Tag Archives: America

By Andrew M. Mwenda Why Obama’s proposed military strike against the government of Assad is likely to make a bad situation worse President Barack Obama’s decision on a military strike against Syria demonstrates the triumph of politics over policy, fear over reason and tactics over strategy. Obama had drawn a …

By Andrew M. Mwenda A teenager is killed. The killer is acquitted. The country is USA. The teenager was black. Sounds familiar? Yes! Here is why. Preamble from the Huffington Post: In March 2013, 16-year old unarmed Kimani Gray was shot seven times, including three times in his back by …

By Andrew Mwenda How the US war on terror threatens to undermine the cause of individual liberty In 1948, George Orwell published his novel, 1984, a classic statement of the danger to individual liberty paused by increasing technological sophistication, especially in the hands of the state. The novel is set …

By Haggai Matsiko Sudan frustrates UPDF, America hunt for Kony As reports persist that Sudan is harboring Lord’s Resistance Army warlord Joseph Kony, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry Oryem, has told The Independent that the UPDF is maintaining a strong force at the border with DRC to …

By Dani Rodrik The symptoms are there that the US will ultimately be undone by the poor quality of its democratic discourse With its presidential election over, the United States can finally take a breather from campaign politics, at least for a while. But an uncomfortable question lingers: How is …

By Andrew M. Mwenda The presidential election in America, although run by two political parties, actually offers little choice for the ordinary voter As the American election gets near, the partisans on either side have assembled to criticise one another and show that there are actually serious policy differences between …

By Ian Buruma A certain percentage of voters will not vote for a black man, whatever he says, or however good he looks in a debate What is the point of a presidential debate? In the context of American presidential elections, “debate” is something of a misnomer. When former French …

By Andrew M. Mwenda Who should lecture the other about how to exercise restraint in the face of severe security threats? Last week, I was invited by Rwanda’s minister of foreign affairs, the pleasant Louise Mushikiwabo, to attend a public lecture by United States permanent representative to the United Nations, …

By John Njoroge The Independents John Njoroge attended a press briefing by the new U.S. Ambassador Jerry P. Lanier. Excerpts. What is your opinion about Uganda’s preparedness for the 2011 general elections? We are anxious that the preparations move forward. We know that there are some questions about a number …

By Joseph Were Otunnu reveals source of pressure Will it make the 2011 elections free and fair? The road ahead was straight smooth tarmac. Visibility was clear as the sunny day had not yet given way to darkness. Hoping to hurry passed the truck in front which was moving way …