Jacob Sax Conteh in Virginia, USA, reacts to comments made by the Speaker of the South African parliament, Baleka Mbete, on her recent visit to the Ivory Coast, when she said that things in Ivory Coast are not as bad as she had thought.

How can anyone know how bad things are in Ivory Coast if they do not visit the vast territory the rebels now control?

If people think that just because life in Abidjan is normal, they should ignore the problems of Ivory Coast, they should think again!

For years, the people of Freetown in Sierra Leone thought they were safe from rebel attacks - until the day rebels marched into Freetown and massacred people.

I pray that the same thing does not happen to the people of Ivory Coast. There will be no lasting peace there until the rebel issue is addressed.

Thursday 17th August

Timothy Ayamga in Accra, Ghana sent this message for any Nigerian politicians who aren't playing by the rules in the build-up to next year's elections

Kindly caution the present crop of Nigerian politicians that they will not do their country any good if they continue to engage in their current dirty politics.

These people all claim to be fighting for the welfare of the Nigerian people but can we be certain that they will accept the victory of any one candidate given the way things are going?

These politicians should bear in mind that Nigeria is like a big brother in Africa and a threat to Nigerian democracy would bother everyone in Africa - especially when president Obasanjo has mediated in several conflicts on the continent, many of which were about election-related issues.

Wednesday 16th August

Lago Kuer Malual from South Sudan wants to express his delight over our news coverage in Juba

Allow me to pass my congratulations to BBC correspondent David Amanor who is currently reporting from Juba.

I will be very glad if you would give us David to be our reporter in Juba.

Our journalism is not as developed as it should be because we spent so much time in the bush.

Tuesday 15th August

While the world awaits the official outcome of the Democratic Republic of Congo elections, Zakaria Konteh from The Gambia wants the Congolese to stay patient.

I appeal to my fellow Africans in the DRC to exercise restraint when the results of their historic elections emerge.

The international community has invested so much in these elections to bring about stability in their country, which has seen decades of lawlessness at the expense of civilians.

Please understand that politicians come and go, but the country remains where it is with its helpless citizens.

This is a unique moment for you to enjoy your vast natural resources by attracting foreign investors, which in turn will boost employment.

Monday 14th August

Ndung'u wa Ndegwa from Kipipiri in Kenya feels that the complex Bakassi peninsula dispute has its problems rooted in the colonial past.

I feel for the Nigerians in the Bakassi peninsula who are now in the unenviable situation of either changing nationality or leaving their ancestral land.

I wouldn't want to even imagine being faced with the same options.

I think this world is so full of injustices and the Bakassi handover is one such injustice!

Africa is a complex case of human habitation and all over this beautiful continent, there are cases of cross border tribes and families.

Whoever drew the borders was wrong - in fact very wrong! Why didn't they consider such things?