The Generational Political Divide: the Case of Uganda and Zimbabwe

CAS is happy to be holding its first Africa Table special feature of the year, this Wednesday at 12pm with prominent Zimbabwean lawyer and constitutional expert, Dr. Alex Magaisa. Join us as we discuss the apparent divide between young African politicians, activists and wider civil society attempting to chart a way toward a more democratic Africa, while an older 'liberation and independence' generation of politicians leads governments across the continent with--more often than not--an iron first. Dr. Magaisa's work on the fight for democratic change in Zimbabwe through his blog the 'Big Saturday Read' as well as his work as a constitutional lawyer will provide us with insight on how this relationship is playing out in Zimbabwe, while taking a comparative look at Uganda.

Check out the event recording here

About the Speaker

Dr. Alex Magaisa is a prominent Zimbabwean lawyer and constitutional expert currently teaching law at the University of Kent Law School in England. Between 2012 and 2013, he was chief of staff and principal advisor to Morgan Tsvangirai, then Zimbabwe’s prime minister in a coalition government and leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, the country’s main opposition party. In 2011–2012, Dr. Magaisa served as a key advisor to COPAC, the parliamentary committee that wrote Zimbabwe’s new Constitution, which was approved at a referendum and signed into law in 2013. He is the author of a widely acclaimed blog offering in-depth analyses of law and politics in Zimbabwe. During his fellowship, Dr. Magaisa wrote a handbook on citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms under the new constitution, a project aimed at enhancing a culture of constitutionalism and democratic citizenship in Zimbabwe.