The harrowing story of Kakwenza Rukirabashaija—a Ugandan writer whose tweets critical of President Yoweri Museveni and his powerful son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, landed him in detention—has made it impossible to pretend that the repression and political violence that accompanied the 2021 election cycle were temporary features of Uganda’s political landscape.

The example of Nigeria’s consequential upcoming elections could shape politics across the continent. 

As the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group expands its Africa footprint, questions remain about what “neutrality” really looks like for African governments.