In countries such as Uganda, Zimbabwe and Egypt female champions are beaten up, sexually abused, jailed and even "disappeared"

Both authoritarian and democratic governments are responding to the coronavirus crisis by instituting frightening new powers

Recent judgments in Kenya and Malawi are encouraging. But democratic reform is impossible unless presidents and electoral commissions play their part

Only by demonstrating that it would perform better in office while building trust within the wider population can the opposition force improvements in the electoral system while also growing the party

By pushing their usually valid complaints onto the streets and the courts, opposition leaders deny governments the popular goodwill and international credibility they need to govern effectively

The unstable pathway many post-colonial African states followed was facilitated by the way in which European empires undermined democratic elements

An update of How to Rig an Election is a guide to new strategies used by authoritarian leaders to stay in power

A proposed amendment to its Constitution may turn Zambia into a de facto one-party state

No continent has suffered more from Britain’s ‘hostile environment’ immigration policy

In the recent Nigerian election WhatsApp was used to mislead voters. But it also strengthened democracy in other areas

Getting women into politics is only half of the challenge. The second half is to make sure that women are not only seen, but also heard

One of the most misleading myths about African politics is the idea of the all-powerful leader who rules on their own through their cunning and wit