THOUGHT LEADERSHIP - The African Mirror

Apr

06

2023

The new scramble for Africa: What it means for Africa’s human rights record

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

MXOLISI NCUBE THE Russia-Ukraine war has widened the rift between the entrenched West and the emerging East and - as collateral damage - Africa’s already sordid human rights record will regress further. According to Statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data, eight African states rank among the world’s 15 countries with the worst human rights and rule of law records as of 2022. Of course, such ratings are sometimes controversial, subjective and drafted with certain agendas in mind, but even that is on its own a strong indicator of how ordinary Africans are set to continue bearing the…

Mar

31

2023

By The African Mirror

Paul Mashatile, South Africa’s new deputy president, has a critical task: to bring back a sense of stability

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

IN a recent cabinet reshuffle President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Paul Mashatile, the deputy president of South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), as the country’s deputy president. The tradition in the ANC since democracy in 1994 has been for its elected deputy president to ascend first to the deputy presidency of the country, and eventually to become head of state. So Mashatile, an experienced politician, may also be destined for top office. Author SANDY AFRICA, Associate Professor, Political Sciences, and Deputy Dean Teaching and Learning (Humanities), University of Pretoria Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle took place in a climate of…

Mar

26

2023

By The African Mirror

The global civilization initiative: Fresh energy into human development

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

RECENTLY, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed a Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), calling for respect for the diversity of civilizations when he delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting. This is the third major global initiative presented by China after the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. ABBEY MAKOE The political parties' conference was held by the Communist Party of China (CPC) ahead of US President Joe Biden's proposed second Summit for Democracy with the governments of Costa Rica, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Zambia on March…

Mar

30

2023

By The African Mirror

ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin: a king-size dilemma for South Africa

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an international arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes regarding the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. Such acts are war crimes under two articles of the Rome Statute, which established the court. Author SASCHA-DOMINIK (DOV) BACHMANN, Professor in Law and Co-Convener National Security Hub (University of Canberra) and Research Fellow (adjunct) - The Security Institute for Governance and Leadership in Africa, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University- NATO Fellow Asia-Pacific, University of Canberra ICC arrest warrants against sitting heads of state are rare. Putin faces arrest…

Mar

24

2023

By The African Mirror

Putin and the ICC: history shows just how hard it is to bring a head of state to justice

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE arrest warrants issued recently by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his children’s commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, represent the first time officials of a permanent member of the United Nations security council have been indicted for a war crime. Author CATHERINE GEGOUT, Associate Professor in International Relations, University of Nottingham The charge is that they presided over the forced deportation of Ukrainian children from areas occupied by the Russian military. “There are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes,” the ICC said in a statement on…

Mar

29

2023

By The African Mirror

The effectiveness of the legislature in advancing constitutional democracy

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THERE is a growing perception that the capacity of the South African state to govern the country effectively has been declining steadily and progressively in recent years. As the third component of the state, alongside the executive and the judiciary, the legislature cannot escape this assessment. MOSIBUDI MANGENA Despite this perception, it is also true that the South African state is not yet broken. It might be inching in that direction, but it is certainly not yet there. Elections have been held regularly and on time, removing any doubt as to the legality of those sitting in parliament and making…

Mar

02

2023

By The African Mirror

Bola Ahmed Tinubu promised to “renew hope” for Nigeria – 5 ways he can achieve this

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE 2023 presidential election in Nigeria has been formally won – and lost. By mid-week Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of the ruling All Progressives Congress had been declared the winner of the keenly contested presidential election with 36% of the 24,965,218 votes cast. His closest rivals were Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party and the Labour Party’s Peter Obi. Abubakar got 29% of the votes cast while got Obi got 25%. Author AL CHUKWUMA OKOLI, SeniorLecturer, Security Sector Consultant-researcher, Department of Political Science, Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria, Federal University Lafia Atiku’s and Obi’s parties described the poll as a…

Mar

23

2023

By The African Mirror

LGBTQ+ rights: African Union watchdog goes back on its own word

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, LGBTQIA+

THE primary human rights watchdog in Africa recently made a decision that departed from its existing practice. The African Commission of Human and Peoples’ Rights, an independent expert body within the African Union (AU) framework, used sexual or gender identity as the reason it rejected applications for observer status from three non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Author FRANS VILJOEN, Director and Professor of International Human Rights Law, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria The commission said that “sexual orientation” was not an “expressly recognised right” in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. It also said that protecting and promoting…

Mar

21

2023

By The African Mirror

Kenya’s police are violent, unaccountable and make most citizens feel less safe – should they be abolished?

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

A world without the police is inconceivable to many people. The police are viewed as part of modern society’s foundation, ensuring democracy and keeping people safe. In practice, however, police around the world sometimes repress social movements, stifle democracy, and exacerbate social and racial injustice. Across the African continent, they often use force to prop up repressive regimes. And in Kenya in particular, extortion and extrajudicial killings by the police are rampant. Authors WANGUI KIMARI, Anthropologist, University of Cape Town ZOLTÁN GLÜCK, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, American University Kenya is unusual for its extensive attempts to reform the police. Reform…

Feb

25

2023

By The African Mirror

Peter Obi could be the force that topples Nigeria’s two main political parties

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

OBI-DIENT is the word in town for the Nigerians who support Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, south-east Nigeria. To them, Obi is the best candidate for the country’s presidency. A look at the development of Obi’s character reveals discipline, responsibility, prudent management of resources and a positive impact on society. Author KESTER ONOR, Lecturer, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Covenant University In secondary school, he was engaged in trading to make money. He is known for his “egg principle”: that even one egg for sale should be carefully guarded because losing it meant the loss…