temperature, isolation, conservation \u2014 to welcome them ... a lot of things have to be done. The training of all the conservators in Benin, how to protect the pieces.\"<\/em>","post_title":"Return Of Precious African Artworks From France Excites Benin Museum","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"return-of-precious-african-artworks-from-france-excites-benin-museum","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=220509","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n
\"African
Fatoumata Ba at work (Photo Credit: kapitalafrik.com<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Well, we all agree that Fatoumata Ba is a young African champion from whom we can all draw inspiration. Unfavorable cultures and systems should not be our stumbling blocks from reaching our destiny or achieving our dreams. Instead, they should be our mind openers and catalysts pushing us to think outside the box. She has swiftly beaten all odds and helped others to succeed while at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, only 27% of Africa\u2019s entrepreneurs are women. Fatoumata appreciates the women who are at it for survival. She believes that by economically empowering women and girls, she will be establishing a better and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: How Fatoumata Ba Built The Largest E-commerce Platform In Africa","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-how-fatoumata-ba-built-the-largest-e-commerce-platform-in-africa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=310337","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":401816,"post_author":"10061","post_date":"2021-06-28 16:13:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:13:00","post_content":"\n\nThe world of fashion is absolutely benefiting from up-and-coming fashion designers in Africa. 33-year-old fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, shares the success stories of what made Thabo Makhetha<\/a> a global brand with African Vibes. We enjoyed talking to her and we believe you will too. Hopefully, this story will serve as an inspiration to aspiring designers to aim for the global stage. Obviously, there is no height you cannot reach as long as you set your mind towards it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301892\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1367\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Natali Field<\/em>[\/caption]\n

Who is Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana?<\/h2>\nI\u2019m a fashion designer, wife, and mother of two boys. I was born in Lesotho, but my family left when I was three years old and I've lived across South Africa; Johannesburg, Mafikeng, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, and now, Cape Town. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world and being exposed to the different communities gave me an appreciation for culture and heritage.\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Designer Spotlight: Yohannes Sisters Take Ethiopian Fashion To The World<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nI studied Fashion Design at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University<\/a> and started my business in 2009 the year after my graduation. Things really kicked off with Durban July<\/a>, back in 2013, the theme for the event was royalty. I designed the \"Rose Coat\"<\/a> inspired by my heritage and made from the Basotho blankets. It was such a hit at the event, people were asking for my number and I even won the Best Dressed award. And really, that was one of the big pushes in terms of working with the Basotho blankets.\n\nThe other big break came when Jackie Burger<\/a>, then editor of Elle<\/a>, bought one of my capes at Design Indaba<\/a> and wore it to the Louis Vuitton show in Paris, France. She was seated front-row and even wrote an editor's article about the event, the cape she wore, and how it drew so much attention. It was a real honor. Those are basically the two catalysts that pushed the brand forward.\n\n\n

How did you get into fashion, and what are your motivations and training?<\/h2>\nHonestly, it's just something I've always wanted to do. My Grandmother was a seamstress and so some of that came from her. When I was a kid, I would make clothes for my dolls and when whilst I was still in school, my mom bought me my first sewing machine. In high school, I\u2019d sketch and sew dresses for the dances I went to. So even before I went to study fashion, I was already designing.\n\nMy biggest motivation is that this is my passion and purpose. If I wasn\u2019t creating, I don't know what else I'd be doing. I've always grown up knowing that I've got a talent and it's got to do with my hands. I also paint and create artworks in my spare time so one can say it comes naturally.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301903\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
\n
ALSO READ: Designer Spotlight: Mzukisi Mbane Is Building Afro-Futuristic Fashion<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

So, tell us more about your brand and when it was launched<\/h2>\nThe brand was launched in 2009, I had ambitions of interning in Europe, but the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding so there were no opportunities. I started off fulfilling individual clients' orders, basically dressmaking. It was great when clients came in, I could design something custom for them\u2014which was always my preference.\n\nMy most iconic design would have to be the \"Starburst Coat\"<\/a> it was voted the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa, by then Elle-editor, Ellie Gamabade. The \u201cRose Coat\u201d that won best dressed at Durban July is another. My best selling item is the long cape, which Kefilwe Mabote<\/a> wore and it just went viral. She looked brilliant in it, and it's one of my favorite pieces to make.\n\n\n

What has been your biggest breakthrough so far? Have you participated in any runway events?<\/h2>\nMy runway debut was at Vancouver Fashion Week 2014, which was phenomenal considering I hadn\u2019t yet shown in South Africa. Since then I\u2019ve showcased on several occasions at South Africa Fashion Weeks, Cape Town Fashion Week and I\u2019ve also showcased internationally in the UK, Italy, USA, and at the African Union in Addis Ababa.\n\nMy breakthrough has to be my Basotho blanket range for which my brand is mostly known and once again credit to events such as Design Indaba and people like Jackie Burger. I think having an influential fashion icon put their money down, invest in a brand, and use their influence to sell the brand makes the most impact.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301908\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1195\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: MaXhosa by Laduna Knitwear Brand<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

What are the biggest challenges you've encountered so far and how did you overcome them?<\/h2>\nHonestly, up to date, I think my biggest challenge, not just with COVID-19 and being a Mother, was that I had quite hectic medical issues last year. I think my biggest lesson from that was, people called me a workaholic. I am just learning that you also need to rest because it can take its toll. It did, and everything came to a standstill. So, we're still recovering from that, working backward from that. It's also given me time to actually look at the business as a whole and reanalyze what it is that we are doing and if we're doing it the best way we actually can.\n

What do you think about the African Fashion industry?<\/h2>\nThe African fashion industry, well, it depends which area and which region you're in. I think it's kind of unfair to try and box an entire continent's fashion industry into one subtitle. When I look, we are making strides. Our fashion designers are often only recognized when they move overseas, which I don't think is entirely correct. Big ups to people like Maxhosa Laduma<\/a> doing his thing, in his brand, and he is still based in South Africa.\n\n\n\nIt would be wonderful to also see bigger names in films of Africans that still reside in Africa. Because I think it plays a lot and says a lot when you can achieve big things from your home country and export those creations that you make versus having to go outside of your home country and prove yourself there. Unfortunately, the country that takes the credit is typically the country that you live in.\n\nOtherwise, the fashion industry as a whole is so creative. There are so many things that are still out there. It still has a lot of growth that needs to happen. And not just the fashion that you see, but also at the beginning in terms of the manufacturing, the processing of raw materials. For example, if you look at Lesotho, the wool comes from there, but it's not processed there. They don't even sell their own blankets. So, there's a lot of things like that when you look at the chain that needs to still get developed and evolve. But I think, you know, people are hearing our voice, which is great.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301909\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Ivorian Designer Loza Mal\u00e9ombho Is Afronizing Women Clothing And Footwear<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

Any expansion plans and where do you see your brand in five years?<\/h2>\nI think I'm re-evaluating the brand. I do believe that we won't just be about clothing in the future. There will be more aspects to the brand than that. And more than anything, it's the storytelling. Not just about the clothes, or about my home country, Lesotho, but also teaching people about self-expression. Teaching people about taking pride in their identity, especially as an African. And the challenges we obviously come across. You know you look at the USA and what's going on. You look at our own country's history and some areas where we still live today, what's going on. So I think for me, I want to be more about the community and the mentality, than just beautiful clothing and beautiful creations.\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jWloCg71XKM\n

Advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?<\/h2>\nNumber one, don't limit yourself to one thing. You are a creative, you can recreate and keep creating. Do not get trapped in the whole thing of, \"Oh, that was my idea and so-and-so took it.\" I've been down that road and there are no benefits trying to fight half of those battles. You have to keep one step ahead of the others all the time. Measure yourself against yourself, measure your success against what you did previously, and have fun, enjoy it, and balance.\n\n\n\nBalance the work, balance the play and, balance the fun. If you have family, balance the family. You can't just channel everything into one thing because you have to keep finding ways to fill yourself up again. And typically, you find that outside of the fashion, outside of the creativity, with family, with friends, with time off. So, that's my advice to up-and-coming fashion designers and entrepreneurs already doing their thing.\n\nFor further information, please see Thabo Makheta-Kwinana's Brand's Website: Thabo Makhetha<\/a><\/strong><\/em>","post_title":"Interview With Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana SA Multi-Award Winning Fashion Designer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"thabo-makhetha-kwinana-sa-multi-award-winning-fashion-designer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=301886","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":245995,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_content":"\n\n\"\"\n\nJustice delayed is justice denied is debatable. Hence, there is a group of people that believe vengeance is best served chilled. It took 25 years to track the Rwanda genocide sponsor, Felicien Kabuga. Like many activists, we are asking, why did it take so long? The 84-year old was wheeled into a Paris court under heavy police protection. His capture was made possible by Internet clues left by his children. Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, the chief prosecutor for the UN\u2019s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said,\n\n\"We knew already a year ago that he was very likely to be in the UK, France or in Belgium and we concluded only two months ago that he was in France. The French authorities located the apartment in which he was hiding, which led to the operation.\"<\/em>\n
ALSO READ: Rwanda Commemorates Genocide Victims<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFelicien Kabuga was once a wealthy businessman. Before the 1994 genocide, he was considered the richest man in Rwanda, making his money from tea and other sectors. He was the co-owner of Radio T\u00e9l\u00e9vision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). Reports say the radio was used to broadcast hatred against the Tutsi minority in the country. Also, Rwanda prosecutors say he used his companies to import gardening tools and machetes knowing they will be used as weapons.\n\nThe 1994 Rwanda genocide lasted 100-days. However, it is estimated that over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. There are also reports that he established the Interahamwe Hutu ethnic militia and funded their training and weapon used in the massacre. According to French intelligence, due to the coronavirus, many active investigations were placed on hold. This allowed them to focus on tracking down the Rwanda Genocide sponsor.\n\n\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/JamseyRamsey\/status\/1270573772786094080\n

How the Rwanda genocide sponsor was able to evade justice<\/h2>\nTwenty-eight aliases and powerful friends helped the Rwanda genocide sponsor to evade justice. According to reports, Mr. Kabuga has at least 5 children. Two of his daughters were married to the sons of the former Rwandan president, Juv\u00e9nal Habyarimana. It was the death of Habyarimana that sparked the genocide. Consequently, Mr. Kabuga was charged with seven counts of genocide<\/a> in 1997.\n\nFollowing his role as the Rwanda genocide sponsor, the United States placed a $5 million bounty on information that may lead to his arrest. In the years after the genocide, it was believed that Mr. Kabuga had lived in many East African countries including Kenya. However, there was no proof to back this claim.\n
ALSO READ: Rwanda Mara Group Launches First Made In Africa Smartphone<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/VanityFair\/status\/1271850228367470593\n\nReports have it that the Kabuga family-owned assets in Kenya. However, one such property (Spanish Villas) was the subject of dispute in 2015. His wife, Josephine Mukazitoni, who was the co-owner of the property tried without success to regain access to it. This was because there was a resolution by the UN requiring member states to freeze Mr. Kabuga\u2019s assets.\n\nTrailing the Rwanda genocide sponsor became a dangerous affair\u2014particularly for journalists. William Munuhe, a freelance reporter on the trail of Mr. Kabuga was found dead in his apartment on January 16, 2003. His brother Josephat Gichuki says Munuhe was planning a sting operation with the FBI to arrest Mr. Kabuga. Munuhe\u2019s death was classified as a suicide. However, Gichuki had this to say.\n\n\n\n\"To our surprise, police said Munuhe's death was a suicide [from carbon monoxide poisoning] after inhaling fumes from a charcoal stove. While at the mortuary, I personally saw a bullet wound in his head, and blood in his room.\u201d<\/em>\n

