This Week in Africa
March 24, 2023
I had a blast talking to Prince Guma, Patience Mususa, and Astrid Haas on the latest Ufahamu Africa podcast! Here is the week in Africa:
Quote of the week
“We have never seen anything like it.” – Mozambican meteorologist Acácio Tembe
Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Uganda
Uganda’s parliament passed new homophobic legislation that proposes tough penalties for same-sex relationships and criminalises anyone identifying as LGBTQ. It is one of the harshest laws in Africa. It remains unclear of its impact across Africa. Kristof Titeca unpacks the geopolitics of the bill. The fight continues.
Nigeria’s elections
Nigeria’s recent election highlights the state of democracy on the continent. Bola Tinubu has left Nigeria to rest after an exhausting campaign. Sometimes the popular vote is unpopular. This is how “four people tweeting” changed the face of Nigerian elections. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was reelected Governor of Lagos State. There was a lot of vote buying during local polls. Aishatu Dahiru contested to become Nigeria’s first elected female governor. Here are three takeaways from the election.
Protests in Kenya
Kenyans are getting dismayed at Ruto’s failure to deliver on economic promises. The opposition held protests this week, and senior lawmakers were arrested. Why are people taking to the streets in Kenya, South Africa, Tunisia, and Nigeria?
Workers of Kenya unite…or not.
Migration and displacement
IDPs in Mekelle complain of lack of adequate aid despite improved humanitarian access to Tigray. These are top African migration trends to watch in 2023. Can new research technology be used to trace hard-to-reach migrant populations?
This photo of the British Home Secretary is not normal.
African international relations
The US is training army commandos to fight by land and sea in the Volta River, while also shifting its Sahel strategy to one of containment. Learn more about banditry in the central Sahel. The US pushes against Russian gains in Africa. Russian mercenaries are pushing France out of Central Africa. Some worry of a new Cold War.
Struggle for rights and freedom
This piece outlines the persistence of cults of personality in African governance. Prof. Gyimah-Boadi reviews the Afrobarometer’s accomplishments in 2022. Canada’s child-soldier effort hits headwind in Congo. A new survey shows ignorance about South Africa’s history. This is why violence is a hallmark of Kenyan policing. Senegal’s opposition leader claims assassination attempt as deadly protests flare. Africans want more democracy, but their leaders still aren’t listening. Ethiopia removes Tigray party from terror list in sign of an intra-elite bargain. Ken Opalo makes sense of the situation. Nigeria needs its football team.
What is the future of South Africa’s Tripartite Alliance?
Africa’s rapid urbanization
Is a new Lagos rising? Is it Africa’s greatest city? This is an important new paper on the ruralization of violence in Africa. Douala digs for more water. Check out this paper on plug-in urbanism. This is very cool: The treasures of Ghana’s design past. Check out the Kigali Water Resilience Profile. Durban is one of six cities reimagining urban life. This is a very cool interactive tool of cities. Kamau Wairuri discusses the illuminating power of disputes. Nigerian cities are underprepared for flooding caused by climate change.
And Jennifer Hart and Stephen Marr’s symposium on “Urban Theory from the Global South” looks awesome.
Research corner
Get your copy of Jeffrey Haynes’ new book Revolution and Democracy in Ghana: The Politics of Jerry John Rawlings. Sarah El-Kazaz’ book Politics in the Crevices: Urban Design and the Making of Property Markets in Cairo and Istanbul looks awesome. I can’t wait to read Ademide Adelusi-Adeluyi’s Imagine Lagos: Mapping History, Place, and Politics in a Ninetennth-Century African City.
This article explains African agency in liberal peace interventions. Joeva Rock explains the role of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. This article examines the impact of Chinese aid on the evaluation of government performance in Africa. This is an interesting article on class closure and stratagems of civility in peri-urban Kenya. Check out this cool special issue on Nonviolent Resistance in an Age of Polarization.
Read these econ classics.
The week in development
Africa faces a deepening unemployment crisis. This chapter explores the rise of education in Africa. 56% of Africans went without clean water at least once last year. Africa’s shift to low-cost manufacturing puts women at risk. This is a cool piece on research universities in Africa. This piece peers into Africa’s AI future. Learn about the invisible labor of Africa in the Digital Revolution. Will Ghana’s grand new national cathedral (if it is ever finished) attract pilgrims and tourists? How transparent are aid agencies to their citizens?
Africa and the environment
South Sudan’s floods are serious. SIPRI offers lessons on climate resilience and peace building from Ethiopia and the Dry Corridor. Cyclone Freddy was devastating in Mozambique. It killed more than 300 people in southeastern Africa, and cholera ravages Mozambique after the storm. Mauritania’s ancient libraries could be lost to the expanding desert. Climate change is speeding toward catastrophe. 190 million children are at risk from waster-related crises. The drought in Somalia has killed 43,000 people, more than half of them children. Nations approve a key UN Science Report on climate change. How can Nigeria’s next president accelerate the country’s climate change response?
Frontiers in Comparative Urban Politics Research
Check out the call for the Comparative Urban Politics short course on “Frontiers in Comparative Urban Politics Research” at this year’s APSA on August 30. Apply here.
APSA Research Development Group
The American Political Science Association (APSA) is pleased to announce a Call for Applications from early-career scholars based in Africa who are interested in attending the 2023 APSA Annual Meeting as part of a Research Development Group. Organized by the African Politics Conference Group (APCG), the program is an opportunity to advance research towards publication, participate in the APSA annual meeting, and develop scholarly networks. Submit applications by April 2.
CFP: Special issue on Political Change in African Cities
Kristian Hoelscher, Taibat Lawanson, and I are editing a special issue on “Political Change in African Cities: Mobilization, Participation, and State-Society Relations.” See our CFP. The issue will assess how urban growth shapes political change, and identify the conditions in African cities that affect broader socio-political transformation. f you are interested in contributing to the Special Issue, please submit an abstract to Jeffrey Paller (jeffrey.paller@gu.se). We’ve extended the Deadline to submit to April 15!
Daily life
Libyans seek international recognition for couscous. These three Somali dishes will help break the fast. Ghana buried footballer Christian Atsu this week. Sweet Salone. Georgiana Viou of Benin wins a coveted Michelin Star. What is a recipe?
All the best,
Jeff and Phil