Political problems piling up

Political developments dominating the news in Sub-Saharan Africa over the past month threaten to add to the headwinds facing economic recoveries. Protests in Nigeria that were initially focused on police brutality have morphed into broader discontent with the government. The heavy-handed response risks a prolonged bout of unrest that results in permanent economic damage. Elsewhere, elections are taking place in Tanzania and Côte d’Ivoire. Polls in the former have already been dogged by allegations of irregularities and there are growing fears that the vote in Côte d’Ivoire will be marred by violence as President Ouattara attempts to secure a third term in office. Finally, nationwide strikes that gripped South Africa earlier in October underline the difficult task facing the government in pushing through a three-year public wage freeze that forms the centrepiece of fiscal austerity plans.