Success at last<\/h2>\nIn 2007, Mr. Felicien Kabuga was in Germany for surgery. This was his last known location. Consequently, extensive analysis of financial records and telephone pointed to Paris. Obviously, it almost impossible for him to pull this off without accomplices. Therefore, the Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation on his successful relocation to France.\n
ALSO READ: <\/strong>Rwanda Using Technology To Transform Public Transport In Kigali<\/a><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/RushAfrican\/status\/1272585906466193409\n\nSome of Mr. Kabuga\u2019s children are living in Belgium, Britain, and France. Through an intelligence-sharing between investigators from these countries, they were able to locate his apartment near Paris. The head of the Gendarmerie's Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity, Eric Emeraux said,\n\n\"We realized\u2026 that trail from the children protecting their father converged on Asnieres-sur-Seine. We also discovered one of his children was renting an apartment there. We decided to open the door, without being entirely sure of who we would find inside. I didn't sleep the night before.\"<\/em>\n\n\n\nFollowing his arrest by 16 elite officers, the Rwanda genocide sponsor was identified using a DNA test. The result of the test matched the sample taken when he was hospitalized in Germany. However, Mr. Kabuga\u2019s lawyers say they will request an eight-day postponement to the legal process. Under French law, this is automatically granted.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/KabirTaneja\/status\/1270567131537534977\n

 Other Rwanda genocide sponsors<\/h2>\nThe arrest of Mr. Felicien Kabuga can help to shed more light on the identity and role of other Rwanda genocide sponsors and suspects. French-Rwanda relation was strained following the genocide. However, that has improved in recent years. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed an expert commission to examine the role of France in the killings. The Report is due in 2021. Also, France commemorated the Rwanda genocide for the first time in April 2020.\n
ALSO READ: Three Rwanda Genocide Survivors Inspire Next Generation Of Camera Kids<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFor many genocide survivors, delay to justice is not denial. Inasmuch as many of them will want him to be tried at home, that can take weeks to happen. This further delay is what genocide survivors detest. The honorary president of the International Federation for Human Rights, Lawyer Patrick Baudouin wants Mr. Kabuga\u2019s trial expedited because of his advanced age. Following Mr. Kabuga\u2019s arrest, the leader of Avega (a widows\u2019 group), Valerie Mukabayire said,\n\n\"Every genocide survivor is happy he is arrested. Everyone has been waiting for this news. It is a good thing that he is going to face justice.\"<\/em>\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fairplanet\/status\/1271952935719665664","post_title":"Rwanda Genocide Sponsor Felicien Kabuga Appears In Court After Evading Justice For 25 Years","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"rwanda-genocide-sponsor-felicien-kabuga-appears-court-justice-for-25-years","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=245995","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":220509,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_date_gmt":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_content":"\n\nAbout two years ago, France promised to return 26 African artworks belonging to Benin. It is over a century since their forceful removal from the West African nation. Two years on, the country still awaits the fulfillment of that policy. However, a small museum outside Cotonou recently celebrated the return of antique royal scepters. This was a gift from a group of Paris gallery owners.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_220513\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"735\"]\"\" African artwork belonging to Benin in a European museum[\/caption]\n\nIn 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the immediate return of the 26 African artworks \u201cwithout delay\u201d. However, that seems like a far cry. It was only in December 2019 that France\u2019s culture minister gave a concrete timeline on the return. According to the minister, the objects which are now at Paris\u2019 leading African art museum will be returned by 2021. During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, President Macron said<\/a>,\n
ALSO READ: France Returns Stolen 19th Century Artifact To Senegal<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\"I cannot accept that a large part of the cultural heritage of several African countries is in France. There are historical explanations for this but there is no valid, lasting and unconditional justification. African artworks cannot be only in private collections and European museums - it must be showcased in Paris but also in Dakar, Lagos and Cotonou. This will be one of my priorities.\"<\/em>\n\nIt is estimated that there are over 400,000 art pieces<\/a> of African artworks in public and private museums across European countries. According to AFP, about 180,000 African artworks are in Belgium\u2019s Royal Museum for Central Africa. Also, Weltmuseum in Austria holds about 37,000 African artworks.\n\n\n

Slow Government Restitution Process<\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_220516\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"800\"]\"\" France promises to return 26 Benin artworks<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSince the official process of returning stolen artifacts is taking an endless amount of time, a group of Paris Left Bank gallery owners are taking a different approach. The group which calls itself the Petit Musee de la Recade buys these African artworks and returns them to Benin. Recently, they returned over two dozen pieces including 17 scepters from the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey. To date, this is one of their biggest troves.\n\nApart from buying and returning art pieces, the group has also raised funds to build a small museum outside Cotonou to keep these African artworks. However, the Paris gallery owner, Robert Vallois makes it clear that the gesture is a private initiative rather than part of the government\u2019s restitution of ill-gotten art.\n
ALSO READ:<\/strong> Benin Is Getting Back 26 Of Its Looted Artifacts from The Colonial Era. Will Others Follow Suit?<\/a><\/div>\nBenin is building a new museum in Abomey with the support of the French government. Abomey was once the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey. In an interview with VOA<\/a> sometime in 2019, Jose Pliya, the head of Benin\u2019s national agency for heritage promotion and tourism development explained the importance of the new museum. According to Pliya,\n\n\"We really have to have the good condition \u2014 temperature, isolation, conservation \u2014 to welcome them ... a lot of things have to be done. The training of all the conservators in Benin, how to protect the pieces.\"<\/em>","post_title":"Return Of Precious African Artworks From France Excites Benin Museum","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"return-of-precious-african-artworks-from-france-excites-benin-museum","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=220509","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

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  • The Global Future Council on the New Economic Agenda of the World Economic Forum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"African
    Fatoumata Ba at work (Photo Credit: kapitalafrik.com<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Well, we all agree that Fatoumata Ba is a young African champion from whom we can all draw inspiration. Unfavorable cultures and systems should not be our stumbling blocks from reaching our destiny or achieving our dreams. Instead, they should be our mind openers and catalysts pushing us to think outside the box. She has swiftly beaten all odds and helped others to succeed while at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sadly, only 27% of Africa\u2019s entrepreneurs are women. Fatoumata appreciates the women who are at it for survival. She believes that by economically empowering women and girls, she will be establishing a better and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: How Fatoumata Ba Built The Largest E-commerce Platform In Africa","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-how-fatoumata-ba-built-the-largest-e-commerce-platform-in-africa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=310337","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":401816,"post_author":"10061","post_date":"2021-06-28 16:13:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:13:00","post_content":"\n\nThe world of fashion is absolutely benefiting from up-and-coming fashion designers in Africa. 33-year-old fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, shares the success stories of what made Thabo Makhetha<\/a> a global brand with African Vibes. We enjoyed talking to her and we believe you will too. Hopefully, this story will serve as an inspiration to aspiring designers to aim for the global stage. Obviously, there is no height you cannot reach as long as you set your mind towards it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301892\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1367\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Natali Field<\/em>[\/caption]\n

    Who is Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana?<\/h2>\nI\u2019m a fashion designer, wife, and mother of two boys. I was born in Lesotho, but my family left when I was three years old and I've lived across South Africa; Johannesburg, Mafikeng, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, and now, Cape Town. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world and being exposed to the different communities gave me an appreciation for culture and heritage.\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0Designer Spotlight: Yohannes Sisters Take Ethiopian Fashion To The World<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nI studied Fashion Design at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University<\/a> and started my business in 2009 the year after my graduation. Things really kicked off with Durban July<\/a>, back in 2013, the theme for the event was royalty. I designed the \"Rose Coat\"<\/a> inspired by my heritage and made from the Basotho blankets. It was such a hit at the event, people were asking for my number and I even won the Best Dressed award. And really, that was one of the big pushes in terms of working with the Basotho blankets.\n\nThe other big break came when Jackie Burger<\/a>, then editor of Elle<\/a>, bought one of my capes at Design Indaba<\/a> and wore it to the Louis Vuitton show in Paris, France. She was seated front-row and even wrote an editor's article about the event, the cape she wore, and how it drew so much attention. It was a real honor. Those are basically the two catalysts that pushed the brand forward.\n\n\n

    How did you get into fashion, and what are your motivations and training?<\/h2>\nHonestly, it's just something I've always wanted to do. My Grandmother was a seamstress and so some of that came from her. When I was a kid, I would make clothes for my dolls and when whilst I was still in school, my mom bought me my first sewing machine. In high school, I\u2019d sketch and sew dresses for the dances I went to. So even before I went to study fashion, I was already designing.\n\nMy biggest motivation is that this is my passion and purpose. If I wasn\u2019t creating, I don't know what else I'd be doing. I've always grown up knowing that I've got a talent and it's got to do with my hands. I also paint and create artworks in my spare time so one can say it comes naturally.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301903\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    \n
    ALSO READ: Designer Spotlight: Mzukisi Mbane Is Building Afro-Futuristic Fashion<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    So, tell us more about your brand and when it was launched<\/h2>\nThe brand was launched in 2009, I had ambitions of interning in Europe, but the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding so there were no opportunities. I started off fulfilling individual clients' orders, basically dressmaking. It was great when clients came in, I could design something custom for them\u2014which was always my preference.\n\nMy most iconic design would have to be the \"Starburst Coat\"<\/a> it was voted the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa, by then Elle-editor, Ellie Gamabade. The \u201cRose Coat\u201d that won best dressed at Durban July is another. My best selling item is the long cape, which Kefilwe Mabote<\/a> wore and it just went viral. She looked brilliant in it, and it's one of my favorite pieces to make.\n\n\n

