Category: Africa

Are we on the brink of a post-democratic era?

     

Former President Obama will “echo his call to reject the rising strain of authoritarian politics and policies” when he accepts an award for ethics in government next week, The Hill… Read more »

South Africa’s civil society halted kleptocratic state capture

     

South Africa’s fragile democracy was protected from kleptocratic state capture by the “galvanizing action” of a vibrant coalition of civil society groups, including organized labor, say the authors of a… Read more »

Burundi activist’s conviction sends ‘chilling message’ to civil society

     

A Burundian activist has been jailed for five years accused of preparing reports on human rights abuses for a banned organisation, militant and legal sources said on Tuesday, AFP reports:… Read more »

Kabila’s decision to step aside won’t change DRC’s power dynamics

     

Ever since its independence, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been an international concern, notes Stuart A. Reid, a managing editor at Foreign Affairs. In the 1960s, the country… Read more »

Zimbabweans disillusioned by post-poll crackdown

     

  The jury remains out as to whether Zimbabwe’s recent election had achieved the promised clean break with the past of the Mugabe era, says Freedom House’s Michael Abramowitz. Any… Read more »

Can Ethiopia be a ‘goad’ for democratic change in East Africa?

     

Ethiopia can be a goad to change, if its economic growth rate and its continuing democratic movement are both maintained, says Freedom House analyst Jon Temin. The April 2018 election… Read more »

Zimbabwe poll ‘charade’ proves ZANU-PF leopard can’t change its spots

     

Zimbabwe police stormed the headquarters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the capital Harare on Thursday and detained 16 people after sealing off the building earlier, a… Read more »

Zimbabwe opposition claims election victory: tensions rise amid vote-rigging fears

     

Zimbabwe’s opposition says its candidate, Nelson Chamisa, has won Monday’s presidential election. The MDC Alliance says the ruling Zanu-PF party is attempting to rig the vote to allow President Emmerson… Read more »

Combating Disinformation: The Case for Stepping Up the Fight Online

     

  Social media firms should establish “specialized Russian-focused teams” staffed with experts in Russian language, culture, and internet practices, according to a new report. “Combating Russian Disinformation: The Case for… Read more »