Tag Archives: democracy

Why it is a loss for any democracy Kampala, Uganda | GLENDA DANIELS | The newspaper industry in many countries is in the doldrums. Retrenchments have become the norm with experienced journalists who specialise in a particular reporting area – known as “beat reporting” – are among the first to …

Taking democratic temperature as a dozen countries prepare for polls Kampala, Uganda | JOHN J STREMLAU | Visiting Professor of International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand More than a dozen national elections will be held across Africa next year. All 55 members of the African Union (AU) are obligated to hold …

America’s ideals of freedom, democracy, and justice for all are now under open attack COMMENT | JOSEPH E. STIGLITZ | The United States has long held itself up as a bastion of democracy. It has promoted democracy around the world. It fought, at great cost, for democracy against fascism in Europe …

Autocrats and counterfeit democrats have perfected the art of rigging polls to stay in power — without breaking any laws.  Kampala, Uganda | NIC CHEESEMAN & BRIAN KLAAS | In Ukraine’s 2004 presidential election, droves of voters turned out in opposition strongholds, hoping to oust the incumbent, Viktor Yanukovych. Upon arrival …

Far-right politicians like Trump and Bolsonaro have exploited frustration-fanned anger, tribalism COMMENT | KAUSHIK BASU | Jair Bolsonaro, the president-elect of Brazil, is a far-right, gun-loving, media-baiting hyper-nationalist. The fact that he would be right at home among many of today’s global leaders – including the leaders of some of the …

Reporters need be allowed to work because silencing them increases crimes and threatens democracy COMMENT | ROBERT MAHONEY | What does it cost to silence a muckraking reporter? In the Philippines, officials needed just $250 in 2011 to buy the services of a journalist-slaying gunman. In Slovakia, Ján Kuciak and his …

The right to trustworthy information produced in a free and pluralistic environment is under threat COMMENT | SHIRIN EBADI & CHRISTOPHE DELOIRE | On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, affirming the view that “the will of the people” – democracy – …

Democracy from below could be the antidote to addiction to power by leaders who refuse to leave office COMMENT | KEALEBOGA J MAPHUNYE | Some African countries have recorded democratic victories in the past 12 months. Ethiopia has a new leader whose ascent holds great promise for change, despite the country’s …

Mass resignation of columnists from The Nation shows press freedom means holding owners accountable COMMENT | NANJALA NYABOLA | On March 27, eight columnists from the Nation Media Group resigned from the Nation newspaper, citing a lack of editorial independence. For Kenya’s largest daily, the exodus of top talent was the …

Why it is not true that African presidents can do whatever they want, unencumbered by democratic constraints COMMENT | NIC CHEESEMAN | Africa is often imagined to be a place in which presidents can do whatever they want, unencumbered by constitutional or democratic constraints. A large body of literature has developed …