    What has been your biggest breakthrough so far? Have you participated in any runway events?<\/h2>\nMy runway debut was at Vancouver Fashion Week 2014, which was phenomenal considering I hadn\u2019t yet shown in South Africa. Since then I\u2019ve showcased on several occasions at South Africa Fashion Weeks, Cape Town Fashion Week and I\u2019ve also showcased internationally in the UK, Italy, USA, and at the African Union in Addis Ababa.\n\nMy breakthrough has to be my Basotho blanket range for which my brand is mostly known and once again credit to events such as Design Indaba and people like Jackie Burger. I think having an influential fashion icon put their money down, invest in a brand, and use their influence to sell the brand makes the most impact.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301908\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1195\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: MaXhosa by Laduna Knitwear Brand<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

    What are the biggest challenges you've encountered so far and how did you overcome them?<\/h2>\nHonestly, up to date, I think my biggest challenge, not just with COVID-19 and being a Mother, was that I had quite hectic medical issues last year. I think my biggest lesson from that was, people called me a workaholic. I am just learning that you also need to rest because it can take its toll. It did, and everything came to a standstill. So, we're still recovering from that, working backward from that. It's also given me time to actually look at the business as a whole and reanalyze what it is that we are doing and if we're doing it the best way we actually can.\n

    What do you think about the African Fashion industry?<\/h2>\nThe African fashion industry, well, it depends which area and which region you're in. I think it's kind of unfair to try and box an entire continent's fashion industry into one subtitle. When I look, we are making strides. Our fashion designers are often only recognized when they move overseas, which I don't think is entirely correct. Big ups to people like Maxhosa Laduma<\/a> doing his thing, in his brand, and he is still based in South Africa.\n\n\n\nIt would be wonderful to also see bigger names in films of Africans that still reside in Africa. Because I think it plays a lot and says a lot when you can achieve big things from your home country and export those creations that you make versus having to go outside of your home country and prove yourself there. Unfortunately, the country that takes the credit is typically the country that you live in.\n\nOtherwise, the fashion industry as a whole is so creative. There are so many things that are still out there. It still has a lot of growth that needs to happen. And not just the fashion that you see, but also at the beginning in terms of the manufacturing, the processing of raw materials. For example, if you look at Lesotho, the wool comes from there, but it's not processed there. They don't even sell their own blankets. So, there's a lot of things like that when you look at the chain that needs to still get developed and evolve. But I think, you know, people are hearing our voice, which is great.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301909\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Ivorian Designer Loza Mal\u00e9ombho Is Afronizing Women Clothing And Footwear<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

    Any expansion plans and where do you see your brand in five years?<\/h2>\nI think I'm re-evaluating the brand. I do believe that we won't just be about clothing in the future. There will be more aspects to the brand than that. And more than anything, it's the storytelling. Not just about the clothes, or about my home country, Lesotho, but also teaching people about self-expression. Teaching people about taking pride in their identity, especially as an African. And the challenges we obviously come across. You know you look at the USA and what's going on. You look at our own country's history and some areas where we still live today, what's going on. So I think for me, I want to be more about the community and the mentality, than just beautiful clothing and beautiful creations.\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jWloCg71XKM\n

    Advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?<\/h2>\nNumber one, don't limit yourself to one thing. You are a creative, you can recreate and keep creating. Do not get trapped in the whole thing of, \"Oh, that was my idea and so-and-so took it.\" I've been down that road and there are no benefits trying to fight half of those battles. You have to keep one step ahead of the others all the time. Measure yourself against yourself, measure your success against what you did previously, and have fun, enjoy it, and balance.\n\n\n\nBalance the work, balance the play and, balance the fun. If you have family, balance the family. You can't just channel everything into one thing because you have to keep finding ways to fill yourself up again. And typically, you find that outside of the fashion, outside of the creativity, with family, with friends, with time off. So, that's my advice to up-and-coming fashion designers and entrepreneurs already doing their thing.\n\nFor further information, please see Thabo Makheta-Kwinana's Brand's Website: Thabo Makhetha<\/a><\/strong><\/em>","post_title":"Interview With Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana SA Multi-Award Winning Fashion Designer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"thabo-makhetha-kwinana-sa-multi-award-winning-fashion-designer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=301886","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":245995,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_content":"\n\n\"\"\n\nJustice delayed is justice denied is debatable. Hence, there is a group of people that believe vengeance is best served chilled. It took 25 years to track the Rwanda genocide sponsor, Felicien Kabuga. Like many activists, we are asking, why did it take so long? The 84-year old was wheeled into a Paris court under heavy police protection. His capture was made possible by Internet clues left by his children. Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, the chief prosecutor for the UN\u2019s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said,\n\n\"We knew already a year ago that he was very likely to be in the UK, France or in Belgium and we concluded only two months ago that he was in France. The French authorities located the apartment in which he was hiding, which led to the operation.\"<\/em>\n
    ALSO READ: Rwanda Commemorates Genocide Victims<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFelicien Kabuga was once a wealthy businessman. Before the 1994 genocide, he was considered the richest man in Rwanda, making his money from tea and other sectors. He was the co-owner of Radio T\u00e9l\u00e9vision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). Reports say the radio was used to broadcast hatred against the Tutsi minority in the country. Also, Rwanda prosecutors say he used his companies to import gardening tools and machetes knowing they will be used as weapons.\n\nThe 1994 Rwanda genocide lasted 100-days. However, it is estimated that over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. There are also reports that he established the Interahamwe Hutu ethnic militia and funded their training and weapon used in the massacre. According to French intelligence, due to the coronavirus, many active investigations were placed on hold. This allowed them to focus on tracking down the Rwanda Genocide sponsor.\n\n\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/JamseyRamsey\/status\/1270573772786094080\n

    How the Rwanda genocide sponsor was able to evade justice<\/h2>\nTwenty-eight aliases and powerful friends helped the Rwanda genocide sponsor to evade justice. According to reports, Mr. Kabuga has at least 5 children. Two of his daughters were married to the sons of the former Rwandan president, Juv\u00e9nal Habyarimana. It was the death of Habyarimana that sparked the genocide. Consequently, Mr. Kabuga was charged with seven counts of genocide<\/a> in 1997.\n\nFollowing his role as the Rwanda genocide sponsor, the United States placed a $5 million bounty on information that may lead to his arrest. In the years after the genocide, it was believed that Mr. Kabuga had lived in many East African countries including Kenya. However, there was no proof to back this claim.\n
    ALSO READ: Rwanda Mara Group Launches First Made In Africa Smartphone<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/VanityFair\/status\/1271850228367470593\n\nReports have it that the Kabuga family-owned assets in Kenya. However, one such property (Spanish Villas) was the subject of dispute in 2015. His wife, Josephine Mukazitoni, who was the co-owner of the property tried without success to regain access to it. This was because there was a resolution by the UN requiring member states to freeze Mr. Kabuga\u2019s assets.\n\nTrailing the Rwanda genocide sponsor became a dangerous affair\u2014particularly for journalists. William Munuhe, a freelance reporter on the trail of Mr. Kabuga was found dead in his apartment on January 16, 2003. His brother Josephat Gichuki says Munuhe was planning a sting operation with the FBI to arrest Mr. Kabuga. Munuhe\u2019s death was classified as a suicide. However, Gichuki had this to say.\n\n\n\n\"To our surprise, police said Munuhe's death was a suicide [from carbon monoxide poisoning] after inhaling fumes from a charcoal stove. While at the mortuary, I personally saw a bullet wound in his head, and blood in his room.\u201d<\/em>\n

    Success at last<\/h2>\nIn 2007, Mr. Felicien Kabuga was in Germany for surgery. This was his last known location. Consequently, extensive analysis of financial records and telephone pointed to Paris. Obviously, it almost impossible for him to pull this off without accomplices. Therefore, the Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation on his successful relocation to France.\n
    ALSO READ: <\/strong>Rwanda Using Technology To Transform Public Transport In Kigali<\/a><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/RushAfrican\/status\/1272585906466193409\n\nSome of Mr. Kabuga\u2019s children are living in Belgium, Britain, and France. Through an intelligence-sharing between investigators from these countries, they were able to locate his apartment near Paris. The head of the Gendarmerie's Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity, Eric Emeraux said,\n\n\"We realized\u2026 that trail from the children protecting their father converged on Asnieres-sur-Seine. We also discovered one of his children was renting an apartment there. We decided to open the door, without being entirely sure of who we would find inside. I didn't sleep the night before.\"<\/em>\n\n\n\nFollowing his arrest by 16 elite officers, the Rwanda genocide sponsor was identified using a DNA test. The result of the test matched the sample taken when he was hospitalized in Germany. However, Mr. Kabuga\u2019s lawyers say they will request an eight-day postponement to the legal process. Under French law, this is automatically granted.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/KabirTaneja\/status\/1270567131537534977\n

     Other Rwanda genocide sponsors<\/h2>\nThe arrest of Mr. Felicien Kabuga can help to shed more light on the identity and role of other Rwanda genocide sponsors and suspects. French-Rwanda relation was strained following the genocide. However, that has improved in recent years. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed an expert commission to examine the role of France in the killings. The Report is due in 2021. Also, France commemorated the Rwanda genocide for the first time in April 2020.\n
    ALSO READ: Three Rwanda Genocide Survivors Inspire Next Generation Of Camera Kids<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFor many genocide survivors, delay to justice is not denial. Inasmuch as many of them will want him to be tried at home, that can take weeks to happen. This further delay is what genocide survivors detest. The honorary president of the International Federation for Human Rights, Lawyer Patrick Baudouin wants Mr. Kabuga\u2019s trial expedited because of his advanced age. Following Mr. Kabuga\u2019s arrest, the leader of Avega (a widows\u2019 group), Valerie Mukabayire said,\n\n\"Every genocide survivor is happy he is arrested. Everyone has been waiting for this news. It is a good thing that he is going to face justice.\"<\/em>\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fairplanet\/status\/1271952935719665664","post_title":"Rwanda Genocide Sponsor Felicien Kabuga Appears In Court After Evading Justice For 25 Years","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"rwanda-genocide-sponsor-felicien-kabuga-appears-court-justice-for-25-years","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=245995","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":220509,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_date_gmt":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_content":"\n\nAbout two years ago, France promised to return 26 African artworks belonging to Benin. It is over a century since their forceful removal from the West African nation. Two years on, the country still awaits the fulfillment of that policy. However, a small museum outside Cotonou recently celebrated the return of antique royal scepters. This was a gift from a group of Paris gallery owners.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_220513\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"735\"]\"\" African artwork belonging to Benin in a European museum[\/caption]\n\nIn 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the immediate return of the 26 African artworks \u201cwithout delay\u201d. However, that seems like a far cry. It was only in December 2019 that France\u2019s culture minister gave a concrete timeline on the return. According to the minister, the objects which are now at Paris\u2019 leading African art museum will be returned by 2021. During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, President Macron said<\/a>,\n
    ALSO READ: France Returns Stolen 19th Century Artifact To Senegal<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\"I cannot accept that a large part of the cultural heritage of several African countries is in France. There are historical explanations for this but there is no valid, lasting and unconditional justification. African artworks cannot be only in private collections and European museums - it must be showcased in Paris but also in Dakar, Lagos and Cotonou. This will be one of my priorities.\"<\/em>\n\nIt is estimated that there are over 400,000 art pieces<\/a> of African artworks in public and private museums across European countries. According to AFP, about 180,000 African artworks are in Belgium\u2019s Royal Museum for Central Africa. Also, Weltmuseum in Austria holds about 37,000 African artworks.\n\n\n

