Researchers found that young people in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda and Zimbabwe felt aggrieved about these opportunities being channelled to regime supporters. They also noted the lack of opportunities to have a meaningful voice. Institutions that were established to enable youth participation were co-opted and lacked independence from governments. Some young people express their grievances through pro-democracy protests – like in Mozambique in October 2023. But overall, Africa’s youth are not saving democracy. Neither are they countering the deepening trend of autocratisation on the continent, where incumbent governments have increasingly concentrated power in the hands of the executive. The research has confirmed this in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ethiopia and Uganda.

SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION