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As Cameroon approaches its presidential election on October 12, 2025, it is reported that the political atmosphere is marked by uncertainty, frustration, and a sense of democratic fatigue. The incumbent President Paul Biya, now 92 years old and the world’s oldest serving head of state, has officially announced his candidacy for an eighth term. The announcement was posted via verified social media channels. Biya, having ruled Cameroon since 1982, his re-election bid, though widely anticipated and predictable, has reignited contentious debates over legitimacy, succession, and the future of democracy in Cameroon. Biya’s announcement comes amid mounting concerns about his fitness to govern, especially considering his age and regular absence from the public eye, which has fuelled speculation about his health and capacity.
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By Tendai Mbanje & Tito Magoti
As Tanzanians brace for the October 2025 general elections, the country finds itself at a perilous juncture. Once hailed for its peaceful transitions and political maturity, Tanzania is now witnessing a quiet but dangerous erosion of democratic norms. The silence from regional bodies like the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) in the face of mounting electoral concerns is not merely a lapse in oversight it is a form of complicity that erodes the very democratic norms these institutions were created to uphold
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As Malawians prepare to head to the polls on September 16, 2025, the country finds itself at a dangerous crossroads. A phenomenon distinct from previous elections in the country's democratic history. The silence from regional bodies, such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU), is deafening. Once praised for its relative stability in a region often plagued by contested elections, Malawi is now grappling with intensifying violence, growing political distrust, and deepening public skepticism over its electoral institutions. The echoes of the annulled 2019 elections still ring loud and this time, the stakes are even higher.
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Zororai Nkomo and Rutendo Mugabe
Introduction
The discovery of transition minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and rare earth elements, across the African continent has been hailed as a gateway to economic transformation and a vital contribution to the global shift toward a just energy transition. These minerals are essential for powering renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and the broader decarbonisation agenda. Yet, this promise comes with a troubling cost: the exploitation of children.
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Every year on June 18, the world comes together to observe the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, a solemn reminder that words can wound deeply and sometimes irreparably. Hate speech is not a new problem. Throughout history, language has been weaponised to demean, divide, and destroy, but today, in our interconnected digital age, the scale, speed, and sophistication of hate speech’s spread are unprecedented. This is especially true in Africa, a continent marked by extraordinary diversity in ethnicity, religion, culture, and language, where hate speech can quickly inflame tensions and threaten peace. The devastating consequences of hate speech in Africa are not merely theoretical. The 1994 Rwandan genocide stands as the darkest example, where incendiary radio broadcasts and printed propaganda dehumanised the Tutsi minority, turning words into deadly action. This tragedy also became a powerful lesson in the importance of vigilance, legal safeguards, and coordinated responses to hateful rhetoric.
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As of August 2023, with a total of 220, the African continent is regarded as the region that has experienced the highest number of military coups, hereafter, referred to as coups.[1] In fact, The Economist speculates that the continent will continue to witness an increase in the number of coups.[2] Since 2020, two specific regions of Africa that are almost considered as the ‘epicentre’ of coups are the Sahel and West regions. Exacerbated by corruption, authoritarian rule, entrenched social injustices, and fragile economies, the situation in some states has compelled the military to overthrow presidents and seize power. This has been the case in Guinea, Mali and Gabon where presidents have clung to power for too long, stifling the progress of democratic governance. However, a troubling pattern emerged in the aftermath of coups, as military leaders are often reluctant to relinquish power and organise democratic elections that would allow citizens to choose their representatives.
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By Belinda Matore, project officer in the Expression, Information and Digital Rights Unit at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Human Rights.
Advocacy has found a powerful ally in social media. Platforms like TikTok, X and Facebook have transformed local injustices into national conversations, often within hours. Yet as the line between activism and exploitation grows increasingly blurred, we must ask: at what cost does awareness come? The tragic case of Cwecwe, a seven-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted at Bergview College in the Eastern Cape, serves as a stark reminder of how digital activism can devolve into digital exploitation.
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By: Belinda Matore
Historical Significance of 21 March
Every year on 21 March, South Africa commemorates Human Rights Day, a day that serves as both a tribute to the struggles of the past and a reminder of the ongoing quest for equality, justice, and dignity for all. This date is deeply rooted in the history of the Republic of South Africa, marking the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960 which was a pivotal moment in South Africa’s fight against apartheid.
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By Tendai Mbanje and Ludo Sekga
Botswana, often lauded for its stability and peace in the heart of Southern Africa, faces a troubling challenge of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The nation's police service reported alarming statistics of 60 rape cases, 19 murders, and 13 defilements in the festive period between the 19th of December and the 2nd of January 2025. The rise of GBV and its patterns requires urgent attention and has prompted calls for action from numerous actors, particularly the government. With less than three months as the nation’s President, Advocate Duma Gideon Boko steps into a pivotal role at a critical time. With his glowing record of human rights protection and advocacy, many wonder if he will take decisive actions to address this deep-seated social epidemic in the country.
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By Dr Lydia T. Chibwe and Dr Sindiso Nkomo of the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria
In Africa, millions of girls struggle to access education, and one of the most overlooked barriers is period poverty. A lack of affordable menstrual products, limited sanitation facilities and pervasive cultural taboos around menstruation result in many girls missing school every month. This disrupts their academic progress, harms their self-esteem and diminishes their future opportunities. The situation is even worse for girls with disabilities.
