Yearly Archives: 2019
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Western Sahara: Natives of the desert, natives of Africa?
The identity of the Saharawi people is rooted not just in language, customs and history, but solidarity. This is the final article in the seven-part series ... -
“Sudan gives us confidence”: What next for Uganda’s opposition?
Uganda’s government is clamping down heavily on opposition figure Bobi Wine, but he and his supporters remain undeterred. Outside of the Chief Magistrate Court in Kampala, ... -
A love letter to Kiswahili, those who speak it, and those who think they do
Full of subtleties and triple entendres, threats and assurances, Kiswahili is not one language, but many (…some versions better than others). This is the sixth article ... -
How Amharic unites – and divides – Ethiopia
The emperors made us speak one language to bring us together. It failed, but it also succeeded. This is the fifth article in the seven-part series ... -
Benin’s unrest reflects a broader worrying trend in West Africa
Across West Africa, several countries’ democratic reputations are under threat. Last week, Benin was propelled into the international spotlight as security forces fired on demonstrators protesting ... -
Nu tou Creole: Are we Mauritians really African?
The Kreol language binds Mauritius’ diverse communities together and links us all, inescapably, to our country’s African origins. This is the fourth article in the seven-part ... -
Inside Cameroon’s Bunker: “Different guys had different torture techniques”
African Arguments spoke to several former detainees of the notorious prison where prisoners underwent daily torture and lived in appalling conditions. This article was made possible ... -
Hope, promise and folly: What South Africa’s embrace of Kiswahili means
South Africa’s relationship with the rest of Africa is often conflicted. The decision to teach Kiswahili in schools gives a glimpse into what could be. This ... -
“The main thing is a job”: The battle for South Africa’s swing city
Control of most areas is unlikely to change following the elections, but Port Elizabeth has switched hands recently and could do again. This is the second ... -
For Naija, We Dey Kampe
Adaptable, jazz-like and subversive. How Pidgin English, the language of Fela Kuti, turns competitors into comrades in Nigeria. This is the second article in the seven-part ...