    Slow Government Restitution Process<\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_220516\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"800\"]\"\" France promises to return 26 Benin artworks<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSince the official process of returning stolen artifacts is taking an endless amount of time, a group of Paris Left Bank gallery owners are taking a different approach. The group which calls itself the Petit Musee de la Recade buys these African artworks and returns them to Benin. Recently, they returned over two dozen pieces including 17 scepters from the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey. To date, this is one of their biggest troves.\n\nApart from buying and returning art pieces, the group has also raised funds to build a small museum outside Cotonou to keep these African artworks. However, the Paris gallery owner, Robert Vallois makes it clear that the gesture is a private initiative rather than part of the government\u2019s restitution of ill-gotten art.\n
    ALSO READ:<\/strong> Benin Is Getting Back 26 Of Its Looted Artifacts from The Colonial Era. Will Others Follow Suit?<\/a><\/div>\nBenin is building a new museum in Abomey with the support of the French government. Abomey was once the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey. In an interview with VOA<\/a> sometime in 2019, Jose Pliya, the head of Benin\u2019s national agency for heritage promotion and tourism development explained the importance of the new museum. According to Pliya,\n\n\"We really have to have the good condition \u2014 temperature, isolation, conservation \u2014 to welcome them ... a lot of things have to be done. The training of all the conservators in Benin, how to protect the pieces.\"<\/em>","post_title":"Return Of Precious African Artworks From France Excites Benin Museum","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"return-of-precious-african-artworks-from-france-excites-benin-museum","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=220509","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

    \n
  • The Council of Women in Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The Global Future Council on the New Economic Agenda of the World Economic Forum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"African
    Fatoumata Ba at work (Photo Credit: kapitalafrik.com<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Well, we all agree that Fatoumata Ba is a young African champion from whom we can all draw inspiration. Unfavorable cultures and systems should not be our stumbling blocks from reaching our destiny or achieving our dreams. Instead, they should be our mind openers and catalysts pushing us to think outside the box. She has swiftly beaten all odds and helped others to succeed while at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sadly, only 27% of Africa\u2019s entrepreneurs are women. Fatoumata appreciates the women who are at it for survival. She believes that by economically empowering women and girls, she will be establishing a better and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: How Fatoumata Ba Built The Largest E-commerce Platform In Africa","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-how-fatoumata-ba-built-the-largest-e-commerce-platform-in-africa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=310337","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":401816,"post_author":"10061","post_date":"2021-06-28 16:13:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:13:00","post_content":"\n\nThe world of fashion is absolutely benefiting from up-and-coming fashion designers in Africa. 33-year-old fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, shares the success stories of what made Thabo Makhetha<\/a> a global brand with African Vibes. We enjoyed talking to her and we believe you will too. Hopefully, this story will serve as an inspiration to aspiring designers to aim for the global stage. Obviously, there is no height you cannot reach as long as you set your mind towards it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301892\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1367\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Natali Field<\/em>[\/caption]\n

    Who is Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana?<\/h2>\nI\u2019m a fashion designer, wife, and mother of two boys. I was born in Lesotho, but my family left when I was three years old and I've lived across South Africa; Johannesburg, Mafikeng, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, and now, Cape Town. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world and being exposed to the different communities gave me an appreciation for culture and heritage.\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0Designer Spotlight: Yohannes Sisters Take Ethiopian Fashion To The World<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nI studied Fashion Design at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University<\/a> and started my business in 2009 the year after my graduation. Things really kicked off with Durban July<\/a>, back in 2013, the theme for the event was royalty. I designed the \"Rose Coat\"<\/a> inspired by my heritage and made from the Basotho blankets. It was such a hit at the event, people were asking for my number and I even won the Best Dressed award. And really, that was one of the big pushes in terms of working with the Basotho blankets.\n\nThe other big break came when Jackie Burger<\/a>, then editor of Elle<\/a>, bought one of my capes at Design Indaba<\/a> and wore it to the Louis Vuitton show in Paris, France. She was seated front-row and even wrote an editor's article about the event, the cape she wore, and how it drew so much attention. It was a real honor. Those are basically the two catalysts that pushed the brand forward.\n\n\n

    How did you get into fashion, and what are your motivations and training?<\/h2>\nHonestly, it's just something I've always wanted to do. My Grandmother was a seamstress and so some of that came from her. When I was a kid, I would make clothes for my dolls and when whilst I was still in school, my mom bought me my first sewing machine. In high school, I\u2019d sketch and sew dresses for the dances I went to. So even before I went to study fashion, I was already designing.\n\nMy biggest motivation is that this is my passion and purpose. If I wasn\u2019t creating, I don't know what else I'd be doing. I've always grown up knowing that I've got a talent and it's got to do with my hands. I also paint and create artworks in my spare time so one can say it comes naturally.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301903\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    \n
    ALSO READ: Designer Spotlight: Mzukisi Mbane Is Building Afro-Futuristic Fashion<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    So, tell us more about your brand and when it was launched<\/h2>\nThe brand was launched in 2009, I had ambitions of interning in Europe, but the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding so there were no opportunities. I started off fulfilling individual clients' orders, basically dressmaking. It was great when clients came in, I could design something custom for them\u2014which was always my preference.\n\nMy most iconic design would have to be the \"Starburst Coat\"<\/a> it was voted the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa, by then Elle-editor, Ellie Gamabade. The \u201cRose Coat\u201d that won best dressed at Durban July is another. My best selling item is the long cape, which Kefilwe Mabote<\/a> wore and it just went viral. She looked brilliant in it, and it's one of my favorite pieces to make.\n\n\n

    What has been your biggest breakthrough so far? Have you participated in any runway events?<\/h2>\nMy runway debut was at Vancouver Fashion Week 2014, which was phenomenal considering I hadn\u2019t yet shown in South Africa. Since then I\u2019ve showcased on several occasions at South Africa Fashion Weeks, Cape Town Fashion Week and I\u2019ve also showcased internationally in the UK, Italy, USA, and at the African Union in Addis Ababa.\n\nMy breakthrough has to be my Basotho blanket range for which my brand is mostly known and once again credit to events such as Design Indaba and people like Jackie Burger. I think having an influential fashion icon put their money down, invest in a brand, and use their influence to sell the brand makes the most impact.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301908\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1195\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: MaXhosa by Laduna Knitwear Brand<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

    What are the biggest challenges you've encountered so far and how did you overcome them?<\/h2>\nHonestly, up to date, I think my biggest challenge, not just with COVID-19 and being a Mother, was that I had quite hectic medical issues last year. I think my biggest lesson from that was, people called me a workaholic. I am just learning that you also need to rest because it can take its toll. It did, and everything came to a standstill. So, we're still recovering from that, working backward from that. It's also given me time to actually look at the business as a whole and reanalyze what it is that we are doing and if we're doing it the best way we actually can.\n

    What do you think about the African Fashion industry?<\/h2>\nThe African fashion industry, well, it depends which area and which region you're in. I think it's kind of unfair to try and box an entire continent's fashion industry into one subtitle. When I look, we are making strides. Our fashion designers are often only recognized when they move overseas, which I don't think is entirely correct. Big ups to people like Maxhosa Laduma<\/a> doing his thing, in his brand, and he is still based in South Africa.\n\n\n\nIt would be wonderful to also see bigger names in films of Africans that still reside in Africa. Because I think it plays a lot and says a lot when you can achieve big things from your home country and export those creations that you make versus having to go outside of your home country and prove yourself there. Unfortunately, the country that takes the credit is typically the country that you live in.\n\nOtherwise, the fashion industry as a whole is so creative. There are so many things that are still out there. It still has a lot of growth that needs to happen. And not just the fashion that you see, but also at the beginning in terms of the manufacturing, the processing of raw materials. For example, if you look at Lesotho, the wool comes from there, but it's not processed there. They don't even sell their own blankets. So, there's a lot of things like that when you look at the chain that needs to still get developed and evolve. But I think, you know, people are hearing our voice, which is great.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301909\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Ivorian Designer Loza Mal\u00e9ombho Is Afronizing Women Clothing And Footwear<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

    Any expansion plans and where do you see your brand in five years?<\/h2>\nI think I'm re-evaluating the brand. I do believe that we won't just be about clothing in the future. There will be more aspects to the brand than that. And more than anything, it's the storytelling. Not just about the clothes, or about my home country, Lesotho, but also teaching people about self-expression. Teaching people about taking pride in their identity, especially as an African. And the challenges we obviously come across. You know you look at the USA and what's going on. You look at our own country's history and some areas where we still live today, what's going on. So I think for me, I want to be more about the community and the mentality, than just beautiful clothing and beautiful creations.\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jWloCg71XKM\n

    Advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?<\/h2>\nNumber one, don't limit yourself to one thing. You are a creative, you can recreate and keep creating. Do not get trapped in the whole thing of, \"Oh, that was my idea and so-and-so took it.\" I've been down that road and there are no benefits trying to fight half of those battles. You have to keep one step ahead of the others all the time. Measure yourself against yourself, measure your success against what you did previously, and have fun, enjoy it, and balance.\n\n\n\nBalance the work, balance the play and, balance the fun. If you have family, balance the family. You can't just channel everything into one thing because you have to keep finding ways to fill yourself up again. And typically, you find that outside of the fashion, outside of the creativity, with family, with friends, with time off. So, that's my advice to up-and-coming fashion designers and entrepreneurs already doing their thing.\n\nFor further information, please see Thabo Makheta-Kwinana's Brand's Website: Thabo Makhetha<\/a><\/strong><\/em>","post_title":"Interview With Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana SA Multi-Award Winning Fashion Designer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"thabo-makhetha-kwinana-sa-multi-award-winning-fashion-designer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=301886","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":245995,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_content":"\n\n\"\"\n\nJustice delayed is justice denied is debatable. Hence, there is a group of people that believe vengeance is best served chilled. It took 25 years to track the Rwanda genocide sponsor, Felicien Kabuga. Like many activists, we are asking, why did it take so long? The 84-year old was wheeled into a Paris court under heavy police protection. His capture was made possible by Internet clues left by his children. Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, the chief prosecutor for the UN\u2019s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said,\n\n\"We knew already a year ago that he was very likely to be in the UK, France or in Belgium and we concluded only two months ago that he was in France. The French authorities located the apartment in which he was hiding, which led to the operation.\"<\/em>\n
    ALSO READ: Rwanda Commemorates Genocide Victims<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFelicien Kabuga was once a wealthy businessman. Before the 1994 genocide, he was considered the richest man in Rwanda, making his money from tea and other sectors. He was the co-owner of Radio T\u00e9l\u00e9vision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). Reports say the radio was used to broadcast hatred against the Tutsi minority in the country. Also, Rwanda prosecutors say he used his companies to import gardening tools and machetes knowing they will be used as weapons.\n\nThe 1994 Rwanda genocide lasted 100-days. However, it is estimated that over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. There are also reports that he established the Interahamwe Hutu ethnic militia and funded their training and weapon used in the massacre. According to French intelligence, due to the coronavirus, many active investigations were placed on hold. This allowed them to focus on tracking down the Rwanda Genocide sponsor.\n\n\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/JamseyRamsey\/status\/1270573772786094080\n

