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Significance
This has led to a greater focus on digital strategies and the rise of ‘personal’ or ‘patchwork’ protests in which individuals share images on social media of themselves making personal statements at home. Some of these efforts, such as the ‘bush protest’ in Zambia and the ‘#ZimbabweanLivesMatter’ movement, have gone viral, trending globally.
Impacts
The growing focus and engagement in digital forms of protest will see authoritarian leaders increase their efforts to control these spaces.
Already over-extended Western donors will be reluctant to become more involved in a range of complex democratic struggles in Africa.
Online protests will frequently have more of an impact on international opinion than on domestic election results.
Keywords:
Africa,
AF,
Tanzania,
Zambia,
Zimbabwe,
international relations,
politics,
social,
election,
government,
human rights,
internet,
media,
opposition,
party,
protest,
reform,
regional,
telecommunications,
security
© Oxford Analytica 2020. All rights reserved. This content contains general information about geopolitical, macroeconomic and social developments or (where stated) other matters. It does not contain advice or recommendations that may be relied on. Where links to external websites are provided, this does not indicate that Oxford Analytica or Emerald agree with, endorse or have checked for accuracy the contents of said sites.
2020
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