Governments in kenya , South africa, and the Sudan

Governments in kenya , South africa, and the Sudan

Standard/Elements • SS7CG1 The student will compare and contrast various forms of government. • Describe the ways government systems distribute power: unitary, confederation, and federal. • Explain how governments determine citizen participation: autocratic, oligarchic, and democratic. • Describe the two predominant forms of democratic governments: parliamentary and presidential. • SS7CG2 The student will explain the structures of the modern governments of Africa. • Compare the republican systems of government in the Republic of Kenya and the republic of South Africa to the dictatorship of the republic of the Sudan, distinguishing the form of leadership and the role of the citizen in terms of voting and personal freedoms.

Essential questions • How do the unitary, confederation, and federal systems distribute power? • How do autocratic, oligarchic, and democratic governments determine citizen participation? • What are the components of parliamentary and presidential governments? • What are the differences and similarities between the republican systems of government in the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of South Africa, and the Republic of Sudan in terms of leadership, public voting, and personal freedoms? • How does gender affect access to education in Kenya and Sudan? • What is the impact of government stability on the distribution of resources to combat AIDS and famine across Africa?

The Government of Kenya • In 1963, Kenya became a constitutional republic after years of British rule. • The new constitution guaranteed many freedoms such as freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination. • Any Kenyan 18 years and older is able to vote. • Kenyans vote to elect a president and National assembly representatives.

Up to 70% of Kenyans vote in elections. • Kenya has three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. • Jomo Kenyatta, the first elected president wanted a nation where people of every race had equal opportunities. • Kenya supports a free press, public school, and public health service.

Government in south africa • From April 26 to April 29, 1994 17 million black South Africans over the age of 18 voted for the first time ever. • Apartheid had been eliminated and people were voting for a new national assembly. • The Republic of South Africa gained a new constitution that guarantees many personal freedoms that South Africans did not enjoy in the past.

It allows the right to life, privacy, property, freedom of speech, religion, and assembly. • The Republic of South Africa is a parliamentary democracy. • There are three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. • The National Assembly (legislature) elects the president, who is the executive head of state and leader of the cabinet.

The Government of sudan • The government of Sudan is headed by one of the worst dictators in the world: Omar al-Bashir. • He took power in 1989 and abolished the existing government, suspended the Constitution, restricted freedom of the press, and arrested important politicians. • Al-Bashir was not elected by the people of Sudan; he used military force to gain power and imposed tight controls on behavior.

In 1986, al-Bashir won the 86% of the vote in a national election. • Questions remain about the fairness of the election. Were people forced to vote for al-Bashir? • Today, there is a transition constitution in Sudan which defines the executive branch as the president, who is also prime minister, head of government, and commander of the armed forces.

The National Assembly named al-Bashir as president this time, and the constitution states the people will vote for the president in future elections. • Sudan’s constitution calls for many personal freedoms, but it is not enforced. • Sudan’s human rights record is poor and serious abuses of citizens is common.

Sudan’s sad story • Sudan has been involved in a civil war. • The Muslim north had set out to war with the Christian south. • Al-Bashir continued the war and wanted to spread Islam and Arab culture to the south. • In 2003, international efforts to bring peace to Sudan was beginning to work, but then a rebellion began in Darfur which is in western Sudan.

Al-Bashir responded by killing at least 180,000 civilians in the Darfur and driving two million people form their homes. • After burning villages, the army attacked refugee camps were the people had fled. • A cease-fire agreement was signed in 2004, but the violence continues. • Many nations have condemned the situation in Darfur.

Quick Check- fill in the chart

answers

classify • Is Kenya a federal or unitary system of government? Why did you pick your answer? • Do the citizens in Sudan participate in a democratic or autocratic system of government? Why did you pick your answer?

Essential Questions • How does gender affect access to education in Kenya and Sudan? • What is the impact of government stability on the distribution of resources to combat AIDS and famine across Africa?

Education in africa • One of the biggest problems facing Africa is education. • Civil wars and lack of resources are major factors affecting a quality education for everyone. • Girls in particular face challenges in receiving an education because some African societies give priority to the education of boys.

School in kenya • In 2003, all children in Kenya were given the right to a free primary (elementary) education. • In Kenya’s cities 80% of the children attend school. • In the rural areas only about 50% of the children attend school. • In the rural areas there is a shortage of clean drinking water, teachers, buildings, and textbooks.

Gender is an issue in rural areas. If parents in rural areas have to choose to send either their son or daughter because of finances, parents will send the son. • Also, girls are more likely to quit school due to responsibilities at home or few role models to encourage them to continue and finish their schooling. • Kenya is working to increase teacher training and resources.

School in Sudan • Education in Sudan has suffered because of years of civil war. • Families forced into refugee camps get food and shelter, but no school. • The United Nations estimates that half of the children in Darfur and 75% of the children in the southern part of Sudan have no access to schooling. • The government closed Christian schools in southern Sudan.

When they are able to attend school, girls usually leave school around the age of 10 because their families think women should be trained in domestic skills (caring for a family). • The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has created a program called “Go to School” in Sudan which has doubled the school enrollment in one year. • UNICEF has donated resources, but teacher training is still inadequate.

Compare and contrast factors impacting education- Place an X where the factor applies

Answers

Class discussion • What is the relationship between education and literacy rate? • How does literacy rate affect a country’s standard of living and ultimately its economy?

AIDS in Africa • There are 42 million people in the world today living with HIV/AIDS. 75% of that number live in Africa. • Many African governments since independence in the 1950s and 1960s have struggled with many problems. Many were not prepared to handle the AIDS epidemic in Africa. • Many African countries have had unstable governments and corrupt leaders.

Unstable governments have also had a negative affect on how African countries have managed the healthcare systems in their countries. • Many of these countries lack the resources to provide basic healthcare let alone the healthcare needed to fight AIDS. • Botswana, at peace since its independence is 1966, has the resources to help its citizens who have the virus.

Famine in Africa • Famine is the third major problem Africa faces besides civil wars and AIDS. • In Africa, 25 million people needed emergency food in 2008. • 200 million people in Africa suffer from chronic hunger. • What is a famine and what causes it? • Turn and talk to your neighbor. • Discuss

A famine occurs when there is not enough food to sustain a group of people. • Again, the stability of a government impacts the nation’s ability to provide food for its people. • Civil wars have caused food shortages; governments use money for weapons instead of food and then prevent aid organizations from delivering food to the people who need it.

Corrupt leaders use the nation’s money for their own purposes rather than providing food for the people. • Farmers in Africa face many challenges. • If there is a shortage of water, crops cannot grow and people go hungry. • AIDS has reduced the number of farmers who can grow the food. • Sometimes locusts destroy crops. • Soil erosion does not leave the soil fertile enough to sustain crops.

As a class • List 4 problems farmers face in Africa. • List two ways unstable governments have contributed to the food crisis in Africa. • What seems to be the key factor in solving many of Africa’s problems?

Answer • The key to solving many of Africa’s problems is stable governments. This is not an easy problem to solve. • Many of these countries have only had their independence for 50 years. These countries are young countries in that respect and have not had much practice in governing themselves. • African countries need strong leaders who care about the people and are willing to compromise to provide for the basic needs of the people.

Governments in kenya , South africa, and the Sudan