Samira Sawlani is a journalist, writer and analyst with a focus on East Africa. A holder of an MA in International Studies and Diplomacy, from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), she has previously worked in the humanitarian aid sector. She has a weekly column in The Mail and Guardian’s ‘The Continent’ and her work has been published in a range of publications including Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Mail and Guardian and African Arguments.