Editorial

In August last year when Angola’s Eduardo dos Santos handed over power to a protégé, very few analysts suspected that it was the onset of the Southern Africa Spring. For one, the process lacked the socio political upheaval of the Arab Spring which threw out leaders like Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and Libya’s Muammar Ghaddafi,  hitherto thought untouchable. Also, the process was internal to the ruling political circles. The 74 year old former liberation fighter, was stepping down after 38 years in power. He was Africa’s longest serving head of state. Only Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema has lasted longer in power.