Author Archive

Omar Mohammed

Omar is a reporter for Quartz covering East Africa based in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. He was most recently a Hubert H. Humphrey Fulbright Fellow at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. He has been a Senior Producer for a BBC Swahili Service weekly radio news magazine show, 'Haba na Haba' (Little by Little) and created and hosted a news review show @Mgahawa on East Africa Television. His writing has appeared in The Arizona Republic, Global Voices, The East African, amongst others. Omar studied English and Philosophy at St Andrews University in Scotland. His obsessions include Africa Innovators, the Business of Sport and the Future of African Finance.
Threats

Kenya Wants Its Own Guantanamo

Critics say the plan will only alienate citizens with ties to Somalia, where the militant group al-Shabab is based.

  • Omar Mohammed, Quartz
Threats

Al-Qaeda Is Still Exploiting Weak Governments in West Africa with Deadly Results

The group has targeted Algeria, Niger, Mali and now Burkina Faso—killing people and carrying out kidnappings for ransom, all to stop what they perceive as the corrupt influence of the West.

  • Omar Mohammed, Quartz
Threats

Burkina Faso's Elite Troops Just Took Control of the Country

The West African nation is no stranger to military coups. And the latest caps months of tension between the transitional government and a unit of shadowy presidential security guards.

  • Omar Mohammed and Lily Kuo, Quartz
Threats

What Africans Think Is the Biggest Threat to the Continent

Terrorism is up there, but it doesn't top the list.

  • Omar Mohammed, Quartz