    How the Rwanda genocide sponsor was able to evade justice<\/h2>\nTwenty-eight aliases and powerful friends helped the Rwanda genocide sponsor to evade justice. According to reports, Mr. Kabuga has at least 5 children. Two of his daughters were married to the sons of the former Rwandan president, Juv\u00e9nal Habyarimana. It was the death of Habyarimana that sparked the genocide. Consequently, Mr. Kabuga was charged with seven counts of genocide<\/a> in 1997.\n\nFollowing his role as the Rwanda genocide sponsor, the United States placed a $5 million bounty on information that may lead to his arrest. In the years after the genocide, it was believed that Mr. Kabuga had lived in many East African countries including Kenya. However, there was no proof to back this claim.\n
    ALSO READ: Rwanda Mara Group Launches First Made In Africa Smartphone<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/VanityFair\/status\/1271850228367470593\n\nReports have it that the Kabuga family-owned assets in Kenya. However, one such property (Spanish Villas) was the subject of dispute in 2015. His wife, Josephine Mukazitoni, who was the co-owner of the property tried without success to regain access to it. This was because there was a resolution by the UN requiring member states to freeze Mr. Kabuga\u2019s assets.\n\nTrailing the Rwanda genocide sponsor became a dangerous affair\u2014particularly for journalists. William Munuhe, a freelance reporter on the trail of Mr. Kabuga was found dead in his apartment on January 16, 2003. His brother Josephat Gichuki says Munuhe was planning a sting operation with the FBI to arrest Mr. Kabuga. Munuhe\u2019s death was classified as a suicide. However, Gichuki had this to say.\n\n\n\n\"To our surprise, police said Munuhe's death was a suicide [from carbon monoxide poisoning] after inhaling fumes from a charcoal stove. While at the mortuary, I personally saw a bullet wound in his head, and blood in his room.\u201d<\/em>\n

    Success at last<\/h2>\nIn 2007, Mr. Felicien Kabuga was in Germany for surgery. This was his last known location. Consequently, extensive analysis of financial records and telephone pointed to Paris. Obviously, it almost impossible for him to pull this off without accomplices. Therefore, the Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation on his successful relocation to France.\n
    ALSO READ: <\/strong>Rwanda Using Technology To Transform Public Transport In Kigali<\/a><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/RushAfrican\/status\/1272585906466193409\n\nSome of Mr. Kabuga\u2019s children are living in Belgium, Britain, and France. Through an intelligence-sharing between investigators from these countries, they were able to locate his apartment near Paris. The head of the Gendarmerie's Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity, Eric Emeraux said,\n\n\"We realized\u2026 that trail from the children protecting their father converged on Asnieres-sur-Seine. We also discovered one of his children was renting an apartment there. We decided to open the door, without being entirely sure of who we would find inside. I didn't sleep the night before.\"<\/em>\n\n\n\nFollowing his arrest by 16 elite officers, the Rwanda genocide sponsor was identified using a DNA test. The result of the test matched the sample taken when he was hospitalized in Germany. However, Mr. Kabuga\u2019s lawyers say they will request an eight-day postponement to the legal process. Under French law, this is automatically granted.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/KabirTaneja\/status\/1270567131537534977\n

     Other Rwanda genocide sponsors<\/h2>\nThe arrest of Mr. Felicien Kabuga can help to shed more light on the identity and role of other Rwanda genocide sponsors and suspects. French-Rwanda relation was strained following the genocide. However, that has improved in recent years. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed an expert commission to examine the role of France in the killings. The Report is due in 2021. Also, France commemorated the Rwanda genocide for the first time in April 2020.\n
    ALSO READ: Three Rwanda Genocide Survivors Inspire Next Generation Of Camera Kids<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFor many genocide survivors, delay to justice is not denial. Inasmuch as many of them will want him to be tried at home, that can take weeks to happen. This further delay is what genocide survivors detest. The honorary president of the International Federation for Human Rights, Lawyer Patrick Baudouin wants Mr. Kabuga\u2019s trial expedited because of his advanced age. Following Mr. Kabuga\u2019s arrest, the leader of Avega (a widows\u2019 group), Valerie Mukabayire said,\n\n\"Every genocide survivor is happy he is arrested. Everyone has been waiting for this news. It is a good thing that he is going to face justice.\"<\/em>\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fairplanet\/status\/1271952935719665664","post_title":"Rwanda Genocide Sponsor Felicien Kabuga Appears In Court After Evading Justice For 25 Years","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"rwanda-genocide-sponsor-felicien-kabuga-appears-court-justice-for-25-years","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=245995","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":220509,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_date_gmt":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_content":"\n\nAbout two years ago, France promised to return 26 African artworks belonging to Benin. It is over a century since their forceful removal from the West African nation. Two years on, the country still awaits the fulfillment of that policy. However, a small museum outside Cotonou recently celebrated the return of antique royal scepters. This was a gift from a group of Paris gallery owners.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_220513\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"735\"]\"\" African artwork belonging to Benin in a European museum[\/caption]\n\nIn 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the immediate return of the 26 African artworks \u201cwithout delay\u201d. However, that seems like a far cry. It was only in December 2019 that France\u2019s culture minister gave a concrete timeline on the return. According to the minister, the objects which are now at Paris\u2019 leading African art museum will be returned by 2021. During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, President Macron said<\/a>,\n
    ALSO READ: France Returns Stolen 19th Century Artifact To Senegal<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\"I cannot accept that a large part of the cultural heritage of several African countries is in France. There are historical explanations for this but there is no valid, lasting and unconditional justification. African artworks cannot be only in private collections and European museums - it must be showcased in Paris but also in Dakar, Lagos and Cotonou. This will be one of my priorities.\"<\/em>\n\nIt is estimated that there are over 400,000 art pieces<\/a> of African artworks in public and private museums across European countries. According to AFP, about 180,000 African artworks are in Belgium\u2019s Royal Museum for Central Africa. Also, Weltmuseum in Austria holds about 37,000 African artworks.\n\n\n

    Slow Government Restitution Process<\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_220516\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"800\"]\"\" France promises to return 26 Benin artworks<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSince the official process of returning stolen artifacts is taking an endless amount of time, a group of Paris Left Bank gallery owners are taking a different approach. The group which calls itself the Petit Musee de la Recade buys these African artworks and returns them to Benin. Recently, they returned over two dozen pieces including 17 scepters from the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey. To date, this is one of their biggest troves.\n\nApart from buying and returning art pieces, the group has also raised funds to build a small museum outside Cotonou to keep these African artworks. However, the Paris gallery owner, Robert Vallois makes it clear that the gesture is a private initiative rather than part of the government\u2019s restitution of ill-gotten art.\n
    ALSO READ:<\/strong> Benin Is Getting Back 26 Of Its Looted Artifacts from The Colonial Era. Will Others Follow Suit?<\/a><\/div>\nBenin is building a new museum in Abomey with the support of the French government. Abomey was once the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey. In an interview with VOA<\/a> sometime in 2019, Jose Pliya, the head of Benin\u2019s national agency for heritage promotion and tourism development explained the importance of the new museum. According to Pliya,\n\n\"We really have to have the good condition \u2014 temperature, isolation, conservation \u2014 to welcome them ... a lot of things have to be done. The training of all the conservators in Benin, how to protect the pieces.\"<\/em>","post_title":"Return Of Precious African Artworks From France Excites Benin Museum","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"return-of-precious-african-artworks-from-france-excites-benin-museum","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=220509","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

    \n
  • The Board & Investment Committee of Creadev Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The Council of Women in Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The Global Future Council on the New Economic Agenda of the World Economic Forum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"African
    Fatoumata Ba at work (Photo Credit: kapitalafrik.com<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Well, we all agree that Fatoumata Ba is a young African champion from whom we can all draw inspiration. Unfavorable cultures and systems should not be our stumbling blocks from reaching our destiny or achieving our dreams. Instead, they should be our mind openers and catalysts pushing us to think outside the box. She has swiftly beaten all odds and helped others to succeed while at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sadly, only 27% of Africa\u2019s entrepreneurs are women. Fatoumata appreciates the women who are at it for survival. She believes that by economically empowering women and girls, she will be establishing a better and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: How Fatoumata Ba Built The Largest E-commerce Platform In Africa","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-how-fatoumata-ba-built-the-largest-e-commerce-platform-in-africa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=310337","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":401816,"post_author":"10061","post_date":"2021-06-28 16:13:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:13:00","post_content":"\n\nThe world of fashion is absolutely benefiting from up-and-coming fashion designers in Africa. 33-year-old fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, shares the success stories of what made Thabo Makhetha<\/a> a global brand with African Vibes. We enjoyed talking to her and we believe you will too. Hopefully, this story will serve as an inspiration to aspiring designers to aim for the global stage. Obviously, there is no height you cannot reach as long as you set your mind towards it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301892\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1367\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Natali Field<\/em>[\/caption]\n

    Who is Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana?<\/h2>\nI\u2019m a fashion designer, wife, and mother of two boys. I was born in Lesotho, but my family left when I was three years old and I've lived across South Africa; Johannesburg, Mafikeng, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, and now, Cape Town. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world and being exposed to the different communities gave me an appreciation for culture and heritage.\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0Designer Spotlight: Yohannes Sisters Take Ethiopian Fashion To The World<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nI studied Fashion Design at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University<\/a> and started my business in 2009 the year after my graduation. Things really kicked off with Durban July<\/a>, back in 2013, the theme for the event was royalty. I designed the \"Rose Coat\"<\/a> inspired by my heritage and made from the Basotho blankets. It was such a hit at the event, people were asking for my number and I even won the Best Dressed award. And really, that was one of the big pushes in terms of working with the Basotho blankets.\n\nThe other big break came when Jackie Burger<\/a>, then editor of Elle<\/a>, bought one of my capes at Design Indaba<\/a> and wore it to the Louis Vuitton show in Paris, France. She was seated front-row and even wrote an editor's article about the event, the cape she wore, and how it drew so much attention. It was a real honor. Those are basically the two catalysts that pushed the brand forward.\n\n\n

