Vol 61 No 24 | NAMIBIA SWAPO swept away 3rd December 2020 The electorate dealt a stunning blow to the ruling SWAPO Party in the 25 November municipal elections, costing it its majority in four of the country's 14 regions. Disaffection amo...
Vol 61 No 24 | ZAMBIA Creditors fume as the beat goes on 21st November 2020 After the default, the bondholders and Chinese creditors are jostling for priority but secrecy and local politics are blocking a credible solution National politics and geopolitics are set to scupper any attempts to resolve the crisis over Zambia's more than US$12 billion foreign debt. There is little sign that President Edga...
Vol 61 No 23 | SOUTH AFRICA Ace arrest boosts Cyril 19th November 2020 The pro-Zuma ANC leader is standing his ground in the face of corruption charges, but his position weakens as pressure mounts The 10 November arrest of the second most powerful politician in the ruling African National Congress on charges of corruption, following more than 100 graft-related arrests in rec...
Vol 61 No 23 | BOTSWANANAMIBIA Shooting and fishing 19th November 2020 Relations between neighbours Botswana and Namibia have hit a new low following the shooting dead of four Namibians by the Botswana army along the Chobe river frontier on 5 November...
Vol 61 No 23 | MALAWI By-election bust-up 19th November 2020 President Lazarus Chakwera's Malawi Congress Party won a narrow victory over its coalition partner, the United Transformation Movement, in the bitterly contested Karonga Central by...
Vol 61 No 23 | ANGOLA Mounting protests face police violence 13th November 2020 Young activists are demonstrating against rocketing prices, worsening unemployment and double-standards on corruption President João Lourenço faces deepening public anger over the country's economic implosion and accusations that his anti-corruption campaign is replacing one set of dishonest offic...
Vol 61 No 23 | MALAWI Stress test for the Tonse Alliance 9th November 2020 The ruling coalition parties are fighting each other in by-elections amid the challenges of turning a new page in a time of austerity Campaigning for the by-election in the northern seat of Karonga Central on Tuesday 10 November has been exposing the widening cracks in the ruling coalition, especially between the...
Vol 61 No 22 | SOUTH AFRICA The 'Ramaphosa Compromise' 5th November 2020 The medium-term budget is seen by some as a fudge in the struggle between liberalising reform and preserving the state sector The government has firmly held the line against the left and the labour movement's efforts to defend ailing state-owned enterprises. President Cyril Ramaphosa is also boosting the ...
Vol 61 No 22 | MOZAMBIQUETANZANIA Insurgents cross border 5th November 2020 Many noted the bitter irony of President John Magufuli's government arresting all the leaders of Tanzania's opposition parties on clearly absurd terrorism charges (see Feature) at ...
Vol 61 No 21 | ZIMBABWE The limits on the economy 22nd October 2020 As dissent grows and government lacks finance for a new land scheme, the finance minister insists prospects are brightening Rejecting the gathering gloom about the national economy, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube released a budget strategy paper on 16 October forecasting the economy would grow by 7.4% ne...