Not a week goes by in South Africa without a development that points to growing discord over Jacob Zuma’s presidency. And, increasingly, those opposing him are turning to the courts. Last week the Constitutional Court was asked to rule on whether or not parliamentarians should be allowed a secret ballot when voting on a motion of no confidence in the president. The court said it was up to the speaker of parliament to make the decision. But, writes Richard Calland, Zuma has already made it clear that he expects the speaker to decide that a secret ballot is inappropriate - or unnecessary.
Tribal politics in Kenya has given rise to corruption, marginalisation, disenfranchisement of communities and full-blown violence. A stock take of the present ethnic reality shows that tribalism is more entrenched than ever. Daisy Maritim-Maina makes a case for the politics of ideology as the country heads into a general election.
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South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma isn’t blinking despite suffering another resounding loss in the Constitutional Court.
Reuters/Mike Hutchings
Richard Calland, University of Cape Town
President Jacob Zuma has been brought to book repeatedly by South Africa's courts. He also faces a rising tide of discontent. One way or another, he seems to be running out of political lives.
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Politics + Society
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Daisy Maritim-Maina, SMC University
Kenya must address the problem of tribalism and ethnic violence. To do this leaders must critically examine the concept of political ideology.
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Business + Economy
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Michèle Olivier, University of Hull
For real integration to happen, the Pan African Parliament needs to be imbued with supranational law-making powers. But national sovereignty is something that many states are reluctant to give up.
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Environment + Energy
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Asfawossen Asrat, Addis Ababa University; Andrew Parker, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies
Solar radiation management might be able to reduce some of the risks of global warming while countries get their emissions under control.
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Health + Medicine
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Charles Shey Wiysonge, South African Medical Research Council; Jimmy Volmink, Stellenbosch University
South Africa has become the first country on the continent to purchase a national licence to the Cochrane library -- giving everyone access to evidence-based information about health care.
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Science + Technology
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Dr Saahier Parker, Human Sciences Research Council
South Africans will not see the value that science and technology adds to their daily lives until there is more interest in areas of science.
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From our international editions
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Steven Barnett, University of Westminster
Journalism is the first casualty as two UK newspapers with competing world views go to war.
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Nick Lehr, The Conversation
The story of African-American music is a story of eclipsing expectations and subverting norms.
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Benjamin Isakhan, Deakin University; Jose Antonio Gonzalez Zarandona, Deakin University
The Great Mosque of Mosul - with its iconic leaning minaret - appeared on one of Iraq's banknotes. Its destruction by the Islamic State is an act of great symbolic importance.
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Ken Chitwood, University of Florida
There are an estimated 3,500 to 5,000 Muslims in Puerto Rico. Who are they and what is their history?
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