April 03, 2023
Kenya: Mass Protests Have a Long and Rich History - But Have Been Hijacked By the Elites
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga and his coalition party, Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya, recently called for mass protests across the country. Odinga and his team have questioned… Read more »
South Africa: Tanzania-South Africa - Deep Ties Evoke Africa's Sacrifices for Freedom
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan recently paid a state visit to South Africa aimed at strengthening bilateral political and trade relations. As the South African presidency… Read more »
April 02, 2023
Ethiopia: The War On Tigray Wiped Out Decades of Environmental Progress - How to Start Again
The Tigray region, in northern Ethiopia, used to be a model for land restoration in Africa. It won multiple awards and recognition. Read more »
March 29, 2023
East Africa: Ancient DNA Is Restoring the Origin Story of the Swahili People of the East African Coast
The legacy of the medieval Swahili civilization is a source of extraordinary pride in East Africa, as reflected in its language being the official tongue of Kenya, Tanzania and… Read more »
March 30, 2023
Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina's Release and Apology - a Master Stroke By Kagame
Rwanda's ministry of justice recently announced the pardon and release of Paul Rusesabagina from jail. Rusesabagina was involved in events portrayed in the 2004 Hollywood film… Read more »
March 29, 2023
Ethiopia: The Astonishing Life and Music of Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, the Ethiopian Nun Who's Died At 99
As the Ethiopian pianist Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou approached the age of 100, fans and music critics from the US to Ethiopia, Israel to Europe have been eagerly… Read more »
March 28, 2023
Uganda: Uganda's New Anti- LGBTQ+ Law Could Lead to Death Penalty for Same-Sex 'Offences'
People in same-sex relationships in Uganda now face the possibility of life in prison after the country's parliament unanimously passed its 2023 anti-homosexuality bill. The… Read more »
March 21, 2023
Kenya: Pastoralists Suffer Despite Millions of Dollars Used to Protect Them From Drought - What Went Wrong?
Across the arid landscape of northern Kenya, roadside signs proclaim projects aimed at creating "resilience" among pastoralist communities. This is a region where frequent… Read more »
March 20, 2023
Kenya: Kenya's Police Are Violent, Unaccountable and Make Most Citizens Feel Less Safe - Should They Be Abolished?
A world without the police is inconceivable to many people. The police are viewed as part of modern society's foundation, ensuring democracy and keeping people safe. Read more »
March 19, 2023
Ethiopia: Wars in Cities - Three Rules for Protecting the Built Environment During Conflict
During the course of wars, the infrastructure of cities faces destruction. Fighting, regardless of its intentions, destroys roads, bridges, commercial and residential buildings, as… Read more »
March 16, 2023
Kenya: Kenya Introduced Free Maternal Health Services a Decade Ago - It's Been a Success, Saving Lives
Maternal and newborn deaths are a major public health problem in Kenya. In 2020 the maternal mortality ratio was 530 deaths per 100,000 live births. This is much higher than the… Read more »
March 09, 2023
Kenya: Kenya's First Skyscraper Closes - and Leaves a Complicated Legacy
The Hilton Hotel was one of Nairobi's first skyscrapers. The iconic cylindrical tower was opened in 1969 by President Jomo Kenyatta, six years after Kenya's independence from… Read more »
March 07, 2023
Kenya: A New Invasive Mosquito Has Been Found in Kenya - What This Means for Malaria Control
The Kenya Medical Research Institute recently detected an invasive mosquito species in Laisamis and Saku subcounties of Marsabit county in Kenya's northern region. Read more »
February 22, 2023
Rwanda: Over 90% of Rwandans Have Health Insurance - the Health Minister Tells an Expert What Went Right
In 2015 the United Nations General Assembly adopted universal health coverage as one of the sustainable development goals. The aim of universal health coverage is to ensure that… Read more »
February 16, 2023
East Africa: Ilemi Triangle Spat - How Resources Fuel East Africa's Border Conflicts
For decades, African states have grappled with numerous interstate border disputes, especially in resource-rich regions. In east Africa, most of these conflicts are as old as… Read more »
Tanzania: Tanzania Is Ruled With Impunity - Four Key Issues Behind Calls for Constitutional Reform
Tanzania's president issued a statement in June 2016 announcing a ban on political rallies outside campaign periods. The ban was unconstitutional. Read more »
February 14, 2023
Somalia: Al-Shabaab Attacks in Somalia Affect Communities As Far As 900KM Away - Aid Agencies Need to Take Note
Policymakers tend to assume that the effects of conflict are felt only where violence occurs. As a result, humanitarian aid, protection efforts or asylum policies largely focus on… Read more »
February 12, 2023
South Sudan: South Sudan's Oil and Water Give It Bargaining Power - but Will It Benefit the People?
South Sudan has long been one of east Africa's most unstable states. But surging external interest in its resources and the diplomatic agility of its rulers are again underlining… Read more »
February 10, 2023
Tanzania: Tanzania Has Ditched School Rankings. It Should Replace Them With Something More Useful
While announcing the results of the 2022 Certificate of Secondary School Examination, Tanzania's National Examination Council did not provide school rankings for the first time in… Read more »
February 08, 2023
Kenya: Kenya's President Wants Taxes to Replace Foreign Debt - Seven Ways to Get There
In the run-up to Kenya's 2022 polls, economic issues, particularly public debt and joblessness, took centre stage. The Kenya Kwanza team led by William Ruto suggested that Kenya… Read more »
February 01, 2023
Seychelles: Seychelles Is Becoming Overwhelmed By Marine Plastic - We Now Know Where It Comes From
More than 1,000km southwest of Mahé, the main inhabited island in Seychelles, lies a ring of coral islands called the Aldabra Atoll. The islands are a Unesco world heritage… Read more »
February 03, 2023
Tanzania: Samia Suluhu Hassan Is Reforming Tanzania - It's Winning Her Fans but Boosting the Opposition
A series of political manoeuvres by Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan have set the east African country on an unfamiliar, yet hopeful, political path. Since her elevation to… Read more »
East Africa: The Incredible Story of How East African Culture Shaped the Music of a State in India
The term Siddi refers to Afro-Indians - Africans who mixed with Indians through marriage and relationships. Africans crossed the Indian Ocean and arrived in India during the 1200s,… Read more »
February 02, 2023
Kenya: The Body Choosing Kenya's Election Commission Is Being Overhauled - How This Could Strengthen Democracy
Kenya has new rules for choosing the people who run its elections. Read more »
February 01, 2023
Kenya: George Magoha Was a Force for Better Education in Kenya. but He Had His Flaws
The death of former Kenyan education minister Professor George Magoha, 71, closes a vibrant chapter in education policymaking and leadership. It was a chapter marked by unmatched… Read more »