With the terrorist group Al-Shabaab coming forward and taking responsibility for the recent Westgate Attack in Nairobi, the debate over the implications for security across the region has been rejuvenated. Shadrack W.…
Latest posts - Page 55
Ghana's 2012 Elections
The Consolidation of Democracy in Ghana: The 2012 General Elections in Perspective
by Evans Aggrey-Darkoh
This essay examines the connection between elections and democracy, drawing on the case of Ghana. It evaluates the role played by civil society and the Ghanaian Electoral Commission (EC) before and during the election and analyzes the impact of the death of President Atta Mills on the electoral fortunes of his National Democratic Congress (NDC). The decision of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to go to court to contest the outcome of the elections is also examined.
Essays
The Westgate Mall Siege: Reassessing Kenya’s Security Architecture
by Awino Okech
The Westgate siege affirms an observation made by many concerned Kenyans over the years, and more fervently since March: that there is a nexus between the high levels of insecurity in the country and the operational weaknesses of our security forces. This paper looks inward at the state of Kenya's security system and lessons that can be learned from the Westgate siege.
Ghana's 2012 Elections
Ghana’s Elections 2012: Some Observations
by Linda Darkwa
The 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections took place in an entirely different context than those before them. This paper explores new initiatives undertaken by the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana and how they enhanced the credibility of the electoral process.
Ghana's 2012 Elections
The 2012 Ghanaian Election: Implications for the Consolidation of Democracy
by Jasper Ayelazuno
This essay focuses on an issue related to the Ghanaian party system and the consolidation of democracy: the transition of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from a personalistic party under the stranglehold of former president Jerry John Rawlings to a formal, autonomous party, bringing greater stability to the two-party system in Ghana.
Ghana's 2012 Elections
The Role of the Security Sector in Ghana’s Democracy: A Case Study of the December 2012 Elections
Conflict
Recurrent Crisis in the Eastern DRC: Petty Imperialism and Reconceptualizing the Peace Process
by Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo
The eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of the richest regions in the country, with diverse mineral deposits and vast arable lands. Even more than the rest of the country, however, this region has been ravaged by widespread war, sexual brutality against girls and women, theft of natural resources, and ongoing […]
Essays
Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission: The Importance of Documentation in Postwar Education and Reconciliation
by Proscovia Svärd
Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRCs) are temporarily established to investigate and document war atrocities committed against civilian populations They promote reconciliation between erstwhile enemies, as well as victims and perpetrators, and make recommendations to the post-conflict governments that have supported their establishment on how to avoid any recurrence of abuses. Despite the engagement of national […]
