Guarding the Guardians: Civil-Military Relations and Democratic Governance in Africa, by Mathurin C. Houngnikpo. Ashgate, London. £55 hardback. Reining in Africa’s armed forces. Will African militaries ever accept civilian control? Desmond Davies reviews a book that explores this thorny issue.
A year ago, the coup in Niger once again raised the spectre of unconstitutional changes of governments in Africa. The continent, first through the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and now the African Union (AU), frowns upon these illegal actions. In the case of Niger, the matter was more complicated….
Africa’s Liberation: The Legacy of Nyerere, edited by Chambi Chachage and Annar Cassam. Pambazuka Press, £12.95 paperback
Reviewed by Desmond Davies, Africa Editor, North-South magazine, London. Fitting tribute to Mwalimu The late Tanzanian President, Julius Nyerere, was greatly misunderstood when he was in power. It was only when he stepped down that his critics realised that he meant well for his country and Africa. And that his…
Crafting an African Security Architecture: Addressing Regional Peace and Conflict in the 21st Century, edited by Hany Besada. Ashgate. UK. £55 hardback
Reviewed by Desmond Davies, Africa Editor, North-South magazine, London One of the overarching aims of the African Union, which was established in 2002, is to ensure that human security takes precedence over state security. This has been a thorny issue for some of the continent’s leaders who feel that the…
