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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
Let's show compassion to baby Asli

Her story is heartbreaking not only because she is fighting for her life at such a tender age, but because her parents have spent months navigating a medical journey filled with uncertainty, delays, and rising fear.What began as something that seemed as simple as jaundice has escalated into a life-threatening condition that now requires an urgent liver transplant.For Asli’s parents, the reality is devastating. They are not asking for luxuries...

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