democracy

Angola’s justice minister, Rui Mangueira, states that the Angolan nation has, since the proclamation of independence, promoted and defended the rights and freedoms of human beings, both individually and organised in social groups.

According to Mangueira, such rights are guaranteed by the legislative, executive and judicial powers, through their organs and institutions, as stipulated in various international legal instruments.

Swaziland police officers have illegally abducted prodemocracy leaders over the weekend, drove them 30 kilometres away, and dumped them to prevent them from taking part in a meeting calling for freedom in the kingdom.

The police officers staged roadblocks on all major roads leading to Swaziland's main commercial city, Manzini, where protests were to be held.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has been found to be woefully ill-prepared to stop intimidation of their rivals by members of political parties ahead of 7 May 2014 general election.

A report by the Community Agency for Social Enquiry (CASE) has found that the IEC has no way of monitoring or curbing intimidation.

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) says that as the country celebrates 20 years of democracy, women are still faced with a number of challenges.

The commission, which is an independent and statutory body created in terms of the South African Constitution, states that one of the challenges that women face is being discriminated against because of their gender.

CGE chairperson, Mfanozelwe Shozi, has been speaking at the start of the three day national gender summit in Benoni in Ekurhuleni on Gauteng's East Rand.

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) says that provincial legislatures must insist on debating e-tolling legislation as the South African National Roads Agency Limited implements future e-tolling projects.
 
OUTA spokesperson, John Clarke, points out that, "There can be no argument against the fact that an e-toll system introduced within the confines of any urban area will have a considerable impact on road congestion, maintenance, and other pertinent matters at a provincial level."
 

Mozambique's transition to democracy after the signing of the 1992 General Peace Agreement (GPA) has been welcomed as a positive example of conflict management.

High economic growth rates and investments have helped to classify Mozambique as a successful peacebuilding story.

However, judging not only by current events in Mozambique but also by what has taken place since its transition to democracy, the Mozambique peacebuilding process may be considered progressive but not entirely successful.

African Union’s (AU) chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, says the union is worried about the growing trend of unconcern towards electoral processes among young people in democracies across Africa.  
 
Speaking at a gala dinner to mark the 160th anniversary of Adams College, Dlamini-Zuma states that it is essential for young people in Africa to become active in shaping the future they are to inherit.
 
She has encouraged the youth to participate in elections and policy development initiatives aswell as to hold their governments accountable.
 

As the continent progresses in key areas, Mo Ibrahim, philanthropist and founder of Mo Ibrahim Foundation, says we need to move decisively away from both Afro-optimistic and Afro-pessimistic headlines.
 
The Foundation published the ‘2013 Ibrahim Index of African Governance’, an index which tells us that the outlook is mixed and that neither Afro-pessimism nor Afro-optimism does justice to modern Africa.
 

A report, released by the Afrobarometer, has indicated that the more freely Africans can speak their minds, the more confident they are in the performance of their governments.
 
The report found that half of Africans surveyed in 34 countries across the continent say they are ‘completely free’ to say what they think, while another quarter say they are ‘somewhat free’.