Civil-Military Relations in Botswana’s Developmental State

by Mpho G. Molomo Abstract This article discusses civil-military relations in Botswana with emphasis on internal security and regional instability as they affect Botswana’s development. It recommends that internal security should be left to the police, while the military serves as an instrument of foreign policy. It contends that the involvement of the military in […]

Human Rights Abuse in Kenya under Daniel Arap Moi, 1978-2001

by Korwa G. Adar and Issac M. Munyae Introduction Jomo Kenyatta, the founding president of Kenya, passed away in August 1978 after fourteen years as head of state. His successor, Daniel Arap Moi, served as Kenyattas vice-president from 1966 – 1978. During Kenyatta’s presidency, the political realm was dominated by a small Kikuyu elite, the […]

Globalisation, NEPAD and the Governance Question in Africa

by ‘Kunle Amuwo Introduction and Problematique The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is yet another initiative by Africa’s Heads of State and Governments intended to reverse, for good, the beggarly and highly embarrassing image of the continent through a ‘sustained engagement’ with the developed world. Among its many objectives, NEPAD seeks to halt the growing and deepening […]

Who Ruled by the Spear? Rethinking the Form of Governance in the Ndebele State

by Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni Abstract The current intellectual stampede over issues of governance in Africa has given birth to ahistorical evaluations of the crises bedeviling the African continent. Pre-colonial traditions and cultures have been unduly blamed for bequeathing politics of disorder on the post-colonial state without being carefully studied separately. This article offers a rebuttal to […]

Stakeholder Participatory Processes and Dialogue Platforms in the Mazowe River Catchment, Zimbabwe

by Claudious Chikozho Abstract The introduction of water sector reforms in Zimbabwe was premised on the assumption that all stakeholders would be afforded a chance to fully contribute to the reform process. Neutral dialogue platforms were also expected to be put in place in order to afford various stakeholder groups the necessary space to engage […]

Debunking the Myth of the “Good” Coup d’ État in Africa

by Andrew C. Miller Abstract In response to the recent coup in Niger, which ousted the country’s president-turned-strongman Mamadou Tandja, the capital erupted in pro-coup demonstrations. Many commentators and foreign governments also showed tacit support for the junta. What is the likelihood that this coup and the other coup regimes in Africa will lead to […]

Personal Rule in Africa: The Case of Eritrea

by Petros B. Ogbazghi Abstract Notwithstanding the on-going struggles for democratic transformation, many African countries still lack rudimentary principles of the rule of law and legitimate political institutions. Contemporary Eritrea exemplifies this type of situation in which personal rule is the embodiment of the political system. The article argues that the perpetuation of personal rule […]

The Challenges of Transnational Human Trafficking in West Africa

by Wilfried Relwende Sawadogo Abstract A major challenge to good governance, transnational trafficking in human beings has been a serious problem for years in West Africa. Attempts to understand the phenomenon have then been initiated, which unfortunately have resulted in contradictory viewpoints amongst researchers and the impacted populations. Indeed, seen by some as a mere entertainment, a […]

African Studies Quarterly

Tag: Governance