Yearly Archives: 2016
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Somalia’s elections: A small, stumbling step on the road to democracy
Somalia’s (s)election may have become a site for competing elites rather than competing visions. But the importance of the imperfect process should not be underestimated. If all goes ... -
Failing South Sudan: First as Tragedy, Then as Farce
International mediators have repeatedly made the same mistake of treating disgraced leaders as if they’re respectable statesmen, of treating the problem like it’s the solution. It ... -
“Burn to be heard”: Why #FeesMustFall in South Africa has turned violent
From early on, universities responded to the student protests with force. Now they are reaping the whirlwind. “Burn to be heard”. This chilling statement has been doing the rounds through ... -
Cabo Verde elections: How much of a party animal is President Fonseca?
As Cabo Verde votes in presidential elections this Sunday, the incumbent’s links with the ruling party may turn out to be a mixed blessing. On 2 October, ... -
“The blood flowing in Oromia is our blood too”: Why Oromo-Amhara solidarity is the greatest threat to the Ethiopian government
For decades, the ruling party has governed by pitting the Oromo and Amhara against one another. Now the two groups are joining forces against the government. ... -
Cameroon goes it alone with controversial EU trade deal, angers regional partners
Many in Cameroon and the wider region worry that the unilateral signing of an Economic Partnership Agreement was a bad decision. Regional integration in Central Africa hangs in ... -
Down but not out: What Machar’s absence means for South Sudan’s peace process
One half of the rivalry that has defined South Sudan’s politics since independence is no longer around the table. Will this be a help or hindrance? Since ... -
DR Congo in crisis: Can Kabila trust his own army?
Despite protests intensifying with outbreaks of violence and deaths, President Joseph Kabila has yet to call on his armed forces to maintain order. He might regret it if ... -
Making sense of Boko Haram’s different factions: Who, how and why?
How do Boko Haram’s separate factions differ in term of operations and ideology? The Islamist militant group Jamaat Ahlis Sunna liDawatti wal Jihad – known as ... -
Al-Shabaab steps up attacks in run up to the Somalia elections
The Islamist militant group is determined to disrupt Somalia’s (s)election process. It has been helped in this ambition by a number of factors. In the lead up to Somalia’s political ...
