Anne Perkins of the Guardian UK offers a fascinating profile of controversial journalist and activist Andrew Mwenda, who in 2007 told his TEDGlobal audience that aid is poisoning African governments. Mwenda’s incendiary writings, which fearlessly confront corruption, have earned him 17 arrests and status as a symbol of free speech and transparency. Not to mention the dislike of a Ugandan government that has grown ever more frustrated and desperate to silence him. Perkins writes,

[It] isn’t hard to find him in his well-guarded office in one of Uganda’s business districts. Well-guarded, because Mwenda’s business is to offend people, usually in the government, and he does it with a whole-hearted commitment that is definitely the rash side of sensible.

Not a lot of people have in their CV a resignation letter which ends with a declaration of a willingness to die in the name of free expression.

The Independent is Mwenda’s weekly newspaper.