As we close the curtain on the annual Kwibuka period here in Rwanda, the Ubumuntu Conversations have challenged those of us who attended to play our part, however small, in making the world more peaceful.
Essays
Essays present critical analysis and debate on a pressing issue in African peacebuilding.
Democracy, Development and Governance
Post-Election Violence in Zimbabwe’s 2018 Election: Can a Future Recurrence Be Avoided?
by Admire Mare
This round of post-election violence has demonstrated the persistence of election-related violence in Zimbabwe. Even though President Mnangagwa has promised to appoint an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the causes of the violence, it remains to be seen how this will prevent a future recurrence.
Conflict
Twenty Years on the War on Terror in East Africa
by ItemsSamar Al-Bulushi marks the twentieth anniversary of the bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania with a reflection on their legacy for the securitization of much of the African continent. Based on extensive field research in Kenya (supported by SSRC’s Dissertation Proposal Development and International Dissertation Research Fellowships), she analyzes the extension of American and European military presences in the region, the Kenyan military’s role in Somalia, and the ways in which police forces target Muslim citizens under the banner of antiterrorism. Even aid agencies and civil society organizations, Al-Bulushi argues, contribute to the discourse and practice of “countering violent extremism” with serious consequences.
Democracy, Development and Governance
Mali’s Upcoming Presidential Elections: What Prospects for Peace and Security?
Essays
The Usefulness of African Academics in the Diaspora to African universities
by Richard Alemdjrodo
The issue of the usefulness of African academics in the diaspora to African universities is no longer in doubt for two main reasons. First, many African universities are short of teachers and researchers with doctoral and post-doctoral qualifications and expertise. According to several studies, most African countries are currently facing a shortage of highly qualified […]
Essays
Reflections on World Press Freedom Day in Accra
by Audrey Gadzekpo
Just a few weeks ago on May 2 and 3, events celebrating the 25th World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) were held in Accra, Ghana—attended by more than nine hundred participants from around the world. Convened by UNESCO, many of the proceedings highlighted the numerous dangers those who bring news and information to the world continue […]
Conflict
Gang Violence in Gugulethu, South Africa: Notes from the field
by Godfrey Maringira and Diana Gibson
Gang violence continues unabated in South Africa, particularly in impoverished black and “coloured” communities. This essay focuses on black communities. We reveal how young men living in majority Xhosa-speaking black townships become part of a gang and how the gang relationship is forged and sustained over time. We pay attention to how the gang relationship […]
Mediation & Reconciliation
What is “the Local”? Exploring grassroots justice systems as a means of understanding the local
by Cori Wielenga
The liberal peacebuilding framework has been extensively critiqued and increasing attention is being given to “the local” in peacebuilding. What “local” means, though, still needs to be more deeply understood. What are the norms, values, and power dynamics, for example, that characterize diverse local contexts? An ongoing research project in Southern and Central Africa provides […]
Democracy, Development and Governance
Internal Party Reforms or Power Consolidation by African Ruling Parties?
by Dr. Nicodemus Minde
There is a discernible behavioral shift in some of Africa’s ruling parties, particularly those that emerged out of national liberation movements. Two events signpost the unfolding political era. First, the “nine presidential lives” of Jacob Zuma recently came to an end with his resignation on February 14, and second, Hailemariam Desalegn’s sudden resignation in the […]
Democracy, Development and Governance
Celebrating Army Generals in Zimbabwean Politics?
by Godfrey Maringira
Considering that former President Robert Mugabe was a long-time ally of the Zimbabwean military, no one expected that he would be overthrown by the military. Mugabe had favored the military as one of the bulwarks against challenges to his regime, so why would they then turn against a man who had for more than four […]