The making of a dinosaur? Côte d’Ivoire’s 2020 elections
In early 2020, South Africa’s Mail & Guardian newspaper proclaimed, “Africa’s dinosaurs are dying out”. With incumbent president Alassane Ouattara running for...
Remembering Zambia’s flawed 2016 election as 2021 looms
Reading Sakwa James’ recent blog on the 2021 Ugandan elections gave me a sense of déjà vu – here we go again,...
Power-sharing and democratization by elections in Kenya
Power-sharing has long attracted attention of scholars studying democratization in Africa. It has been used in various contexts as a mechanism to...
INTRO: Why digital democracy will take more than technology in Africa
From the mid-2000s onwards, the digital revolution raised hopes of democratic transformation and strengthening in Africa. But it hasn’t quite turned out...
How history shows us that accountability is key to succesful development...
One of the greatest single development projects ever undertaken in Africa turned into one of the greatest failures and biggest financial scandals...
The disconnect between Ghanaian parliamentarians and their constituencies
On 7 January 1993, Ghana’s 4th Republic was inaugurated. This new dawn was greeted with enormous expectations for a flourishing democracy which...
The hidden positive trend in Nigerian politics
It is easy to be cynical about African politics, especially in Nigeria. Pointing out the glaring shortcomings in each election promotes a...
The Colonial Roots of the Mugabe and Mnangagwa Governments in Zimbabwe
The hashtag #ZimbabweanLivesMatter has been trending online. The digital movement is a response to efforts by Zimbabwe’s government under the leadership of...
Corporate Complicity in Human Rights Violations in Zimbabwe
In recent months, Zimbabwe has attracted global attention due to increased reports of human rights violations. These increased abuses have seen the...
“My contribution offended them”: Inclusion and exclusion in Kenya’s Participatory Budgeting
The new Kenyan constitution introduced in 2010 required the 47 newly created county governments - each with its own directly elected governors, senators, and...
What next for UK-Africa relations after Brexit?