"As the case of Nigeria shows the endogenous ways of managing local conflict and building peace are organically linked to the history, tradition, and culture of the African people…Indeed, a situation in…
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Radar
The Day the Burkinabé People Recovered Their Voice
by Amy Niang
"As political leaders scramble to capture every bit of power possible, it needs to be remembered that the impetus for change was collective anger .... For the Burkinabé people, this is a unique chance to experiment with inclusive politics that makes room for meaningful civil society input and, more importantly, an opportunity to dismantle a system of rule that enabled Compaoré to keep the country under tight control for twenty-seven years."
Radar
Post-amnesty Niger Delta: Current and Emerging Security Threats
by Tarila Marclint Ebiede
"[A]s both national and international observers and policymakers focus on northeast Nigeria, they must not ignore signs of the possible recurrence of conflict in the Niger Delta region. Another full-scale insurgency in the Niger Delta could drive the Nigerian state closer to the cliff. The current threats are the same as those that led to the last phase of insurgency, and they serve as signposts indicating that, if effective action is not taken, insurgency will come again—it is just a matter of time."
Elections & Governance
Malawi’s 2014 Elections: An Assessment
by Kizito Tenthani
"The elections of 2014 demonstrated a lot of weaknesses in Malawi’s electoral system...which renders it vulnerable to errors that can conceivably undermine completely the credibility of elections conducted in Malawi’s future. A critical reassessment of the process and its reform are therefore necessary to avoid a repeat of the chaos that was the 2014 elections."
Research and Practice
Ushahidi Crowdsourcing Platform: A People-Centered Approach to Conflict Transformation in Kenya
by Toyin Ajao
"New media technologies have opened avenues for the African people to participate more directly, and more strategically, in public affairs. A closed door of morbid silence has suddenly been flung wide open, and different people-centered initiatives are emerging as the African general public utilizes these new technologies to address societal issues."
Essays
The Central African Republic Crisis: Neighboring Countries and the Prospects for Peace
by Kiven James Kewir
"Ultimately [...] the future of peace in the CAR lies in the hands of the leaders and people of the country. The real challenge will be to develop the political will to rise above the current divisions and address the structural roots of the conflict ravaging the country head on."
Research and Practice
Kenya’s Long-Term Security Should Be a “Discursive Project”
by Fredrick Ogenga
"Terrorism is a constructed ideology. For it to be defeated in Kenya and elsewhere, we need to construct a counter-ideology through an equally discursive process...Yet creating an effective counter-ideology, like the 'We Are One' campaign, requires a reconstruction of identity and an answer to the question, Who is really a Kenyan, and who is not?"
Elections & Governance
Democracy versus Stability: Political Reconciliation and the Government of National Unity in Zanzibar