We start our Top of the Blogs with one of the most important topics this week: the election in Zimbabwe. Two blog entries deal with the topics of election meetings and a proposed boycott. Today's total lunar eclipse will also be discussed and you will find out when and where it can be seen. The World Cup is over – but discussions about origin, racism and the solidarity of different countries continue – and it was a joke that triggered this debate.

Election Zimbabwe: Race-related Campaign Meetings

Africablogging.org

Elections take place in Zimbabwe on 30 July 2018. Three historically unprecedented meetings with the "Indian" community, the "Coloured" and an "Interface Meeting" were held in advance with Deputy President Chiwenga and the country's current Zanu PF leader and president, Emmerson Mnangagwa. Blogger Takura Zhangazha takes a look back at the history of the country where white Zimbabweans were treated as historical enemies and questions the motivations behind the race-themed election campaigns.

Election Zimbabwe: Chamisa and the Boykott

Africanarguments.org

The election is only intended to give legitimacy to the predetermined winner. The opposition should refuse to play its part, writes blogger Simukai Tinhu. "The heart says the opposition can win. The head says ZANU-PF will not allow it." After toying for a while with the idea of boycotting the elections, opposition leader Nelson Chamisa announced recently that he would actually take part in the important vote on 30 July. "Winners do not boycott, victory is inevitable," he said about the first elections in Zimbabwe without Robert Mugabe.

The longest full eclipse of the moon this century

Theconversation.com

Tonight, in large parts of Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, and South America, a special lunar eclipse can be seen. It will last longer than in the most, but this is not the only highlight - Mars will also be brighter than usual. In an interview on the "The Conversation" you can find out more about the blood moon, and what astronomers can learn from this natural spectacle. An advance tip: start looking skyward from 6.24pm with the total lunar eclipse lasting from 7:30 pm and until 9:13 pm.

After the victory of the World Cup comes the discussion

Globalvoices.org

Will a World Cup joke force France to have a necessary conversation about Africa?

After France triumphed in the FIFA World Cup, the Daily Show host Trevor Noah was ready to celebrate. “I’m so excited,” he said on his Monday show, grinning and breaking into a little ditty. “Africa won the World Cup! Africa won the World Cup!” he sang, before joking that “you don’t get that tan by hanging out in the south of France.” The French ambassador was not pleased. "Global Voices" discusses this joke in a blog entry and deals with the connection between France and Africa and the topic of racism - a sensitive topic after this World Cup, which saw the German soccer player Mesut Özil also leave the German team after the end of the World Cup.