    How did you get into fashion, and what are your motivations and training?<\/h2>\nHonestly, it's just something I've always wanted to do. My Grandmother was a seamstress and so some of that came from her. When I was a kid, I would make clothes for my dolls and when whilst I was still in school, my mom bought me my first sewing machine. In high school, I\u2019d sketch and sew dresses for the dances I went to. So even before I went to study fashion, I was already designing.\n\nMy biggest motivation is that this is my passion and purpose. If I wasn\u2019t creating, I don't know what else I'd be doing. I've always grown up knowing that I've got a talent and it's got to do with my hands. I also paint and create artworks in my spare time so one can say it comes naturally.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301903\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    \n
    ALSO READ: Designer Spotlight: Mzukisi Mbane Is Building Afro-Futuristic Fashion<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    So, tell us more about your brand and when it was launched<\/h2>\nThe brand was launched in 2009, I had ambitions of interning in Europe, but the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding so there were no opportunities. I started off fulfilling individual clients' orders, basically dressmaking. It was great when clients came in, I could design something custom for them\u2014which was always my preference.\n\nMy most iconic design would have to be the \"Starburst Coat\"<\/a> it was voted the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa, by then Elle-editor, Ellie Gamabade. The \u201cRose Coat\u201d that won best dressed at Durban July is another. My best selling item is the long cape, which Kefilwe Mabote<\/a> wore and it just went viral. She looked brilliant in it, and it's one of my favorite pieces to make.\n\n\n

    What has been your biggest breakthrough so far? Have you participated in any runway events?<\/h2>\nMy runway debut was at Vancouver Fashion Week 2014, which was phenomenal considering I hadn\u2019t yet shown in South Africa. Since then I\u2019ve showcased on several occasions at South Africa Fashion Weeks, Cape Town Fashion Week and I\u2019ve also showcased internationally in the UK, Italy, USA, and at the African Union in Addis Ababa.\n\nMy breakthrough has to be my Basotho blanket range for which my brand is mostly known and once again credit to events such as Design Indaba and people like Jackie Burger. I think having an influential fashion icon put their money down, invest in a brand, and use their influence to sell the brand makes the most impact.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301908\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1195\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: MaXhosa by Laduna Knitwear Brand<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

    What are the biggest challenges you've encountered so far and how did you overcome them?<\/h2>\nHonestly, up to date, I think my biggest challenge, not just with COVID-19 and being a Mother, was that I had quite hectic medical issues last year. I think my biggest lesson from that was, people called me a workaholic. I am just learning that you also need to rest because it can take its toll. It did, and everything came to a standstill. So, we're still recovering from that, working backward from that. It's also given me time to actually look at the business as a whole and reanalyze what it is that we are doing and if we're doing it the best way we actually can.\n

    What do you think about the African Fashion industry?<\/h2>\nThe African fashion industry, well, it depends which area and which region you're in. I think it's kind of unfair to try and box an entire continent's fashion industry into one subtitle. When I look, we are making strides. Our fashion designers are often only recognized when they move overseas, which I don't think is entirely correct. Big ups to people like Maxhosa Laduma<\/a> doing his thing, in his brand, and he is still based in South Africa.\n\n\n\nIt would be wonderful to also see bigger names in films of Africans that still reside in Africa. Because I think it plays a lot and says a lot when you can achieve big things from your home country and export those creations that you make versus having to go outside of your home country and prove yourself there. Unfortunately, the country that takes the credit is typically the country that you live in.\n\nOtherwise, the fashion industry as a whole is so creative. There are so many things that are still out there. It still has a lot of growth that needs to happen. And not just the fashion that you see, but also at the beginning in terms of the manufacturing, the processing of raw materials. For example, if you look at Lesotho, the wool comes from there, but it's not processed there. They don't even sell their own blankets. So, there's a lot of things like that when you look at the chain that needs to still get developed and evolve. But I think, you know, people are hearing our voice, which is great.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301909\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Ivorian Designer Loza Mal\u00e9ombho Is Afronizing Women Clothing And Footwear<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

    Any expansion plans and where do you see your brand in five years?<\/h2>\nI think I'm re-evaluating the brand. I do believe that we won't just be about clothing in the future. There will be more aspects to the brand than that. And more than anything, it's the storytelling. Not just about the clothes, or about my home country, Lesotho, but also teaching people about self-expression. Teaching people about taking pride in their identity, especially as an African. And the challenges we obviously come across. You know you look at the USA and what's going on. You look at our own country's history and some areas where we still live today, what's going on. So I think for me, I want to be more about the community and the mentality, than just beautiful clothing and beautiful creations.\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jWloCg71XKM\n

    Advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?<\/h2>\nNumber one, don't limit yourself to one thing. You are a creative, you can recreate and keep creating. Do not get trapped in the whole thing of, \"Oh, that was my idea and so-and-so took it.\" I've been down that road and there are no benefits trying to fight half of those battles. You have to keep one step ahead of the others all the time. Measure yourself against yourself, measure your success against what you did previously, and have fun, enjoy it, and balance.\n\n\n\nBalance the work, balance the play and, balance the fun. If you have family, balance the family. You can't just channel everything into one thing because you have to keep finding ways to fill yourself up again. And typically, you find that outside of the fashion, outside of the creativity, with family, with friends, with time off. So, that's my advice to up-and-coming fashion designers and entrepreneurs already doing their thing.\n\nFor further information, please see Thabo Makheta-Kwinana's Brand's Website: Thabo Makhetha<\/a><\/strong><\/em>","post_title":"Interview With Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana SA Multi-Award Winning Fashion Designer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"thabo-makhetha-kwinana-sa-multi-award-winning-fashion-designer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=301886","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":245995,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_content":"\n\n\"\"\n\nJustice delayed is justice denied is debatable. Hence, there is a group of people that believe vengeance is best served chilled. It took 25 years to track the Rwanda genocide sponsor, Felicien Kabuga. Like many activists, we are asking, why did it take so long? The 84-year old was wheeled into a Paris court under heavy police protection. His capture was made possible by Internet clues left by his children. Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, the chief prosecutor for the UN\u2019s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said,\n\n\"We knew already a year ago that he was very likely to be in the UK, France or in Belgium and we concluded only two months ago that he was in France. The French authorities located the apartment in which he was hiding, which led to the operation.\"<\/em>\n
    ALSO READ: Rwanda Commemorates Genocide Victims<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFelicien Kabuga was once a wealthy businessman. Before the 1994 genocide, he was considered the richest man in Rwanda, making his money from tea and other sectors. He was the co-owner of Radio T\u00e9l\u00e9vision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). Reports say the radio was used to broadcast hatred against the Tutsi minority in the country. Also, Rwanda prosecutors say he used his companies to import gardening tools and machetes knowing they will be used as weapons.\n\nThe 1994 Rwanda genocide lasted 100-days. However, it is estimated that over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. There are also reports that he established the Interahamwe Hutu ethnic militia and funded their training and weapon used in the massacre. According to French intelligence, due to the coronavirus, many active investigations were placed on hold. This allowed them to focus on tracking down the Rwanda Genocide sponsor.\n\n\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/JamseyRamsey\/status\/1270573772786094080\n

    How the Rwanda genocide sponsor was able to evade justice<\/h2>\nTwenty-eight aliases and powerful friends helped the Rwanda genocide sponsor to evade justice. According to reports, Mr. Kabuga has at least 5 children. Two of his daughters were married to the sons of the former Rwandan president, Juv\u00e9nal Habyarimana. It was the death of Habyarimana that sparked the genocide. Consequently, Mr. Kabuga was charged with seven counts of genocide<\/a> in 1997.\n\nFollowing his role as the Rwanda genocide sponsor, the United States placed a $5 million bounty on information that may lead to his arrest. In the years after the genocide, it was believed that Mr. Kabuga had lived in many East African countries including Kenya. However, there was no proof to back this claim.\n
    ALSO READ: Rwanda Mara Group Launches First Made In Africa Smartphone<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/VanityFair\/status\/1271850228367470593\n\nReports have it that the Kabuga family-owned assets in Kenya. However, one such property (Spanish Villas) was the subject of dispute in 2015. His wife, Josephine Mukazitoni, who was the co-owner of the property tried without success to regain access to it. This was because there was a resolution by the UN requiring member states to freeze Mr. Kabuga\u2019s assets.\n\nTrailing the Rwanda genocide sponsor became a dangerous affair\u2014particularly for journalists. William Munuhe, a freelance reporter on the trail of Mr. Kabuga was found dead in his apartment on January 16, 2003. His brother Josephat Gichuki says Munuhe was planning a sting operation with the FBI to arrest Mr. Kabuga. Munuhe\u2019s death was classified as a suicide. However, Gichuki had this to say.\n\n\n\n\"To our surprise, police said Munuhe's death was a suicide [from carbon monoxide poisoning] after inhaling fumes from a charcoal stove. While at the mortuary, I personally saw a bullet wound in his head, and blood in his room.\u201d<\/em>\n

    Success at last<\/h2>\nIn 2007, Mr. Felicien Kabuga was in Germany for surgery. This was his last known location. Consequently, extensive analysis of financial records and telephone pointed to Paris. Obviously, it almost impossible for him to pull this off without accomplices. Therefore, the Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation on his successful relocation to France.\n
    ALSO READ: <\/strong>Rwanda Using Technology To Transform Public Transport In Kigali<\/a><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/RushAfrican\/status\/1272585906466193409\n\nSome of Mr. Kabuga\u2019s children are living in Belgium, Britain, and France. Through an intelligence-sharing between investigators from these countries, they were able to locate his apartment near Paris. The head of the Gendarmerie's Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity, Eric Emeraux said,\n\n\"We realized\u2026 that trail from the children protecting their father converged on Asnieres-sur-Seine. We also discovered one of his children was renting an apartment there. We decided to open the door, without being entirely sure of who we would find inside. I didn't sleep the night before.\"<\/em>\n\n\n\nFollowing his arrest by 16 elite officers, the Rwanda genocide sponsor was identified using a DNA test. The result of the test matched the sample taken when he was hospitalized in Germany. However, Mr. Kabuga\u2019s lawyers say they will request an eight-day postponement to the legal process. Under French law, this is automatically granted.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/KabirTaneja\/status\/1270567131537534977\n

