African Arguments
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“I just want to live like a normal man”: What’s stopping CAR disarming?
Speaking to combatants in the Central African Republic reveals their true motivations for taking up arms. The ongoing instability in the Central African Republic ... -
Why Nigeria’s battle over the order of the 2019 elections matters
Lawmakers say they’re advancing democracy by trying to reorder the election sequence. Others say they’re undermining it. As politicians start announcing their candidacies and ... -
World’s biggest non-existent dam gets bit bigger, bit further from existing
The Grand Inga dam could transform the Congo and the continent, if only it didn’t keep getting bogged down. Of all the Democratic Republic ... -
How to ensure Africa’s bold free trade area propels industrialisation
Africa’s industrialisation needs a boost. Implemented correctly, the AfCFTA could provide it. Here’s how. On 21 March, dozens of African countries agreed to establish ... -
The WhatsApp rumours that infused Sierra Leone’s tight election
Several fake news stories started online, but soon spread far and wide offline, duping even senior officials. In early March, a few days before ... -
Gabon: Bongo’s constitutional “power grab” and The Resistance
Sweeping constitutional changes mean Bongo could be president for life. Will Gabon’s citizens show their displeasure at the ballot box this month? Despite being ... -
Ethiopia: Why PM Abiy Ahmed’s first priority should be free expression
Though it may come with risks, it would be in the government’s own interests to encourage open dialogue and constructive criticism. The swearing-in this ... -
Zambia’s opposition knows impeachment will fail. So what’s its game?
The opposition’s new strategy to keep questions over President Lungu’s legitimacy in the spotlight just might work. On 23 March, Zambia’s main opposition party ... -
“We are here”: The soundtrack to the Oromo revolution gripping Ethiopia
Far from being a footnote in the Oromo struggle, musicians like Haacaaluu Hundeessa have been its centre of gravity. With the appointment of Abiy ... -
Why mining execs don’t care if Congo hikes up its profit tax
Thanks to clever accounting methods, mining companies tend to run at a loss so avoiding paying it anyway. On 9 March, just two days ...
