African Arguments
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No one knows if crime in Malawi is rising or falling, not even the police
Because the police either don’t collect or release reliable crime statistics, citizens are in the dark. In 2020, Malawi was featured in the New ... -
Nigeria’s official language is English. Why do its citizens have to prove it?
The UK requires Nigerians to take an English test to study or immigrate there. Critics say it must be cancelled or at least reformed. ... -
How did Israel end up with AU observer status?
The Africa Union must recognise that the accreditation of an apartheid regime is incompatible with its values. For at least the next year, Israel ... -
Austerity is not the answer to Africa’s colliding challenges
Countries are cutting billions in spending at a time when they should be investing massively in public services and decent jobs. In a continent ... -
There is a better way to avoid tax avoidance
Tax simplification would level the playing field between tax authorities and multinationals by relying on easily verifiable standards. With one of highest rates of ... -
Zimbabwe: The rise and rise of the wedding before the wedding
Once a small family affair, the roora is restyling itself for an age of reality TV and social media. A white tent billowed in ... -
France, Russia, and shifting sands in the Sahel
The withdrawal of French troops from Mali comes after nine years of fighting the Islamist insurgency. On 17 February, France and its European allies ... -
Is it time to gatekeep Afrobeats?
Fears around cultural appropriation are valid but gatekeeping is out of touch with the modern music marketplace. Lately, Afrobeats, Nigeria’s biggest music export, has ... -
Mauritius: How did the pyramids of Plaine Magnien get there?
From bored labourers to ancient gods, many theories abound about the pyramids’ origin, sparking a debate about colonial history. It’s a sunny Saturday morning ... -
The (surprisingly political) cost of a goat in Burundi
Critics say state-backed farming cooperatives have become a tool for recruiting people into the ruling party and are sowing division. When Jean Niyangabo, 33, ...
