PopMatters reports that blogging is catching on in a number of African countries, thanks to fast-expanding Internet access on the continent.
In Nigeria, bloggers documented chaotic scenes at polling places in April’s presidential elections, which international observers said were marred by widespread fraud.
In Ethiopia, they outpaced the international media with detailed, often dramatic coverage of the recent trial of 100 opposition supporters and journalists.
Here in Kenya, they debate news, politics, music and local gossip with equal gusto.
Where the traditional media may still be repressed, blogging offers an opportunity for people to express their views publicly.
According to the report, more bloggers are now home-grown, whereas in the past African web sites were being run by Africans living overseas, missionaries, Peace Corps volunteers, or foreigners.
Internet access, though available to proportionally fewer people, is currently expanding faster in Africa than anywhere else in the world, with 33.4 million web users now, up six-fold from 2000. Unsurprisingly, the range of blogs is much the same as elsewhere, covering news, politics, and personal experiences.
