THOUGHT LEADERSHIP - The African Mirror

Sep

17

2025

By JOACHIM DE WEERDT; GOWOKANI CHIJERE CHIRWA; JAN DUCHOSLAV; JOSEPH NAGOLI, and LARA COCKX

Malawi can end hunger after the 2025 elections if bold steps are taken to transform food systems

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

MALAWI has a history of peaceful democratic transitions. Since the advent of multiparty politics in 1994, power has regularly shifted between rival parties. Citizens and institutions have upheld electoral democratic norms, from respecting term limits to rerunning elections after irregularities. Yet, democratic elections haven’t translated into economic prosperity, nor into strong economic institutions. Malawi remains the world’s poorest conflict-free nation. At the last count in 2019, 70% of Malawians lived below the international poverty line of US$2.15 per day. More than half of Malawi’s residents are deprived in many overlapping ways. Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Malawi has also…

Sep

13

2025

By JOVIAL RANTAO

SA Health Minister leads by example, showing why politicians must use the services they oversee

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE photograph tells a story more powerful than a thousand policy documents. There, in the corridors of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital - the largest hospital in the Southern Hemisphere - sat South Africa's Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi in a wheelchair. He's dressed not in the tailored suits of political power, but in the humble uniform of every public hospital patient: striped green and white government-issue pyjamas topped with a light blue gown. A white cotton wool patch covers his right eye, testament to the surgery he has just undergone. Around him, the dedicated staff of Bara smile with quiet…

Sep

12

2025

By PROF JJ TABANE

Bridging the skills gap: Tackling Africa’s skills mismatch crisis. Africa needs a new approach.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

AS we stand at a pivotal moment in Africa's economic development, it is impossible to ignore the growing skills crisis that threatens to undermine our progress. This is what occupied the minds of delegates at this week's inaugural Industrial Skills Week held in Lusaka, Zambia. The gathering was presented with the alarming statistics that surveys indicate that over 75% of African employers express concerns about the inadequacy of job applicants’ skills, while the continent’s universities continue to churn out graduates whose skills are misaligned with market demands. This disparity—referred to as the skills mismatch—represents one of the most significant barriers…

Sep

12

2025

By AMANUEL TESFAYE; CLEMENT SEFA-NYARKO; JOHN MUKUM MBAKU; and OLAWALE BESTOYIN KAREEM

Should African countries lower the voting age to 16? Views from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE UK is moving to lower its voting age from 18 to 16. The new legislation takes effect ahead of the country’s next general election in 2029, and is aimed at boosting its democracy. The move has ignited global debate: should 16-year-olds be trusted with the ballot? For African countries, where young people make up the majority of the population but often feel shut out of politics, the question is especially pressing. We spoke to political researchers from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria for their views. Authors Amanuel Tesfaye, Doctoral Researcher, University of Helsinki; Clement Sefa-Nyarko, Lecturer in Security, Development…

Sep

12

2025

By CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Can Boniface Mwangi, a political outsider, become Kenya’s next president?

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

KENYAN activist Boniface Mwangi is charting a totally new path in a bid for Kenya's highest office. Rather than playing up ethnic affiliations or charming voters with an expensive campaign, the popular social activist hopes to secure the support of Gen Z and Millennials, who spearheaded nationwide protests in 2024, in a run against corruption and poor governance. Mwangi is building his presidential campaign around empathy, honesty, and the ability to "orchestrate" talent. The self-styled "orchestra leader" affirmed that his role will be to ensure the musicians produce harmony. “I'm seeing myself as an orchestra bandleader and in an orchestra.…

Sep

11

2025

By Waana Kankinza

Africa’s youth renaissance: The time for bold action is now

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

STANDING before delegates from across Africa at the Industrial Skills Week for Africa conference in Lusaka, I was struck by a profound realisation: we are witnesses to history in the making. Africa stands at the threshold of its greatest opportunity, yet we risk squandering it if we fail to act with the urgency this moment demands. More than 80 percent of Zambia's population is under 35. Across our continent, we are the youngest in the world. This is not merely a statistic - it is our defining characteristic, our greatest asset, and our most pressing challenge rolled into one. The…

Sep

10

2025

By JOVIAL RANTAO

A Disgraceful Waste: Zambian President Hichilema’s vindictive legal battle over Lungu’s burial

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE President of Zambia's relentless legal crusade to force the burial of former President Edgar Lungu in Zambia represents nothing short of a reckless and disgraceful waste of millions in public funds. This costly court action in South Africa is not merely an egregious abuse of state power - it is a calculated assault on the dignity and fundamental rights of a deceased individual and his grieving family. The family of the late Edgar Lungu possesses the sole and indisputable right to decide where their loved one should be laid to rest. Their decision to honour his final wishes and…

Sep

09

2025

By CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

BRICS countries must “pivot from crisis management to strategic action, from emergency fixes to collective growth and development”

BRICS NEWS, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

WE are witnessing seismic shifts in global trade that present both challenges and opportunities in the re-ordering of the global economy. There is a shift from a unipolar to a multipolar world. This moment is marked by intensifying global competition and growing geopolitical tensions. Unilateral tariff actions are contributing to an increasingly protectionist environment, which poses great hardships and danger for the countries of the Global South. The uncertainty of the new trading regime has already negatively affected employment levels in my own country, South Africa, and is an obstacle to our economic growth. We are therefore supportive of meaningful…

Sep

09

2025

By CLAVER GATETE

Africa’s agricultural paradox: From breadbasket potential to food import reality

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

AFRICA stands at a crossroads that defines not just our agricultural future, but our very destiny as a continent. We possess over 60% of the world's uncultivated arable land, abundant water resources, and the youngest population on Earth. Yet in 2024, we imported food worth $115 billion while our own people go hungry. This is not just a policy failure—it's a moral crisis that demands immediate action. The Paradox That Shames Us All How can a continent destined to be the world's breadbasket remain unable to feed its own children? We have the land, the water, the sun, and the…

Sep

06

2025

By JOVIAL RANTAO

Justice cannot wait for a Madlanga Commission: Masemola, not Cachalia, is the Police Commissioner

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

South Africans deserve clarity, and operational police work is not, and must never be, subject to political whims. Yet Acting Minister Firoz Cachalia seems determined to wrongly insert himself into matters that are none of his business. His recent public criticism of Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola's decision to return the infamous 121 dockets to the Task Team is a dangerous precedent that strikes at the heart of police independence. Masemola did what any responsible police commissioner should: he restored the dockets to the unit charged with investigating them properly. These files were previously misappropriated by suspended Police Minister Senzo…