June 21
Kenya: Khat in Kenya - Why Efforts to Ban This Popular Stimulant Are Unlikely to Work
Khat - the stimulant leaves and twigs of the plant Catha edulis - seemed to have secure legal status in Kenya despite being illegal elsewhere. It had been declared an official cash… Read more »
June 06
South Africa: South Africa's Largest Oil Refinery Sold for a Few Cents - Will BP and Shell Be Held Accountable for Environmental Damage?
The sale of the South African Petroleum Refinery (Sapref), jointly owned by multinational energy companies BP and Shell, to the state-owned Central Energy Fund for R1 (five US… Read more »
June 02
Africa: Patents Based On Traditional Knowledge Are Often 'Biopiracy'. a New International Treaty Will Finally Combat This
Last week, at a conference in Geneva, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organisation agreed on a new treaty aimed at preventing the for-profit piracy of… Read more »
May 27
Africa: We Found Over 300 Million Young People Had Experienced Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Over the Course of Our Meta-Study
It takes a lot to shock Kelvin Lay. My friend and colleague was responsible for setting up Africa's first dedicated child exploitation and human trafficking units, and for many… Read more »
May 29
Ghana: Ghana's Anti-Lgbtiq+ Bill Is Being Challenged in the Supreme Court. Why the Decision to Broadcast It Live Matters
Ghana's Supreme Court is live televising its proceedings on the country's controversial anti-LGBTQI+ bill. This was on the request of Ghana's attorney general, who cited public… Read more »
May 22
Kenya: Kenyan President Will Receive White House Praise Over Troops-to-Haiti Move
Kenyan President William Ruto will attend a rare U.S. state reception for an African leader on May 23, 2024 - but much of the chat will be about a third country: Haiti. Read more »
May 21
Rwanda: UK-Rwanda Migrant Deal Challenges International Protection Law
In late April 2024 the British parliament passed a law - the Safety of Rwanda Act - enabling it to transport migrants arriving in the UK to Rwanda. When the legislation was… Read more »
May 18
South Africa: South African Communities Vs Shell - High Court Victories Show That Cultural Beliefs and Practices Count in Climate Cases
When the Shell petroleum company announced in 2021 that it wanted to explore for fossil fuels off South Africa's pristine Wild Coast, Indigenous communities in the area immediately… Read more »
May 17
Kenya: Kenya's Flood Evictions May Violate the Law - Scholar
Recent floods in Kenya have left at least 270 people dead, displaced more than 200,000 and destroyed property, infrastructure and livelihoods across the country. In Nairobi,… Read more »
May 16
Angola: Angola's Untold History - Archive Project Explores LGBTIQ+ Lives and Struggles
As I write these lines, I mourn the passing of Carlos Fernandes, a leading queer activist and organiser in Angola. Carlos was found dead in his home earlier this year under… Read more »
May 07
Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe's Likely to Abolish the Death Penalty - How It Got Here and What It Means for the Continent
Zimbabwe is likely to abolish capital punishment, following a cabinet decision on 7 February 2024. However, its parliament still has to endorse the move and pass the necessary law… Read more »
April 28
South Africa: Owning a Gun in South Africa Offers Some Safety, but Risks Run High for Users and Society - Expert
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, eclipsed only by Honduras and a handful of Caribbean island states. Furthermore, South African police crime data… Read more »
April 26
South Africa: South Africa's Constitution Was Set Up As the Bedrock of Its Democracy - It's Been Challenged Over Last 30 Years, but Has Held Firm
There was a moment during the state capture years of South African president Jacob Zuma's term in office (2009 to 2018) when the veil finally slipped. There had been quiet… Read more »
April 25
Nigeria: Nigerians Throw Naira Notes Around to Show Love - but It Could Land You in Jail
The legal implication of physically damaging the naira, Nigeria's currency, came into focus recently with the prosecution of at least two celebrities by the country's Economic and… Read more »
April 14
Rwanda: Burundi-Rwanda Rivalry - RED-Tabara Rebel Attacks Add to Regional Tensions
The RED-Tabara armed group, based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has renewed attacks in Burundi since late 2023. The group - which is an abbreviation of the French… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's Constitutional Court At 30 - a Solid Foundation but Cracks Are Showing
South Africa's Constitutional Court stands out as one of the few government institutions that have protected and advanced the constitutional vision of a participatory democracy and… Read more »
April 07
Malawi: Have You Ever Suffered Intimate Partner Abuse? We Asked Girls in Malawi and 40 Percent Said Yes
Intimate partner violence starts early. Read more »
March 27
Kenya: Kenya Has Tightened Its Laws to Stop Money Laundering - Why Banks Are the Focus
Kenya's banking industry has in recent years been in the crosshairs of national, regional and international watchdogs, given the country's role as a financial hub in eastern… Read more »
March 26
Nigeria: Nigerian Bandits Strategically Target School Children for Kidnappings - Here's Why
It is every parent's worst nightmare: armed criminals attacking their child's school, kidnapping students and teachers. Read more »
March 07
Uganda: Lord's Resistance Army - ICC Awards Reparations to Victims of Commander Dominic Ongwen - What Happens Next
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has recently ordered reparations for victims of Dominic Ongwen, an ex-child soldier turned commander in the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel… Read more »
February 28
South Africa: It Took 16 Years but South Africa Has Impeached a Senior Judge
Former Western Cape judge president John Mandlakayise Hlophe has become one of the first two members of South Africa's judiciary to be impeached since the country became a… Read more »
February 24
Nigeria: Nigeria's Ban On Alcohol Sold in Small Sachets Will Help Tackle Underage Drinking
On February 5, 2024, Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control announced a ban on alcoholic beverages sold in sachets or bottles less than 200ml. The… Read more »
February 22
South Africa: Protecting Your Image Online Is the Key to Fighting Them
Leanne Manas is a familiar face on South African televisions. Towards the end of 2023 the morning news presenter's face showed up somewhere else: in bogus news stories and fake… Read more »
February 20
Nigeria: Lagos - Drugs, Firearms and Youth Unemployment Create Lethal Cocktail
Lagos is the most populous city in Africa and a regional economic giant, having west Africa's busiest seaport. It is the centre of commercial and economic activities in Nigeria. Read more »
February 11
Kenya: Mungiki, Kenya's Violent Youth Gang, Serves Many Purposes - How Identity, Politics and Crime Keep It Alive
Kenya has scores of youth gangs known for their violence and links to the politically powerful. None is more infamous than the Mungiki movement, with a past membership estimated to… Read more »