Politics, Religion and Power in the Great Lakes Region covers the political, religious and power relations in the contemporary Great Lakes States: Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Kenya and the Sudan. The work is important because of the nexus between these countries' shared present and past - their political, socio-economic, cultural and historical aspirations. In terms of regional cooperation, they are the countries, save for the DRC and the Sudan, which form the current East African Community (EAC).
The book reflects on the complex dynamics and strategies of the ensuing power struggle, bringing forth a unique set of fascinating revelations of patterns of primitive capital accumulation, resistance, human rights violations and the political compromises between traditional enemies when confronted by a common (foreign) enemy. A critical analysis of the political distortion the region suffered brings to light the relevance of these divisive tools on the current trends in the African countries, drawing inferences from the African Great Lakes Region (GLR).
The study highlights how the conflicts were finally resolved to avert a serious war, thus bringing about new reforms. This history is instructive to the contemporary reader because of the frequent skirmishes caused by ethnic and religious differences, political and territorial conflicts as well as resource and leadership disputes in the GLR.
Murindwa-Rutanga is a professor of Political Science at Makerere University. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Makerere University, and a Master of Art Degree in the same discipline from the same University. He has a one-year postgraduate certificate in Research Training methods from the prestigious centre for studies in Social Science, Calcutta and a degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Political Science from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. He is a former Head of the Political Science Department, Makerere University and he is serving as external examiner for different universities. He has authored numerous articles and published widely locally, regionally and internationally. He co-edited three volumes of Confronting Twenty-First Century Challenges. His fields of specialisation include politics, labour and social movements, as well as agrarian, gender, subaltern, religious and cultural studies.
ISBN: 978 286978 492 5
CODESRIA 2011
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The Great Lakes region of Africa is characterized by protest politics, partial democratization, political illegitimacy and unstable economic growth. Many of the countries that are members of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) which are: Burundi, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia, have experienced political violence and bloodshed at one time or another. While a few states have been advancing electoral democracy, environmental protection and peaceful state building, the overall intensity of violence in the region has led to civil wars, invasion, genocide, dictatorships, political instability, and underdevelopment. Efforts to establish sustainable peace, meaningful socio-economic development and participatory democracy have not been quite successful. Using various methodologies and paradigms, this book interrogates the complexity of the causes of these conflicts; and examines their impact and implications for socio-economic development of the region. The non-consensual actions related to these conflicts and imperatives of power struggles supported by the agents of ‘savage’ capitalism have paralysed efforts toward progress. The book therefore recommends new policy frameworks within regionalist lenses and neo-realist politics to bring about sustainable peace in the region.
Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo is Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of International Studies at Wells College. A Visiting Scholar in the Department of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University, he has been serving as an External Examiner in the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana since 2012. Also, he has taught political science in many universities and colleges, including the University of Liberia where he was the Chair of the Department of Political Science. His research interests include world politics, higher education (comparative and international), international political economy, South-South relations, peace, security and development studies as well as Africa-Asia relations.
ISBN : 978 2 86978 720 9
CODESRIA 2017