In January 2019, the Democratic Republic of Congo had its first peaceful transition of power. Outgoing President Joseph Kabila was succeeded by opposition leader Félix Tshisekedi but, four months later, the two leaders remain in political competition. Recent events suggest the struggle for control over the country’s crucial security apparatus and economic resources will continue.
Since the Democratic Republic of […]
Despite South Africa’s re-election of Cyril Ramaphosa, a reduced majority and low voter turn-out signal growing disenfranchisement among the population. Amid dissent in the ruling ANC, Ramaphosa must now make a choice to tackle the country’s economic challenges – should he seek political alliances which risk his party’s collapse?
There is an old Dutch story of a little boy named […]
Is ‘patrimonial politics’ bad for Africa? Or might distributing cash actually be an integral part of good governance? LSE’s Portia Roelofs draws on her recent publications on Nigerian politics to tackle one of the most important debates in democracy and development: should politicians give money to the poor?
All politics involves distribution. Indeed, many would claim that politics is at […]
After his recent victory, Senegal’s re-elected president has shown a willingness to open a new chapter. But in order to transform the country for the better, argues Elimane Kane, the country needs more than a new president or fairer elections. The population needs a new consciousness.
Senegal has just emerged from its eleventh presidential elections. The vote, held on 24 […]
We couldn’t say goodbye to 2018 before sharing our top book reviews of the year, as voted by your clicks! Here they are:
Afrotopia by Felwine Sarr – Anna Wood calls “Afrotopia” an inspiring manifesto and metaphor for a new Africa.
The Oromo and the Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia 1300-1700 by Mohammed Hassen – Aleksander Engeskaug says this book is an important […]
2018 is emerging as the “year of the woman”, with record numbers of women being elected in the US mid-terms, and first-time female presidents appointed in Singapore and Vietnam, among others. With the 2019 presidential election looming, Emily van der Merwe examines how Nigeria is faring.
Nigeria’s 2019 presidential election is turning out to be a race of geriatrics, […]
As Zimbabwe heads to the first Mugabe-less polls, LSE’s McDonald Lewanika analyses the campaigns two leading Presidential candidates.
Behold the New
On July 30, 2018, Zimbabwe will have its first post-Mugabe harmonised election, where 23 candidates from 22 political parties will engage in mortal political combat for the country’s presidency. Over 1648 candidates from at least 55 political parties (about 220 […]
Robert Mugabe built a Pan-African legacy through his rhetoric and policies. As Zimbabwe goes to the polls, Brooks Marmon explores what Pan-Africanism may look like in post-Mugabe Zimbabwe.
In November 1958, Robert Mugabe, then a schoolteacher in Ghana, wrote home to the African Daily News, to gleefully report that George Padmore, Kwame Nkrumah’s top adviser for Pan-African affairs, had categorically proclaimed […]
Bronwen Manby says this humorous book gives a unique insight into Nigerian politics.
This unique book should be required reading for those interested in the promotion and consolidation of democracy, whether as scholar or activist. It offers a candidate’s-eye view of what it takes to contest a primary election to run for office as a member of Nigeria’s House of […]
Lansana Gberie discusses how Kandeh Yumkella and his National Grand Coalition have injected a measure of unpredictability into the 2018 Presidential elections.
This article is part of our African Elections series.
With one week to go until elections take place in Sierra Leone, the dominant question is not so much about which of the three leading candidates will win. Rather, it […]
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