The recently concluded Ugandan elections have brought to the fore the use of state violence to suppress dissent and opposition. Importantly, it has raised questions on the legitimacy and the role of the state in responding to the will of the people. Whose state, is it anyway? Daniel Kalinaki opines.
For this Pan-African Forum, we will be joined by Dr Amzat Boukari-Yabara, a historian and independent scholar specialising in African, Caribbean and Latin-American affairs and Dr Rahel Kassahun, founder and Managing Director of the African Unbound Center.
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way we consume media. With people confined to their homes, our social lives have moved online and the media industry is fundamentally changing - opines In Meera lends.
Uganda’s longtime President Yoweri Museveni has secured a sixth term in office that will take his reign into a fourth decade following a poll his rivals say was marred by irregularities and opposition leaders rejecting the results. For most Ugandan's however, the turn of events have made them question not only the effectiveness of elections but also the place of the Ugandan state in their lives.
Prof. Makau Mutua explores the potential impact of BBI on Kenyan politics as we go into the election. He argues Raila Odinga remains the strongest presidential candidate but we should not assume he will be a candidate himself and may tip other political leaders to stand in his stead. Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka and others are potential candidates too.
Prof Makau Mutua reflects on recent developments in the United States of America; The continuing centrality of race in all matters American; The USA's troubled history with black people since the slaves who built the Capital Hill that was invaded by trump supporters and the deepening global exhaustion with markets and capitalism generally. White nationalism remains the deadliest clear and present threat to democracy in the USA.
Kenya's health facilities are facing another crisis after doctors joined other healthcare workers to demand better protective equipment, medical cover and better pay to help them combat the coronavirus pandemic. In conversation with The Elephant, KMPDU Secretary-General Dr Mwachonda provides an insiders perspective on the state of health care in Kenya.
Kenya's Executive and Legislature are guilty of a major dereliction of duty that has caused the judiciary to be turned into the primary arena of political contest in the country. This condition will only worsen as political realignments intensify in the run-up to 2022 and the elite works to perpetuate itself essentially in opposition to the constitution.
As of June this year, our public debt was 6.6 trillion shillings. Each Kenyan citizen, including those born now, owes creditors at least 139,000 shillings due to public debt. So what does it mean when the government keeps getting loans? Is Kenya on the verge of a debt distress? Our latest feature, #KenyasDebtCycle digs deep into these questions seeking answers and highlighting how the appetite for foreign debt to finance infrastructure has devastated various sectors in the country.
What does it feel like to move through a world designed to limit and exclude you? How are black lives impacted by the othering legacy of colonial cultures and policies? In conversation with Christine Mungai, Nanjala Nyabola explores what travelling while black means in today's world.
