African Thinker

A Journal of African Thought, Culture, Arts, Politics, Business and more, offering imformed commentary and analysis on the latest developments in Africa.

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Dancehall star Winky D and Zimbabwe’s internet politics

Dancehall star Winky D and Zimbabwe’s internet politics

BY TAPIWA ZIVIRAMULTI-AWARD-WINNING dancehall singer Wallace “Winky D ” Chirimuko is with no doubt, one of the few, if not the only Zimbabwean musician to attract nationwide attention both positive and negative every time he releases new music.Just last Friday, Winky D, who had last released a new offering last year was in the limelight as he launched his single, Happy Again, which premiered on…

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Burna Boy is not a politically conscious 'African Giant.' Here’s why

Burna Boy is not a politically conscious ‘African Giant.’ Here’s why

For years, Burna Boy has been carefully crafting his image as a socially conscious artist. From his breakout album in 2013, L.I.F.E: Leaving an Impact for Eternity, to his latest Grammy award-winning record from 2020, Twice As Tall, he has made clear his political positions with some common themes: Global Black power and pride. Critique of Western imperialism. A social and political revolution…

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Desmond Tutu, South Africa's rebellious priest: Obituary

Desmond Tutu, South Africa’s rebellious priest: Obituary

Desmond Tutu was the smiling South African archbishop whose irrepressible personality won him friends and admirers around the world. As a high-profile black churchman he was inevitably drawn into the struggle against white-minority rule but always insisted his motives were religious, not political. He was appointed by Nelson Mandela to head South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission set…

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Africa cannot confront ,climate change alone

Africa cannot confront ,climate change alone

BY KRISTALINA GEORGIEVA/FÉLIX TSHISEKEDI Africa contributes almost nothing to global warming. Its 1.4 billion people – around 17% of the global population – are responsible for less than 3% of the world’s total greenhouse-gas emissions. Moreover, data suggest that the forests of the Congo River Basin alone absorb 3% of global carbon-dioxide emissions every year. Nonetheless, Africa finds itself…

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Is Ghana tired of democracy?

Is Ghana tired of democracy?

By Victor Nsoh Azure A lot is at stake as Ghana’s parliament opens public deliberations on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021, more commonly known as the Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill. The proposed law strikes at the heart of equality and liberty in Ghana. How parliament responds to it will be pivotal for the future of Ghanaian democracy.The bill is popular. A…

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How the COVID-19 shock has impacted food security in Africa

How the COVID-19 shock has impacted food security in Africa

BY CONRAD VAN GASS/JOSEPH UPILE MATOLA An assessment by the World Food Programme (WFP) indicates that in 2020 COVID-19 may have added up to 132 million undernourished people in the world. Africa, where the number of undernourished people is growing faster than in any other region of the world, was estimated to have reached more than 250 million undernourished people as the pandemic compounded…

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To win in 2023, Zimbabwe's opposition will have to court the military

To win in 2023, Zimbabwe’s opposition will have to court the military

Chipo Denhere In 2023, Zimbabweans will vote in yet another critical election amidst an ongoing economic crisis. While 2023 might seem a long way off, Zimbabwe is already in campaign mode because parties, civil society groups and the government all know that elections can be won, lost and rigged well in advance. The Nelson Chamisa-led opposition has been galvanised by the recent Zambian…

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Slow start to Africa’s free trade deal. Is is a problem?.

Slow start to Africa’s free trade deal. Is is a problem?.

Peter Fabricius A year ago, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, wearing his African Union (AU) chairperson hat, convened a special AU summit to launch the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The AfCFTA aims to liberalise 97% of intra-African trade. The leaders agreed, with considerable fanfare, that trading would start on 1 January 2021.  Yet almost 12 months later, apparently…

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Born out of necessity, Mukuru plots fintech expansion across Africa

Born out of necessity, Mukuru plots fintech expansion across Africa

By Adriaan Kruger Mukuru started 17 years ago as a solution to a problem two Zimbabwean immigrants faced in London. Born out of necessity, Mukuru has grown from a remittances platform into an international fintech company. Now, it is looking to expand into East and West Africa, and expand flows between Africa and Asia. In 2004, Mukuru’s founders couldn’t find an affordable, easy and secure way…

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Accountability and aid in Ethiopia

Accountability and aid in Ethiopia

BY JOHN PRENDERGAST Now that Ethiopia’s civil war has settled into a seemingly intractable slugfest, the United States must consider its options to prevent further loss of life. The US already is deeply engaged in efforts to mediate a ceasefire, working closely with the African Union, the European Union, and other interested parties. In that diplomacy, as in most African peace processes, the US…

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Zambian leader Hichilema’s first 100 days: The good, the bad and the alarming

Zambian leader Hichilema’s first 100 days: The good, the bad and the alarming

By Sishuwa Sishuwa Hakainde Hichilema last week completed 100 days since he was inaugurated as president of Zambia. After a decade and half in opposition, the leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND) defeated the incumbent Edgar Lungu in elections on 12 August 2021. He took office 12 days later. Hichilema’s successful election campaign was aided by his…

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Rich countries can’t feign shock if the next variant goes undetected

Rich countries can’t feign shock if the next variant goes undetected

By Jess Auerbach As southern African countries reel from the impact of recent travel bans, it is hard not to feel a familiar rage rise up. South Africa’s excellent science, effective vaccination roll-out, careful policy and public health interventions are yet again being met with global prejudice. Racism is a very blunt tool. Across the region now, a cascade of human and economic consequences…

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New COVID-19 variant Omicron will be felt in countries where fewer are vaccinated

New COVID-19 variant Omicron will be felt in countries where fewer are vaccinated

In early August Gideon Schreiber and a team of virologists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel began playing around with the spike protein of the Sars-CoV-2 virus – the protein that allows the virus to enter our cells – to see if they could predict future mutations that could yield dangerous new variants of Covid-19. At the time, Schreiber noted with concern that there were a variety…

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Four years after Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s blocked transition

Four years after Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s blocked transition

By BLESSING VAVA For decades, post-independence in 1980, Zimbabwe’s political and economic environment kept regressing because of the ruling ZANU PF party’s misrule and bad governance. Under President Mugabe, Zimbabwe witnessed egregious human rights abuses mainly targeted at the opposition, the media and civil society activists. The opposition was labelled as enemies, while the exercise of…

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Digitalizing Africa's mines

Digitalizing Africa’s mines

LANDRY SIGNÉ Mineral resources are a critical source of revenue for Africa. In 2019, minerals and fossil fuels accounted for more than a third of exports from at least 60% of African countries. The continent produces around 80% of the world’s platinum, two-thirds of its cobalt, half of its manganese, and a substantial amount of chromium, leaving it in a strong position to benefit from growing…

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How strategic partnerships can improve internet connectivity across Africa: A perspective

How strategic partnerships can improve internet connectivity across Africa: A perspective

By Reuben Oshomah The internet could be a very positive and empowering step towards education, organisation and participation in a meaningful society. The digital divide: Africa’s growing issue Now, more than ever, the world is starting to recognise the essential role internet connectivity plays in helping to overcome some of the world’s biggest issues, including education, healthcare and…

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Is democracy in decline in Africa?

Is democracy in decline in Africa?

BY RONAK GOPALDAS Do recent coups in Chad, Mali, Guinea and Sudan mean that democracy in Africa is failing? This notion is fuelled by internet shutdowns, muzzling of the opposition and rising third termism. But evidence suggests that while there are pockets of concern, a robust democratic culture is in fact growing in many parts of the continent.  In 2017, elections delivered peaceful power…

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