Citizens in four corners of Africa are protesting against government policies

Citizens in the four cardinal points of Africa — Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tunisia — have in recent weeks hit the streets over economic woes and political strife in their respective countries.

Led by opposition leaders, angry people in Kenya in the east, Nigeria in the west, South Africa in the south, and Tunisia in the north — with a combined population of 343 million— protested against the high cost of living, and called for constitutional reforms. They took to the streets, angered by their respective president’s inaction to address economic and political problems plaguing their countries.

Kenyans took to the streets of Nairobi and other cities Monday (20 March) for a day of action called by the opposition despite a ban on the demonstrations, protesting the country’s cost of living crisis. Kenyans are suffering from surging prices of basic necessities, as well as a sharp drop in the local shilling against the US dollar and a drought that has left millions hungry.

In Nigeria, the main opposition party candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, have led protests against both, the results of the recent polls and the rising cost of living in the west African nation of 219 million. Nigerians have had it rough with a depreciating currency, inflation, insecurity, and a rise in the cost of living.

In Tunisia, thousands have rallied in the streets of the capital Tunis, protesting President Kais Saied’s perceived autocratic rule, accusing him of cracking down on dissenting politicians, labor union figures, judges, a prominent businessman and the head of an independent radio station.

South Africans have faced a prolonged economic downturn with no hope of recovery under president Ramaphosa’s regime. The country of 59 million is battling a critical energy crisis. Analysts say it could lose $13 billion due to load shedding alone this year.