The AIDS pandemic will have a devastating effect on the country if solutions are not found quickly. Thousands of babies are born infected and many of them are abandoned by their families. Many grandmothers are raising a second family because their children have already succumbed to this disease. The group with the fastest growing rate is young girls between 11 and 15, because the rumor among the AIDS community is that if an infected man has sex with a virgin he will be cured. AIDS is a major issue for local, provincial and national government.
Political parties are a major influence in government at all levels.
Local elections will be held this fall, but first parliament must make final decisions on the basic organization at the local level. Traditionally, they have carried out many of the responsibilities of government, including maintaining order in their communities. This is a major issue in rural areas such as where we live. Like everywhere in the world, most areas of life have challenges and successes. We will be happy to return to Oneonta where we don't have bars on the windows and don't have to lock the doors every minute of the day, and where the water is on 24 hours a day and electrical outages are unusual.