By Fiona Mungai (PfAL4, Kenya) and Yusuf Kiranda (PfAL4, Uganda)

The recent collapse of the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta does not come as a surprise. The turn of events was perhaps expected owing to the incessant failure of the Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, to gather crucial evidence against the President. Uhuru Kenyatta faced charges of crimes against humanity after a wave of violence erupted following the 2008 elections. Besides this development setting precedence as the first trial to challenge the pertinence of the international courts in delivering justice to Africa, it raises fundamental questions regarding the future of the ICC.

For the full article, please visit the Africa@LSE blog.

By Michael Mbate (PfAL4, Kenya)

Economic growth in most African countries is on a positive trajectory, and the global perception of the continent has evolved to that of sheer optimism. The civil wars and conflicts that marred the continent have significantly declined. Concurrently, economic management is becoming prudent, a middle class is emerging, and social indicators are rapidly improving. No wonder the United Nations hailed the continent as a potential global growth pole. Other sentiments such as “Africa is rising” or “Lions on the move” are not hard to come by. While this turnaround solicits some degree of accolade, the key challenge is to ensure that this growth is sustainable, inclusive and translates into equitable improved standards of living.

For the full article, visit the Africa@LSE blog.

On 31 October, nine PfAL4 scholars headed towards Cumberland Lodge with more than 30 of their classmates for the annual MSc Development Management Cumberland Lodge trip. Genevieve Imbali (PfAL4, Kenya) co-wrote an article recapping the event in LSE’s International Development blog, which can be accessed here.

For many, the choice to go to Sierra Leone for a job working on the Ebola response would be very difficult. But for Helen Mayelle, it was an opportunity to come to the aid of people who were in need. She recently wrote about her first week working with Save the Children in Sierra Leone for LSE’s International Development blog, found here.