Vol 61 No 7 | SOUTH AFRICACOVID-19 Cyril's double crisis 2nd April 2020 Drastic measures to contain the pandemic, coupled with the Moody’s downgrade, have strengthened the President’s hand – for now The South African government has vowed to respond to the double shock of the coronavirus pandemic and a credit ratings downgrade by making overdue structural reforms to prevent the...
Vol 61 No 7 | CONGO-KINSHASACOVID-19 The Kabila Strain 2nd April 2020 The health damage is not yet clear, but the economic consequences of the virus are grave, as the previous and current presidents squabble The Covid-19 pandemic took until the middle of March, when the first domestic cases were reported, to rouse the government. Then, on 18 March, President Félix Tshisekedi ann...
Vol 61 No 7 | NIGERIACOVID-19 Lagos takes the lead 2nd April 2020 After speculation about his health and whether he was even in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari gave a belated televised address on 29 March announcing a lockdown of Abuja, L... READ FOR FREE
Vol 61 No 7 | ZIMBABWECOVID-19 Healthcare for dollars 2nd April 2020 The first reaction of Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front high-ups to the pandemic was to blame the West, or at least to gloat at its misfortune. Defence Minister and Z... READ FOR FREE
Vol 61 No 7 | BOTSWANACOVID-19 Relying on the neighbours 2nd April 2020 President Mokgweetsi Masisi's leadership on the coronavirus crisis got off to a bad start. On 21 March, days after telling the nation about isolating, not travelling, and all the o...
Vol 61 No 7 | ANGOLACOVID-19 Debt crisis deepens 2nd April 2020 Even without the coronavirus pandemic it was always doubtful that 2020 would be the year Angola would return to growth, as President João Lourenço had promised. After...
Vol 61 No 7 | NAMIBIACOVID-19 Virus rattles SWAPO 2nd April 2020 Although the coronavirus pandemic has yet to affect Namibia seriously – as April began there were only 10 confirmed cases and no deaths – President Hage Geingob's government has in...
Vol 61 No 7 | EGYPTCOVID-19 Army steps up role 2nd April 2020 Egypt has been one of countries most severely affected in Africa, with cases approaching 1,000 and deaths nearing 50 as March came to an end. The first cases were linked with a Nil...
Vol 61 No 7 | LESOTHOCOVID-19 A diversion for the premier 2nd April 2020 One person who may have welcomed the coronavirus was Prime Minster Thomas Thabane, who was in a terminal political crisis when it struck. He had promised to resign by July but now ...
Vol 61 No 7 | KENYACOVID-19 Locking down politics 2nd April 2020 The coronavirus pandemic will not only leave Kenyans much poorer, but also change the political landscape profoundly, according to the latest thinking. One likely casualty will be ... READ FOR FREE