Column

  Where is Sophia? A mother’s cry of despair and her unwavering search for her missing daughter COMMENT |  Marije Slijkerman | October 28, 2019, marks four years without Sophia. Our lovely, smart, strong-willed, lively, cheerful, ambitious and beautiful daughter and sister. It is unreal, incomprehensible, unacceptable and unbearable. It is said …

Why young people in East Africa should stop agonising and begin organising THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | This week I was in Arusha Tanzania to speak at a conference of youths from East Africa organised by YouLead. They came bustling with the energy and zest. I was …

Generosity is one of the key components of Africa’s community life COMMENT | Vanessa Kimuri & Julius Domba | Africa is largely considered an evincible inferior continent by many; and poor. Most people appreciate the high levels of material poverty that strike the lives of the Africans unfavourably across the continent. …

  How Museveni, Besigye and Bobi Wine are birds of a feather that only fly apart THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | This week, the state brought out the full power of riot police to bear on opposition activist, Dr. Kizza Besigye. Using water cannons, they took direct …

Why Makerere University students (and lecturers) do not need or deserve special treatment THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | The strike by Makerere University students over a 15% increase in fees, actually based on a recommendation by the Students Guild, has dominated media for a week. The government …

  How Western efforts to remake Africa have changed from colonialism to international development assistance THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | Last week, I was invited to speak on international development assistance (foreign aid) at the geopolitical conference at Makerere University organised by the French embassy and the …

DORIS AKOL: How IFFs reduce and eliminate growth benefits and undermine the development potential of our economies. COMMENT | DORIS AKOL | Illicit Financial Outflows (IFFs) are a major source of leakage of economic value from African economies. Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) can be traced back to commercial activities such as …

  THE LAST WORD: Why the plan to hand Bashir over to the ICC is misguided and will likely be counterproductive THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | The new government of Sudan has given a major indication that it will hand its former president, Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, …

  COMMENT | POPE FRANCIS  | The yearly celebration of World Food Day makes us hear the dramatic plea of those of our brothers and sisters who suffer from hunger and malnutrition. Despite efforts made in recent decades, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is yet to be implemented in many parts of the world. …

Why her success at democratisation is a result of the absence of foreign interference in her politics THE LAST WORLD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | This week Tunisians voted in the second parliamentary elections since the 2011 Arab Spring. Over 15,000 candidates vied for the 217 parliamentary seats. There was …