The Democratic Republic of Congo desperately needs a peaceful election but with the UN threatening to scale back its DRC mission, the likelihood of a successful poll is being threatened
African governments have transitioned from outright control of freedom of expression to a subtler manipulation of the press that includes withholding state advertising from commercial media outlets.
The road to reconciliation doesn’t begin and end with truth commissions or trials. Change must occur at a systemic level, and communities must commit to rebuilding relationships.
By admitting South Sudan and Morocco to the African Union, the continental organisation has proven yet again that its commitment to upholding its own democratic ideals is lacking.
African countries are bound by continental law to put aside funds for the protection of women’s rights, but very few have managed to put their gender-budgeting guidelines into practice
Kenya says it will appeal a high court ruling blocking the closure of the Dadaab refugee camp. The country must now weigh national security against its international obligations.
In a political environment where voters are increasingly attuned to instances of polling malpractice, African states are grudgingly adopting technology as a barrier to election fraud.
The idea behind much of Kenya’s legislation enacted by the colonialists was to separate whites from other races. So why are these laws still on the books?
If Al-Shabaab maintains its hard stance, the possibility for dialogue will continue to be remote and Somalia’s government will be forced to intensify the war on terror through new strategies.
This is election year for several African countries and there’s a need to ensure social media isn’t used to incite violence. But can governments be prevented from restricting citizens’ rights?
Kenya recently expressed fear that Al-Shabaab could interfere with the electronic voting system during the upcoming general election. Are cyber attacks a real threat in Africa?
In Africa, the idea of a post-truth era - which by implication fundamentally presupposes the existence of an era in which ‘truth’ was self-evident - is folly.
Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and Visiting Professor University of Buckingham, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs