How Covid-19 reshaped Africa’s landscape

As the sun set on 2020, a year primarily defined by the Covid-19 pandemic, all segments of society in Africa have been affected. Some areas suffered more than others, but none have been spared. In the democracy and good governance space, analysts, civil society groups, donors and implementers worried that the onset of the pandemic would drive a rise of authoritarianism. In a Mail & Guardian analysis, Gregory Kearns and Mvemba Dizolele notes that one year after the first cases emerged, and despite some evidence that suggests authoritarian governments may have reduced civic and political space, one cannot conclude that this is the case. ‘On one hand, authoritarian governments may have seized on the pandemic to tighten control of the civic space and freedom of expression. In some cases, public health measures enabled them to further restrict the ability of opposition candidates to engage citizens and mount effective campaigns. On the other hand, civil society and democracy actors have adjusted accordingly and found other avenues to further their engagement. The authors note that much has been said and written about digital democracy and how it may be the way of the future and Covid-19 has forced an acceleration and expansion of this trend. ‘Civil society organisations and their partners have capitalised on technology and leveraged digital platforms, such as Zoom, Teams and others, to carry on their activities. In response to public health measures, they have moved their critical initiatives — that is, training workshops, rallies and other gatherings — online where skilled trainers and facilitators now have access to higher numbers of participants. Online programming offers several advantages, including the transferability of content. Training can be portable and offshored if the local environment is particularly sensitive. Training materials can be more easily shared. With a few country exceptions, mainly in the Sahel and central Africa, there has been a seamless transition to online learning.’