Author Archives: mkevane

Unknown's avatar

About mkevane

Economist at Santa Clara University and Director of Friends of African Village Libraries.

Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta – Mali – teacher, development worker, NGO leader

Posted on August 15, 2013 by mkevane

Le nouveau président élu du Mali est né en 1945 à Koutiala, la capitale cotonnière du sud-est du pays. Il a étudié en France l’histoire et les relations internationales, puis a enseigné dans le supérieur. De retour au Mali, il … Continue reading →

Posted in Mali | Comments Off on Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta – Mali – teacher, development worker, NGO leader

Words of wisdom from Augustin Loada, pertinent for Burkina Faso

Posted on August 15, 2013 by mkevane

« Je pense que la première chose importante est qu’il y ait une volonté de la part des acteurs de contribuer à une vie politique malienne apaisée parce que si les acteurs ne jouent pas le jeu de la démocratie, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Words of wisdom from Augustin Loada, pertinent for Burkina Faso

The argument against impact evaluation

Posted on August 14, 2013 by mkevane

Does this speak for itself or what? But what sticks in her mind are the memories of the children and their parents and their love of books.  There’s a picture on her web site of a boy clutching a biology … Continue reading →

Posted in Development thinking, Reading | Comments Off on The argument against impact evaluation

Why be opposed to the Senate in Burkina Faso if concern is Article 37 limiting Presidential mandate to two terms?

Posted on August 13, 2013 by mkevane

Burkina Faso made it to The New York Times as President Blaise Compaoré appears to have backed down over implementation of the Senate. Why be opposed to the Senate in Burkina Faso if concern is Article 37 limiting Presidential mandate … Continue reading →

Posted in Burkina Faso | Comments Off on Why be opposed to the Senate in Burkina Faso if concern is Article 37 limiting Presidential mandate to two terms?

Is Blaise Compaoré really afraid of Smockey and Sams’k le Jah?

Posted on August 13, 2013 by mkevane

I wonder if in Kosyam they have some political scientists who have run regressions suggesting that when two popular reggae/hiphop musicians join together in a citizens’ movement in a semi-authoritarian country in francophone West Africa, that best response is to … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Is Blaise Compaoré really afraid of Smockey and Sams’k le Jah?

Meanwhile, we were having lunch with kids at Dankan

Posted on July 31, 2013 by mkevane

Small riots in Bobo-Dioulasso as protest march may or may not have gone off course. Après l’allocution de Souleymane Pîga Yaméogo, le mercure monte d’un cran. Il faut dire qu’avec son aisance et sa capacité à titiller les consciences, le … Continue reading →

Posted in Burkina Faso | Comments Off on Meanwhile, we were having lunch with kids at Dankan

Albert Ouédraogo ex Minister of Human Rights and Promotion of Civicness

Posted on July 24, 2013 by mkevane

Last night at a small dinner to start planning for what will hopefully be a 75th anniversary celebration/conference on Dim Delobsom (he died July 13 1940) I met Albert Ouédraogo.  He’s a university professor who was president of the civil … Continue reading →

Posted in Burkina Faso | Comments Off on Albert Ouédraogo ex Minister of Human Rights and Promotion of Civicness

Short visit to Bereba

Posted on July 21, 2013 by mkevane

Leslie, kids and I went down to Bereba (in Tuy province, southwestern Burkina Faso).  What did we notice? Tuy (and many other regions) having an exceptionally good rainy season.  Planting was early, rains have been steady and substantial, so far … Continue reading →

Posted in Burkina Faso | Comments Off on Short visit to Bereba

I beg to differ on Cormac McCarthy’s The Road…

Posted on July 16, 2013 by mkevane

This entire analysis of what to “learn” from Google Ngram strickes me as deeply misguided…  making much out of change in incidence of words over time with no consideration for the self-selection of books published in what was an industry. … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Comments Off on I beg to differ on Cormac McCarthy’s The Road…

