THOUGHT LEADERSHIP - The African Mirror

Nov

22

2023

Henry Bredekamp and the Khoisan: the living legacy of a renowned South African historian

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

WHEN Professor Henry Charles “Jatti” Bredekamp began his career as a historian of early Cape Town in South Africa, there was still a commonly held myth that the region’s native people, the Khoisan, had “all but disappeared”. This was in the wake of slavery, colonialism and apartheid, a system of racial segregation by white minority rule. RAFAËL VERBUYST, Postdoctoral Researcher in History, Ghent University Bredekamp, who passed away in September 2023, was central in debunking this myth. Aside from his scholarship, he will be remembered for his influential role as a public historian and a conduit for the revival of…

Nov

21

2023

By MBALI HLOPHE

Managing climate change is our collective responsibility

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

MANIFESTATIONS of climate change, such as global temperature increases, have been observed for many decades. The effects of climate change are being felt in South Africa, the rest of the continent and the world. As with most parts of the world, Gauteng can expect to become warmer as global atmospheric and sea surface temperatures rise, with regional variation among the different municipal areas. In addition to Gauteng being vulnerable to the effects of climate change, Gauteng also represents a significant portion of the national carbon footprint. A revised carbon footprint for Gauteng indicates that the province contributes 33 per cent…

Nov

19

2023

By CARIELLE DOE and EDWARD MCALLISTER

After decades in the wings, Liberia’s quiet man Boakai set for presidency

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

WHEN Joseph Boakai won a place at Liberia's prestigious College of West Africa in the 1950s, he helped pay his fees by working as the school janitor, cleaning floors and toilets at night and studying by day, his spokesman Amara Konneh told Reuters. Now Boakai, a 78-year-old political veteran, is set to become Liberia's president after a narrow victory in Tuesday's run-off vote over former soccer star incumbent George Weah, who conceded defeat late on Friday as the streets of the capital Monrovia erupted in celebration. Boakai's win marks the high point in a long career, much of it spent within touching…

Nov

18

2023

By The African Mirror

Black November: remembering Uganda’s massacre of the opposition three years on

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

NOVEMBER marks a sombre anniversary in Uganda’s recent political history. In 2020, the East African country’s leading opposition politician, Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, was arrested. He was on the campaign trail ahead of the 2021 presidential elections. LUKE MELCHIORRE, Associate Professor, Political Science and Global Studies, Universidad de los Andes Mass demonstrations demanding the release of the popular musician-turned-presidential candidate broke out in and around the capital, Kampala. Over two days, security agents of the regime of Yoweri Museveni – in power since 1986 – cracked down on the protests. They fired live ammunition into crowds of protesters, killing…

Nov

16

2023

By The African Mirror

William Ruto’s first year: he promised to make life easier for Kenyans, but things got worse

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

IT'S more than a year since President William Ruto was sworn into office as Kenya’s fifth president. He assumed power at a time when Kenya was beset by rising food and fuel prices, high unemployment and a worrying debt burden. During the election campaign, Ruto promised to fix an economy afflicted by corruption and ineptitude. He promised to entrench good governance and place the poor at the centre of economic policy. He pledged to address ethnicised politics and to uphold constitutionalism and the rule of law. WESTEN K SHILAHO, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for PanAfrican Thought and Conversation (IPATC), University…

Nov

16

2023

By The African Mirror

DRC elections: the Kabila family legacy looms large over the country’s polls

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE Democratic Republic of Congo is expected to hold elections on 20 December 2023. The country’s electoral commission has announced President Felix Tshisekedi will be seeking reelection alongside 23 other candidates. They include Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege and the runner-up in the 2018 presidential election, Martin Fayulu. The courts will confirm the final list of candidates. One key political figure has yet to make his intentions known: Joseph Kabila. He was president for 18 years until Tshisekedi took over in 2019. The DRC’s constitution allows two five-year terms, but he remained in power by delaying elections. He holds…

Nov

16

2023

By The African Mirror

Madagascar’s 2023 presidential election is crucial for the island’s future, but it’s off to a rocky start

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

MADAGASCAR is set to elect its president on 16 November 2023, for the next five years. There’s a lot at stake. I’ve studied Madagascar’s politics – focusing on democratisation and political transitions – and believe that this election is crucial for the consolidation, or deepening, of democracy. ADRIEN RATSIMBAHARISON, Professor of Political Science, Benedict College Democratic consolidation is vital. It fosters political stability, protects individual rights, and ensures that power is exercised by elected representatives who are accountable to the people. Madagascar has, over the past couple of decades, struggled to consolidate its democracy. The so-called 2009 coup d'état –…

Nov

15

2023

By PROFESSOR COLIN CHASI

Embracing Diversity and Inclusion: Lessons for Universities from the Springboks

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

UNIVERSITIES across the globe can draw valuable insights from the World Champion Springboks regarding the power of diversity and inclusion. In clinching their fourth world title, the Springboks defeated the formidable All Blacks in an epic final that harked back to their iconic 1995 victory – a moment celebrated as one of the most significant nation-building milestones worldwide. Upon the Springboks triumphant return to Johannesburg, Siya Kolisi, the victorious captain, passionately declared, “This one is for every single person in South Africa, rich or poor - it doesn't matter. This win will inspire a lot of people, but it won’t…

Nov

11

2023

By The African Mirror

Visa-free travel for Africans: why Kenya and Rwanda have taken a step in the right direction

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

PRESIDENT William Ruto of Kenya recently announced that Kenya’s borders would be open to visitors from the entirety of Africa, with no visas required, by the end of 2023. He said When people cannot travel, business people cannot travel, entrepreneurs cannot travel, we all become net losers. ALAN HIRSCH, Research Fellow New South Institute, Emeritus Professor at The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town A few days later, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda followed suit, saying all Africans would be able to enter Rwanda without visas. Neither Kenya nor Rwanda will be the first. By the…

Nov

09

2023

By The African Mirror

British king acknowledges colonial atrocities in Kenya – here’s what could happen next

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

ON his official visit to Kenya, King Charles III acknowledged Britain’s colonial era “wrongdoings”. He also paid tribute to Kenyan soldiers who had participated in the First and Second World Wars on behalf of Britain. His visit coincided with Kenya’s 60th independence anniversary. TONNY RAYMOND KIRABIRA, Teaching Fellow, University of Portsmouth British colonial rule in Kenya was characterised by injustices. Among these were forceful dispossession of indigenous people’s land, torture, detention and brutal suppression of anti-colonial movements. An excerpt from King Charles’s speech is useful to decipher the value and implications of his apology, from an international law perspective: The…