     Other Rwanda genocide sponsors<\/h2>\nThe arrest of Mr. Felicien Kabuga can help to shed more light on the identity and role of other Rwanda genocide sponsors and suspects. French-Rwanda relation was strained following the genocide. However, that has improved in recent years. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed an expert commission to examine the role of France in the killings. The Report is due in 2021. Also, France commemorated the Rwanda genocide for the first time in April 2020.\n
    ALSO READ: Three Rwanda Genocide Survivors Inspire Next Generation Of Camera Kids<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFor many genocide survivors, delay to justice is not denial. Inasmuch as many of them will want him to be tried at home, that can take weeks to happen. This further delay is what genocide survivors detest. The honorary president of the International Federation for Human Rights, Lawyer Patrick Baudouin wants Mr. Kabuga\u2019s trial expedited because of his advanced age. Following Mr. Kabuga\u2019s arrest, the leader of Avega (a widows\u2019 group), Valerie Mukabayire said,\n\n\"Every genocide survivor is happy he is arrested. Everyone has been waiting for this news. It is a good thing that he is going to face justice.\"<\/em>\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fairplanet\/status\/1271952935719665664","post_title":"Rwanda Genocide Sponsor Felicien Kabuga Appears In Court After Evading Justice For 25 Years","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"rwanda-genocide-sponsor-felicien-kabuga-appears-court-justice-for-25-years","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=245995","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":220509,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_date_gmt":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_content":"\n\nAbout two years ago, France promised to return 26 African artworks belonging to Benin. It is over a century since their forceful removal from the West African nation. Two years on, the country still awaits the fulfillment of that policy. However, a small museum outside Cotonou recently celebrated the return of antique royal scepters. This was a gift from a group of Paris gallery owners.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_220513\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"735\"]\"\" African artwork belonging to Benin in a European museum[\/caption]\n\nIn 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the immediate return of the 26 African artworks \u201cwithout delay\u201d. However, that seems like a far cry. It was only in December 2019 that France\u2019s culture minister gave a concrete timeline on the return. According to the minister, the objects which are now at Paris\u2019 leading African art museum will be returned by 2021. During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, President Macron said<\/a>,\n
    ALSO READ: France Returns Stolen 19th Century Artifact To Senegal<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\"I cannot accept that a large part of the cultural heritage of several African countries is in France. There are historical explanations for this but there is no valid, lasting and unconditional justification. African artworks cannot be only in private collections and European museums - it must be showcased in Paris but also in Dakar, Lagos and Cotonou. This will be one of my priorities.\"<\/em>\n\nIt is estimated that there are over 400,000 art pieces<\/a> of African artworks in public and private museums across European countries. According to AFP, about 180,000 African artworks are in Belgium\u2019s Royal Museum for Central Africa. Also, Weltmuseum in Austria holds about 37,000 African artworks.\n\n\n

    Slow Government Restitution Process<\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_220516\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"800\"]\"\" France promises to return 26 Benin artworks<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSince the official process of returning stolen artifacts is taking an endless amount of time, a group of Paris Left Bank gallery owners are taking a different approach. The group which calls itself the Petit Musee de la Recade buys these African artworks and returns them to Benin. Recently, they returned over two dozen pieces including 17 scepters from the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey. To date, this is one of their biggest troves.\n\nApart from buying and returning art pieces, the group has also raised funds to build a small museum outside Cotonou to keep these African artworks. However, the Paris gallery owner, Robert Vallois makes it clear that the gesture is a private initiative rather than part of the government\u2019s restitution of ill-gotten art.\n
    ALSO READ:<\/strong> Benin Is Getting Back 26 Of Its Looted Artifacts from The Colonial Era. Will Others Follow Suit?<\/a><\/div>\nBenin is building a new museum in Abomey with the support of the French government. Abomey was once the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey. In an interview with VOA<\/a> sometime in 2019, Jose Pliya, the head of Benin\u2019s national agency for heritage promotion and tourism development explained the importance of the new museum. According to Pliya,\n\n\"We really have to have the good condition \u2014 temperature, isolation, conservation \u2014 to welcome them ... a lot of things have to be done. The training of all the conservators in Benin, how to protect the pieces.\"<\/em>","post_title":"Return Of Precious African Artworks From France Excites Benin Museum","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"return-of-precious-african-artworks-from-france-excites-benin-museum","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=220509","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

    \n
  • The Board of SouthBridge Investment Bank<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The Board & Investment Committee of Creadev Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The Council of Women in Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The Global Future Council on the New Economic Agenda of the World Economic Forum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"African
    Fatoumata Ba at work (Photo Credit: kapitalafrik.com<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Well, we all agree that Fatoumata Ba is a young African champion from whom we can all draw inspiration. Unfavorable cultures and systems should not be our stumbling blocks from reaching our destiny or achieving our dreams. Instead, they should be our mind openers and catalysts pushing us to think outside the box. She has swiftly beaten all odds and helped others to succeed while at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sadly, only 27% of Africa\u2019s entrepreneurs are women. Fatoumata appreciates the women who are at it for survival. She believes that by economically empowering women and girls, she will be establishing a better and sustainable future for all.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Returnee Spotlight: How Fatoumata Ba Built The Largest E-commerce Platform In Africa","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"returnee-spotlight-how-fatoumata-ba-built-the-largest-e-commerce-platform-in-africa","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-10-04 06:26:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=310337","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":401816,"post_author":"10061","post_date":"2021-06-28 16:13:00","post_date_gmt":"2021-06-28 23:13:00","post_content":"\n\nThe world of fashion is absolutely benefiting from up-and-coming fashion designers in Africa. 33-year-old fashion designer, Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana, shares the success stories of what made Thabo Makhetha<\/a> a global brand with African Vibes. We enjoyed talking to her and we believe you will too. Hopefully, this story will serve as an inspiration to aspiring designers to aim for the global stage. Obviously, there is no height you cannot reach as long as you set your mind towards it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301892\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1367\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Natali Field<\/em>[\/caption]\n

    Who is Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana?<\/h2>\nI\u2019m a fashion designer, wife, and mother of two boys. I was born in Lesotho, but my family left when I was three years old and I've lived across South Africa; Johannesburg, Mafikeng, KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth, and now, Cape Town. South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world and being exposed to the different communities gave me an appreciation for culture and heritage.\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0Designer Spotlight: Yohannes Sisters Take Ethiopian Fashion To The World<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nI studied Fashion Design at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University<\/a> and started my business in 2009 the year after my graduation. Things really kicked off with Durban July<\/a>, back in 2013, the theme for the event was royalty. I designed the \"Rose Coat\"<\/a> inspired by my heritage and made from the Basotho blankets. It was such a hit at the event, people were asking for my number and I even won the Best Dressed award. And really, that was one of the big pushes in terms of working with the Basotho blankets.\n\nThe other big break came when Jackie Burger<\/a>, then editor of Elle<\/a>, bought one of my capes at Design Indaba<\/a> and wore it to the Louis Vuitton show in Paris, France. She was seated front-row and even wrote an editor's article about the event, the cape she wore, and how it drew so much attention. It was a real honor. Those are basically the two catalysts that pushed the brand forward.\n\n\n

    How did you get into fashion, and what are your motivations and training?<\/h2>\nHonestly, it's just something I've always wanted to do. My Grandmother was a seamstress and so some of that came from her. When I was a kid, I would make clothes for my dolls and when whilst I was still in school, my mom bought me my first sewing machine. In high school, I\u2019d sketch and sew dresses for the dances I went to. So even before I went to study fashion, I was already designing.\n\nMy biggest motivation is that this is my passion and purpose. If I wasn\u2019t creating, I don't know what else I'd be doing. I've always grown up knowing that I've got a talent and it's got to do with my hands. I also paint and create artworks in my spare time so one can say it comes naturally.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301903\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    \n
    ALSO READ: Designer Spotlight: Mzukisi Mbane Is Building Afro-Futuristic Fashion<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    So, tell us more about your brand and when it was launched<\/h2>\nThe brand was launched in 2009, I had ambitions of interning in Europe, but the Global Financial Crisis was unfolding so there were no opportunities. I started off fulfilling individual clients' orders, basically dressmaking. It was great when clients came in, I could design something custom for them\u2014which was always my preference.\n\nMy most iconic design would have to be the \"Starburst Coat\"<\/a> it was voted the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa, by then Elle-editor, Ellie Gamabade. The \u201cRose Coat\u201d that won best dressed at Durban July is another. My best selling item is the long cape, which Kefilwe Mabote<\/a> wore and it just went viral. She looked brilliant in it, and it's one of my favorite pieces to make.\n\n\n

    What has been your biggest breakthrough so far? Have you participated in any runway events?<\/h2>\nMy runway debut was at Vancouver Fashion Week 2014, which was phenomenal considering I hadn\u2019t yet shown in South Africa. Since then I\u2019ve showcased on several occasions at South Africa Fashion Weeks, Cape Town Fashion Week and I\u2019ve also showcased internationally in the UK, Italy, USA, and at the African Union in Addis Ababa.\n\nMy breakthrough has to be my Basotho blanket range for which my brand is mostly known and once again credit to events such as Design Indaba and people like Jackie Burger. I think having an influential fashion icon put their money down, invest in a brand, and use their influence to sell the brand makes the most impact.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301908\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1195\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: MaXhosa by Laduna Knitwear Brand<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

    What are the biggest challenges you've encountered so far and how did you overcome them?<\/h2>\nHonestly, up to date, I think my biggest challenge, not just with COVID-19 and being a Mother, was that I had quite hectic medical issues last year. I think my biggest lesson from that was, people called me a workaholic. I am just learning that you also need to rest because it can take its toll. It did, and everything came to a standstill. So, we're still recovering from that, working backward from that. It's also given me time to actually look at the business as a whole and reanalyze what it is that we are doing and if we're doing it the best way we actually can.\n

    What do you think about the African Fashion industry?<\/h2>\nThe African fashion industry, well, it depends which area and which region you're in. I think it's kind of unfair to try and box an entire continent's fashion industry into one subtitle. When I look, we are making strides. Our fashion designers are often only recognized when they move overseas, which I don't think is entirely correct. Big ups to people like Maxhosa Laduma<\/a> doing his thing, in his brand, and he is still based in South Africa.\n\n\n\nIt would be wonderful to also see bigger names in films of Africans that still reside in Africa. Because I think it plays a lot and says a lot when you can achieve big things from your home country and export those creations that you make versus having to go outside of your home country and prove yourself there. Unfortunately, the country that takes the credit is typically the country that you live in.\n\nOtherwise, the fashion industry as a whole is so creative. There are so many things that are still out there. It still has a lot of growth that needs to happen. And not just the fashion that you see, but also at the beginning in terms of the manufacturing, the processing of raw materials. For example, if you look at Lesotho, the wool comes from there, but it's not processed there. They don't even sell their own blankets. So, there's a lot of things like that when you look at the chain that needs to still get developed and evolve. But I think, you know, people are hearing our voice, which is great.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_301909\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2048\"]\"Thabo Photo credit: Tando Guzana<\/em>[\/caption]\n\n
    ALSO READ:\u00a0DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: Ivorian Designer Loza Mal\u00e9ombho Is Afronizing Women Clothing And Footwear<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n

