the monitor

Governance: Africa’s Achilles' heel

On Monday, in news that anywhere else in the progressive world would be viewed as a poor joke, a 92-year-old was elected to an eighth term as President. In fact, Paul Biya of Cameroon was re-elected, an 'achievement' that allowed him to continue his unenviable reign as the world’s oldest president.

Why this particularly distasteful and embarrassing phenomenon appears to especially plague Africa is the subject of many theses, tomes of literature and other studies. Simply, however, it is the normalisation of aberrant politics on our continent, a blatant refusal by generations of politicians to allow the free expression of their citizens’ aspirations in governance and development.

To be clear, this is not about race: even in the world’s richest democracy, the United States, the leader there has tested the waters about an unconstitutional third term.

Editor's Comment
Rising abortion figures demand urgent action

Instead, they should serve as a warning to health authorities, community leaders, and policymakers that something is not right. According to the Palapye District Development Committee’s latest report, 130 abortion cases were recorded between April and June 2026.On the face of it, the overall figure may represent a decline from the preceding quarter. However, going deeper into the figures, the monthly trend tells a different and more worrying...

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