Sit-in du SYNATIC: La réaction de la Rédaction RTB télé

Posted on July 16, 2013 by mkevane

Des agents du ministère de la communication, à l’appel du Syndicat autonome de l’information et de la culture annoncent qu’ils observeront un sit-in le mardi 16 juillet pour protester contre disent-ils « l’immixtion du ministère de la communication dans le … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Sit-in du SYNATIC: La réaction de la Rédaction RTB télé

Boungnessan Ye in Quebec

Posted on July 13, 2013 by mkevane
Posted in Burkina Faso | Comments Off on Boungnessan Ye in Quebec

Jean-Pierre Béjot rips Zéphirin Diabré

Posted on July 9, 2013 by mkevane

A little harsh, but I know where he is coming from.  Diabré is an economist, worked with AREVA, he knows how to put together a real platform.  Here’s some of the things he could say he would do that would … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Jean-Pierre Béjot rips Zéphirin Diabré

Reading tea leaves in Ouagadougou : François Compaoré mentions article 37…

Posted on July 9, 2013 by mkevane

Finalement c’est sur les antennes d’une télévision privée qu’il s’est exprimé sur le sujet. L’on retiendra de ses propos qu’un article de la constitution ne saurait restreindre le choix des burkinabè, en les privant de l’opportunité d’accorder leur confiance à … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Reading tea leaves in Ouagadougou : François Compaoré mentions article 37…

Zéphirin Diabré profil de Jean-Pierre Bejot

Posted on July 8, 2013 by mkevane

Je trouve son analyse trop artificiel… faites-un interview toi-meme au lieu de faire commentaire sur ce qu’il aurait pu dire… Anticipation ou incompréhension ? Si Blaise annonçait, tout de go, qu’il entendait changer l’article 37, ceux des Burkinabè qui veulent … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Zéphirin Diabré profil de Jean-Pierre Bejot

Manega Museum on Google Map

Posted on July 8, 2013 by mkevane

Maitre Pacere built this giant map of Africa on the left that you can see from the air…  

Posted in Burkina Faso | Comments Off on Manega Museum on Google Map

Visit to Musée de Manéga in Burkina Faso

Posted on July 7, 2013 by mkevane

We had a nice drive out to the museum of Manega, about 45 minutes.  Paul Sawadogo (Maitre Pacéré‘s nephew) showed us around.  Some very interesting artifacts.  I enjoyed the room with old clothes from Tensoba Naba.  Very impressive Nyoyonse tombstones.

Posted in Burkina Faso | Comments Off on Visit to Musée de Manéga in Burkina Faso

Nice profile of Assimi Kouanda by Jean-Pierre Bejot

Posted on July 6, 2013 by mkevane

Assimi Kouanda était en Haute-Volta quand la « Révolution » s’est emparée du pouvoir. Il n’a pas encore trente ans. Il va s’investir pleinement dans ce moment d’histoire particulièrement dense. Au lendemain de l’adoption 3 octobre 1983 du fameux « … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Comments Off on Nice profile of Assimi Kouanda by Jean-Pierre Bejot

Projet d’ouverture d’une mine d’or a Hounde

Posted on July 6, 2013 by mkevane

La société minière Endeavour/Avion Gold a tenu une rencontre d’information le vendredi 7 juin 2013 à Houndé, sous la présidence du ministre de l’Environnement et du développement durable, Salifou Ouédraogo. L’étude d’impact environnemental et social du projet d’installation de la … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy | Comments Off on Projet d’ouverture d’une mine d’or a Hounde

L’orpaillage met en péril les plaines aménagées à Houndé

Posted on July 6, 2013 by mkevane

Les plaines aménagées de Bouendé et de Koho dans la commune de Houndé sont menacées d’ensablement à cause de l’orpaillage artisanal. Le cours d’eau qui permet d’irriguer ces deux plaines risque de disparaître si rien n’est fait d’ici là. En … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy | Comments Off on L’orpaillage met en péril les plaines aménagées à Houndé

Nice reflection on African literature

Posted on July 5, 2013 by mkevane

E.C Osondu’s Waiting, a short story published in Guernica, was awarded the 2009 Caine Prize for African Writing. The story is about young African refugees waiting to be adopted by white westerners. A Caine Prize judge complimented the story for … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Comments Off on Nice reflection on African literature