Africa Up Close

Voters line up to vote in Guinea’s 2010 election. Photo by UN Development Programme, Creative Commons.

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

Guinea’s President Alpha Conde Easily Wins Re-election
Al-Jazeera Oct 17

Incumbent Alpha Conde glided to reelection, avoiding a run-off, in Guinea’s election. The opposition has refused to recognize the result and alleged fraud, but independent observers judged the vote generally sound. Observers are worried that protests could escalate into violence in the long-suffering country.

Outgoing Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete speaking at the Wilson Center on April 3, 2015. Photo by Kaveh Sardari for the Wilson Center.

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

What’s In It For Me? Personalities, Enticements, and Party Loyalties in Tanzania’s Election – Africa Research Institute
Oct 1

In what is likely to be Tanzania’s closest election since the return to democracy, neither the opposition nor ruling parties are addressing the country’s pressing issues. Africa Research Institute provides some important background on the election’s major players.

One of Burkina Faso’s famous mud-brick mosques in Bobo-Dioulasso. Photo by qlv on Flickr. Creative Commons.

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

The Evolving Political Crisis in Burkina Faso: Observations from Ouagadougou, Continued – Sahel Blog
Sept 28

The big story of the last week has been, of course, the whirlwind coup in Burkina Faso. As it stands, interim president Michel Kafando has been returned to power and General Diendere and others look to be facing prosecution for their role in the week-long coup that upended the transitional government.

A fully-loaded share taxi speeds down a road. In Kenya these taxis, called matatus, are crucial parts of Nairobi’s transportation network. Photo by crosby_cj on Flickr. Creative Commons.

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

Grounds for Cautious Optimism in Guinea Bissau’s Latest Crisis – Daily Maverick (South Africa) September 14

Guinea Bissau has been hurtling from one crisis to another for the last several decades, and with the news that the president has fired his prime minister, it enters another. That said, there are signs for optimism: the judiciary is showing its teeth, the international community has been able to combat the flow of drug trafficking, and most importantly, the military seems committed to staying out of the crisis, for the moment.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari at a discussion at Chatham House, February 26, 2015.
Photo by Chatham House via Flickr. Creative Commons.

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

Counting to 100: What Promises did Buhari Make to Nigerians – Premium Times (Nigeria) September 2
Nigeria’s Buhari just completed his first 100 days in office, and he still hasn’t named a cabinet or achieved many of his major campaign promises. His honeymoon period may be ending.

Hissène Habré: Chad’s Ex-Leader Carried into Court – BBC Africa September 7
The war crimes trial of former Chadian president Habré, accused of torture and the murder of more than 40,000, resumed in Dakar on September 7. This is the first time a former head of state has been tried by an African court.

Scene from Ebola Treatment Center in Port Loko, Sierra Leone
United Nations Photo Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0 via Flickr

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

Hail to the Chiefs: How Local Leaders Helped to Curb an Epidemic – The Economist

August 27

Southeast Sierra Leone received far less attention and foreign aid than the west, yet was able to control the outbreak of Ebola much quicker, thanks to early and aggressive action by doctors to bring religious leaders, chiefs, and local politicians into the fight. Laws and social pressure could be brought to bear through existing power structures to manage the crisis much more quickly.

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

South Sudan: John Garang Remembered 10 Years On – African Arguments (All Africa)

August 17, 2015

On July 30th South Sudan celebrated Martyrs’ Day, an official remembrance day for those who died in the national liberation wars. That date was purposely selected because it is the day on which John Garang, South Sudan’s most iconic leader, was killed in a mysterious plane crash.

Photo Courtesy of Stephen Geyer via Flickr.

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

Kenya’s rampant corruption is eating away at the very fabric of democracy – The Guardian

August 6, 2015

The Burundi government rejected a second UN diplomat on Sunday after allegations that the mediator was biased against the government. This was in response to a critical report newly released that stated the elections on June 29^th had not been neutral or fair, a claim which the government finds to be false.

Photo Courtesy of Brice Blondel via Flickr.

Testimony before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations

July 22, 2015

Author’s note: Since the July 22 elections, which resulted in at least three deaths in the Bujumbura area, there has been continuing unrest. Tensions remain high, and the African Union  has announced the deployment of a team of human rights observers and military experts aimed at helping to prevent an escalation of violence and facilitating a peaceful resolution of the serious political crisis affecting Burundi.  The Burundi government has granted visas to the team which is expected to arrive shortly.  The UN has called for a all parties to immediately renew an inclusive dialogue to resolve the challenges facing the country.  In the meantime, Burundian government sources have claimed that the recent fighting in Kayanza was supported by Rwanda and it is training forces to invade Burundi. 

The elections cycle got underway in Burundi on June 29, when the election for the parliamentary bodies, the Senate and National Assembly, took place. A second round of elections was held on July 21, despite almost three months of protests and almost universal condemnation of the president and ruling party for going forward with the elections under the current circumstances. The present crisis began on April 28, when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced that he would seek a third term. Burundi erupted into a chaotic scene of street protests and violent police response, followed by an attempted military coup, refugee flows into neighboring countries, and gangs of youth roaming communities at night intimidating, threatening and even killing their fellow citizens. At least 90 persons have died, maybe more, and up to 160,000 refugees have left the country, most going to Tanzania and Rwanda. Many independent radio stations have been closed, even transmission towers destroyed, to limit the flow of news to Burundians, who receive almost all their information by radio or word of mouth.

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army Africa via Flickr.

Inclusive Governance and Leadership

The secret to Ethiopia’s counterterrorism success – Al Jazeera

July 31, 2015

Security cooperation is an area of high interest for the US in Africa. Obama has repeatedly expressed his administration’s keen interest in learning from Ethiopia’s counterterrorism (CT) efforts and its counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy, which I call the “Ethiopian Doctrine” on CT and COIN.