The continent’s democracies badly need a new generation of leaders, but where are they to be found? COMMENT | STEPHEN CHAN | In every single African country, young people make up the majority of the population and they are generally very ill served by their ageing governments. Young leaders, where they …
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When illiberal democracy – or populism, combines with undemocratic liberalism to undermine liberal democracy COMMENT | DANI RODRIK | The crisis of liberal democracy is roundly decried today. Donald Trump’s presidency, the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom, and the electoral rise of other populists in Europe have underscored the threat …
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Food, shelter, health, and good sanitation should be more relevant for Africans than the vote COMMENT | SIMPLICE A. ASONGU | Africa’s policymakers understand that strong economic and political leadership is essential to growth and stability. For years, African economies have fared better than expected, owing to a commitment to improving …
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Monrovia, Liberia | AFP | Liberians were awaiting Wednesday the result of a presidential election they say represents far more than the choice of a successor to Africa’s first elected female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Sirleaf’s predecessor Charles Taylor fled the country in 2003 with hopes of avoiding …
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Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | Retired Supreme Court Justice George William Kanyeihamba has a direct question for MPs seeking to amend the constitution so that President Yoweri Museveni can stay on. “Do you want to say that the movement (ruling party – NRM) hasn’t groomed anyone capable of replacing Museveni?” …
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Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken over as Zimbabwe’s new leader, ending strongman Robert Mugabe’s 37-year reign and the country’s worst political crisis since independence. Here is a snapshot of two weeks of turmoil, from a military takeover to mass street protests and an …
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Why Kenya’s opposition resistance movement could be important for democracy COMMENT | SEKOU TOURE OTONDI | In his last address at Uhuru Park on the eve of Kenya’s October 26 election re-run, Raila Odinga announced the creation of what he called a National Resistance Movement. In a later interview with CNN, he clarified …
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A rights activist view on the tension between the government and NGOs Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | The government’s renewed determination to tightly monitor Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Uganda is meant to stifle other than enable civil society organisations do their work. The NGO Act passed in 2016 just …
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Why Museveni is not the cause of the problems of Uganda but rather their product and reflection THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Last week, I accepted to join a whatsapp chat group of Ugandan “intellectuals”. The administrator told me that it discusses “serious issues.” I therefore …
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THE FULL STORY: Chaos reigns in and out of Uganda Parliament as expected debate on motion on age limit removal is deferred Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | The much anticipated motion for MP Raphael Magyezi seeking leave of parliament to introduce a Private Member’s Bill to amend the constitution …
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The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price