Is Civil War Coming to Somalia?

COMMENT René Brosius 28 April 2021 The conflict over elections in Somalia[1] , which has been ongoing since last summer, has reached the next stage of escalation. Internationally mediated talks between the government, whose term has constitutionally expired[2] and the National Salvation Council (NSC), consisting of the presidential candidates, the prime ministers of Jubbaland and…

Somalia vs. Kenya – The maritime border dispute

COMMENT René Brosius 09 April 2021 Somalia and Kenya do not have a tension-free relationship. Many reasons for this lie in the conflict-ridden history. The border between the two countries is a disputed colonial legacy. Large ethnic Somali minorities still live on Kenya’s territory, especially in the so-called North Eastern Province. The majority of the…

Encouraging Renewable Energy Deployment in Kenya – Analysing the Legal and PoliticalTools

ANALYSIS Hannah Kadner 12 March 2021 Kenya 2030 – a mission (almost) accomplished. A mission designed to address the issue of insufficient energy supply in the East African country. Considering that Kenya is a so-called developing country (ranking 147th of 189 on the Human Development Index, in 2019) this aim of Kenya`s former president Mwai…

Climate Justice in the Global South

The Chair of African Legal Studies hosted a Seminar on Climate Justice in the Global South. Watch the lectures of leading experts from around the Globe! Part 1: International Institutional Arrangements on Climate Change – Dr. Stephen Turner  Part 2: International Legal Frameworks on Climate Change – Prof. Philippe Cullet Part 3: The African Union…

Education Qualifications as part of Matrimonial Property

ANALYSIS JOAN SMARTS MUKISA 30 October 2020 Matrimonial property is defined as property jointly acquired during the subsistence of a marriage[1]. The nature of contribution can be direct (monetary) or indirect through offering domestic services.[2] Usually the scope of matrimonial property is already existing property and not future property. This is probably why the legal…

Economic Globalization and COVID-19

What lessons for food security in West Africa? OPINION Dr. Alhousseini DIABATE 10 August 2020 Under the impetus of international donors, West African countries have adopted the model of economic globalization and market economy as a means of combating food insecurity. The main argument put forward by the donors is that the globalization model makes it…

Black Lives Matter

Prof. Dr Thoko Kaime 24 June 2020 The Chair of African Legal Studies expresses deep solidarity with the protests against structural racism and its daily manifestations in the USA, in Germany and elsewhere around the world. We firmly support the struggles for justice, equality and the protection of the rights of black people and people…

Luanda Leaks and the Turning Tide of Accountability for Africa‘s Political Elites

COMMENT Prof. Dr Thoko Kaime and Lena Scheibinger, 4 June 2020 Introduction Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of the former president of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos ,faces allegations of corruption and embezzlement of state resources after the publication of the Luanda Leaks: a trove of  more than 715,000 confidential business and financial documents concerning Ms…

Observations on the Malawi Presidential Election Petition of 2019

ANALYSIS Prof. Dr Thoko Kaime, 8 May 2020 On 8 May 2020, the Supreme Court of Malawi upheld the judgement of the Constitutional Court in finding that Peter Mutharika was not duly elected as president of the Republic of Malawi in the May 2019 elections and ordering a fresh election within 150 days. The judgment…