On 30 June, Kenya's Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling affirming the inheritance rights of children born out of wedlock to Muslim fathers. Amid ongoing debates about the relationship between religion and the state in Kenyan society today, the unanimous decision has thrown down a gauntlet to traditional interpretations of Islamic inheritance law, which typically deny estate rights to out-of-wedlock children. Intended to bring such statues in line with mainstream Kenyan law and better ensure these children's rights, it has triggered uproar in the Muslim community surrounding Kenya's pluralistic legal system.
Somalia's Al-Shabaab jihadist armed insurrection has entered its 18th year with no let-up in violence or any sign the conflict is close to a resolution. Indeed, Al-Shabaab is resurgent and remains as lethal as ever, having displayed its continued prowess after sweeping across much of central Somalia in its Ramadan offensive-- and beyond-- earlier this year. But what allows Al-Shabaab to thrive is not solely the ability to project military power or deploy intimidatory violence, but also the often under-reported, extensive and insidious rent-seeking and control of local economies as well.