Mabadiliko. Change. One word is all it takes for a bus crammed full of passengers to descend into uproar with each person clamoring to be heard. Here in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, most people are happy to openly discuss politics and keen to explain why their party should lead the country. Talk of the elections has dominated the TV, radio …
Trump cuts to the heart of White American fears
While his speeches target Mexican American immigrants, convenient scape-goats for White conservative anger, his arguments cut to the heart of the anxiety that all Americans feel. He, however, has chosen to align his gospel with the interests of the traditional base of the Republican Party while targeting politically vulnerable groups in his campaigns.
What happened to the politics of principle?
We are told by politicians and political experts not to trust the polls. Yet, the panicking behaviour of a number of Labour party members in light of a recent poll suggests many do not heed this advice. According to the latest YouGov poll, in the first round of the Labour leadership contest Jeremy Corbyn is set to win 43% of …
Along Came UKIP
The UK Independence Party has now secured two parliamentary seats in the space of a few weeks, effectively setting them to be the key power broker in the next election. What has been most surprising is the general meekness and kow-towing of the main parties to UKIP’s stance on the EU and immigration. They could, in various ways, have exerted …
Tunisian elections and the story of Mahabba
Around the world, people are celebrating the long awaited success of the Arab Spring reflected in the successful elections taking place in Tunisia. As Libya and Syria continue to be mired in civil war and Egypt suffers from the military coup that ended any hope for a democratic process in the country, Tunisia now symbolises a successful transition from a …