African Arguments
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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 ... -
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 ... -
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 ... -
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 ... -
“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 ... -
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 ... -
Living in Translation
Welcome to a new series of articles, guest edited by Nanjala Nyabola, exploring the worlds our languages have built across Africa. This is the ... -
“They were useless”: What about South Africa’s forgotten rural voters?
Attention ahead of the 8 May elections has focused on major cities, but what are voters saying in overlooked rural areas where a third ... -
From fashion to farming: Surviving and thriving in Kakuma refugee camp
The scorching afternoon sun beats down on Kakuma camp in Kenya’s dry north-east. Home to nearly 150,000 refugees, mostly from South Sudan and Somalia, ...
