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The AU tried and failed on Burundi. Now it's time to try again.
Unless regional and international organisations act in concert and inject new life into the mediation process, Burundi risks igniting a wider crisis. In its report released late last month, the UN Independent Investigation on Burundi paints a bleak portrait of a country that has been in political turmoil since May 2015. ...
Ethiopia: How popular uprising became the only option
In theory, the Oromo and Amhara are well-represented by parties in government. But they have never been perceived to have either legitimacy or autonomy. When Shibiru Amana heard gunshots ring out near his home in the town of Mandi on 26 September, he immediately rushed outside where he saw people clamouring ...
Somalia's elections: A small, stumbling step on the road to democracy
Somalia's (s)election may have become a site for competing elites rather than competing visions. But the importance of the imperfect process should not be underestimated. If all goes according to (the latest) plan, Somalia will hold parliamentary elections on 23 October, with the appointment of the president set for 30 November. Whichever way it ...
Failing South Sudan: First as Tragedy, Then as Farce
International mediators have repeatedly made the same mistake of treating disgraced leaders as if they're respectable statesmen, of treating the problem like it's the solution. It was the end of yet another South Sudan crisis summit at the sumptuous Sheraton Addis for Africa’s leaders and the usual coterie of Western diplomats, ...
“Burn to be heard”: Why #FeesMustFall in South Africa has turned violent
From early on, universities responded to the student protests with force. Now they are reaping the whirlwind. “Burn to be heard”. This chilling statement has been doing the rounds through word of mouth and social media on South African campuses in recent weeks. The message has to be taken seriously. Buildings and vehicles at several universities ...