    Any expansion plans and where do you see your brand in five years?<\/h2>\nI think I'm re-evaluating the brand. I do believe that we won't just be about clothing in the future. There will be more aspects to the brand than that. And more than anything, it's the storytelling. Not just about the clothes, or about my home country, Lesotho, but also teaching people about self-expression. Teaching people about taking pride in their identity, especially as an African. And the challenges we obviously come across. You know you look at the USA and what's going on. You look at our own country's history and some areas where we still live today, what's going on. So I think for me, I want to be more about the community and the mentality, than just beautiful clothing and beautiful creations.\n\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jWloCg71XKM\n

    Advice for up-and-coming fashion designers?<\/h2>\nNumber one, don't limit yourself to one thing. You are a creative, you can recreate and keep creating. Do not get trapped in the whole thing of, \"Oh, that was my idea and so-and-so took it.\" I've been down that road and there are no benefits trying to fight half of those battles. You have to keep one step ahead of the others all the time. Measure yourself against yourself, measure your success against what you did previously, and have fun, enjoy it, and balance.\n\n\n\nBalance the work, balance the play and, balance the fun. If you have family, balance the family. You can't just channel everything into one thing because you have to keep finding ways to fill yourself up again. And typically, you find that outside of the fashion, outside of the creativity, with family, with friends, with time off. So, that's my advice to up-and-coming fashion designers and entrepreneurs already doing their thing.\n\nFor further information, please see Thabo Makheta-Kwinana's Brand's Website: Thabo Makhetha<\/a><\/strong><\/em>","post_title":"Interview With Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana SA Multi-Award Winning Fashion Designer","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"thabo-makhetha-kwinana-sa-multi-award-winning-fashion-designer","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 16:16:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=301886","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":245995,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_date_gmt":"2020-07-01 07:01:28","post_content":"\n\n\"\"\n\nJustice delayed is justice denied is debatable. Hence, there is a group of people that believe vengeance is best served chilled. It took 25 years to track the Rwanda genocide sponsor, Felicien Kabuga. Like many activists, we are asking, why did it take so long? The 84-year old was wheeled into a Paris court under heavy police protection. His capture was made possible by Internet clues left by his children. Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, the chief prosecutor for the UN\u2019s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) said,\n\n\"We knew already a year ago that he was very likely to be in the UK, France or in Belgium and we concluded only two months ago that he was in France. The French authorities located the apartment in which he was hiding, which led to the operation.\"<\/em>\n
    ALSO READ: Rwanda Commemorates Genocide Victims<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFelicien Kabuga was once a wealthy businessman. Before the 1994 genocide, he was considered the richest man in Rwanda, making his money from tea and other sectors. He was the co-owner of Radio T\u00e9l\u00e9vision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). Reports say the radio was used to broadcast hatred against the Tutsi minority in the country. Also, Rwanda prosecutors say he used his companies to import gardening tools and machetes knowing they will be used as weapons.\n\nThe 1994 Rwanda genocide lasted 100-days. However, it is estimated that over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. There are also reports that he established the Interahamwe Hutu ethnic militia and funded their training and weapon used in the massacre. According to French intelligence, due to the coronavirus, many active investigations were placed on hold. This allowed them to focus on tracking down the Rwanda Genocide sponsor.\n\n\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/JamseyRamsey\/status\/1270573772786094080\n

    How the Rwanda genocide sponsor was able to evade justice<\/h2>\nTwenty-eight aliases and powerful friends helped the Rwanda genocide sponsor to evade justice. According to reports, Mr. Kabuga has at least 5 children. Two of his daughters were married to the sons of the former Rwandan president, Juv\u00e9nal Habyarimana. It was the death of Habyarimana that sparked the genocide. Consequently, Mr. Kabuga was charged with seven counts of genocide<\/a> in 1997.\n\nFollowing his role as the Rwanda genocide sponsor, the United States placed a $5 million bounty on information that may lead to his arrest. In the years after the genocide, it was believed that Mr. Kabuga had lived in many East African countries including Kenya. However, there was no proof to back this claim.\n
    ALSO READ: Rwanda Mara Group Launches First Made In Africa Smartphone<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/VanityFair\/status\/1271850228367470593\n\nReports have it that the Kabuga family-owned assets in Kenya. However, one such property (Spanish Villas) was the subject of dispute in 2015. His wife, Josephine Mukazitoni, who was the co-owner of the property tried without success to regain access to it. This was because there was a resolution by the UN requiring member states to freeze Mr. Kabuga\u2019s assets.\n\nTrailing the Rwanda genocide sponsor became a dangerous affair\u2014particularly for journalists. William Munuhe, a freelance reporter on the trail of Mr. Kabuga was found dead in his apartment on January 16, 2003. His brother Josephat Gichuki says Munuhe was planning a sting operation with the FBI to arrest Mr. Kabuga. Munuhe\u2019s death was classified as a suicide. However, Gichuki had this to say.\n\n\n\n\"To our surprise, police said Munuhe's death was a suicide [from carbon monoxide poisoning] after inhaling fumes from a charcoal stove. While at the mortuary, I personally saw a bullet wound in his head, and blood in his room.\u201d<\/em>\n

    Success at last<\/h2>\nIn 2007, Mr. Felicien Kabuga was in Germany for surgery. This was his last known location. Consequently, extensive analysis of financial records and telephone pointed to Paris. Obviously, it almost impossible for him to pull this off without accomplices. Therefore, the Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation on his successful relocation to France.\n
    ALSO READ: <\/strong>Rwanda Using Technology To Transform Public Transport In Kigali<\/a><\/div>\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/RushAfrican\/status\/1272585906466193409\n\nSome of Mr. Kabuga\u2019s children are living in Belgium, Britain, and France. Through an intelligence-sharing between investigators from these countries, they were able to locate his apartment near Paris. The head of the Gendarmerie's Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity, Eric Emeraux said,\n\n\"We realized\u2026 that trail from the children protecting their father converged on Asnieres-sur-Seine. We also discovered one of his children was renting an apartment there. We decided to open the door, without being entirely sure of who we would find inside. I didn't sleep the night before.\"<\/em>\n\n\n\nFollowing his arrest by 16 elite officers, the Rwanda genocide sponsor was identified using a DNA test. The result of the test matched the sample taken when he was hospitalized in Germany. However, Mr. Kabuga\u2019s lawyers say they will request an eight-day postponement to the legal process. Under French law, this is automatically granted.\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/KabirTaneja\/status\/1270567131537534977\n

     Other Rwanda genocide sponsors<\/h2>\nThe arrest of Mr. Felicien Kabuga can help to shed more light on the identity and role of other Rwanda genocide sponsors and suspects. French-Rwanda relation was strained following the genocide. However, that has improved in recent years. In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed an expert commission to examine the role of France in the killings. The Report is due in 2021. Also, France commemorated the Rwanda genocide for the first time in April 2020.\n
    ALSO READ: Three Rwanda Genocide Survivors Inspire Next Generation Of Camera Kids<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\nFor many genocide survivors, delay to justice is not denial. Inasmuch as many of them will want him to be tried at home, that can take weeks to happen. This further delay is what genocide survivors detest. The honorary president of the International Federation for Human Rights, Lawyer Patrick Baudouin wants Mr. Kabuga\u2019s trial expedited because of his advanced age. Following Mr. Kabuga\u2019s arrest, the leader of Avega (a widows\u2019 group), Valerie Mukabayire said,\n\n\"Every genocide survivor is happy he is arrested. Everyone has been waiting for this news. It is a good thing that he is going to face justice.\"<\/em>\n\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/fairplanet\/status\/1271952935719665664","post_title":"Rwanda Genocide Sponsor Felicien Kabuga Appears In Court After Evading Justice For 25 Years","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"rwanda-genocide-sponsor-felicien-kabuga-appears-court-justice-for-25-years","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-16 20:30:05","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=245995","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":220509,"post_author":"2777","post_date":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_date_gmt":"2020-02-11 17:09:57","post_content":"\n\nAbout two years ago, France promised to return 26 African artworks belonging to Benin. It is over a century since their forceful removal from the West African nation. Two years on, the country still awaits the fulfillment of that policy. However, a small museum outside Cotonou recently celebrated the return of antique royal scepters. This was a gift from a group of Paris gallery owners.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_220513\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"735\"]\"\" African artwork belonging to Benin in a European museum[\/caption]\n\nIn 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the immediate return of the 26 African artworks \u201cwithout delay\u201d. However, that seems like a far cry. It was only in December 2019 that France\u2019s culture minister gave a concrete timeline on the return. According to the minister, the objects which are now at Paris\u2019 leading African art museum will be returned by 2021. During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, President Macron said<\/a>,\n
    ALSO READ: France Returns Stolen 19th Century Artifact To Senegal<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n\"I cannot accept that a large part of the cultural heritage of several African countries is in France. There are historical explanations for this but there is no valid, lasting and unconditional justification. African artworks cannot be only in private collections and European museums - it must be showcased in Paris but also in Dakar, Lagos and Cotonou. This will be one of my priorities.\"<\/em>\n\nIt is estimated that there are over 400,000 art pieces<\/a> of African artworks in public and private museums across European countries. According to AFP, about 180,000 African artworks are in Belgium\u2019s Royal Museum for Central Africa. Also, Weltmuseum in Austria holds about 37,000 African artworks.\n\n\n

    Slow Government Restitution Process<\/h2>\n[caption id=\"attachment_220516\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"800\"]\"\" France promises to return 26 Benin artworks<\/em>[\/caption]\n\nSince the official process of returning stolen artifacts is taking an endless amount of time, a group of Paris Left Bank gallery owners are taking a different approach. The group which calls itself the Petit Musee de la Recade buys these African artworks and returns them to Benin. Recently, they returned over two dozen pieces including 17 scepters from the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey. To date, this is one of their biggest troves.\n\nApart from buying and returning art pieces, the group has also raised funds to build a small museum outside Cotonou to keep these African artworks. However, the Paris gallery owner, Robert Vallois makes it clear that the gesture is a private initiative rather than part of the government\u2019s restitution of ill-gotten art.\n
    ALSO READ:<\/strong> Benin Is Getting Back 26 Of Its Looted Artifacts from The Colonial Era. Will Others Follow Suit?<\/a><\/div>\nBenin is building a new museum in Abomey with the support of the French government. Abomey was once the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey. In an interview with VOA<\/a> sometime in 2019, Jose Pliya, the head of Benin\u2019s national agency for heritage promotion and tourism development explained the importance of the new museum. According to Pliya,\n\n\"We really have to have the good condition \u2014 temperature, isolation, conservation \u2014 to welcome them ... a lot of things have to be done. The training of all the conservators in Benin, how to protect the pieces.\"<\/em>","post_title":"Return Of Precious African Artworks From France Excites Benin Museum","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"return-of-precious-african-artworks-from-france-excites-benin-museum","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_modified_gmt":"2024-08-08 00:08:06","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.africanvibes.com\/?p=220509","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

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