Mohamed Keita - Human Rights Foundation

Mohamed Keita

Senior Policy Officer, Africa

Mohamed Keita is a Senior Policy Officer and HRF’s regional expert for Africa, overseeing research, advocacy, programs and a network of democracy and human rights advocates in 44 countries on the continent. He is the founder of two HRF initiatives: the Sports & Dictators program and the George Ayittey Africa Democracy Retreat. Prior to HRF, he was the regional Africa program manager at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) from 2007 to 2014. His writings have appeared in publications including The New York Times, Foreign Policy, World Politics, The Times of London and Newsweek. His expertise has been cited in news outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Sky News and NPR. He has spoken at the World Bank, the United Nations, the Foreign Policy Research Institute, the National Press Club, and universities such as Yale, Stanford and Columbia.

Mohamed 's Work

Mar 19, 2025

Kirsty Coventry—the Soft Face of Zimbabwe’s Dictatorship—Could Be the Next President of the IOC | Opinion

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is set to select a new president this week to succeed Thomas Bach. In a field of seven candidates, Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry, Africa’s most decorated Olympian, could make history as the first woman to head the IOC.

Dec 2, 2024

Zimbabwe’s Ruling Party and Military: Joined at the Hip “Until Donkeys Grow Horns”

This policy note chronicles the Zimbabwean military’s deep entrenchment in politics and the evolution of its relationship with ZANU-PF.

Sep 6, 2024

A History of Sports & Dictators, Part 3: Post-WWII Soft Power

Long before the inception of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, sports have been used to distract the masses, test foreign policies, thaw diplomatic tensions, and broadcast political and social messaging.

Aug 9, 2024

A History of Sports & Dictators, Part 2: The Rise of Fascism

Long before the inception of the Olympic Games in Ancient Greece, sports have been used to distract the masses, test foreign policies, thaw diplomatic tensions, and broadcast political and social messaging.

Jun 26, 2024

Eight Ways Zimbabwe’s regime hijacked the 2023 vote

Zimbabweans have never known free and fair elections. Voter intimidation and suppression have tainted every election since February 1980, during which Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party claimed power.

Aug 11, 2023

Russia’s Influence in Mali

Squeezed by Western sanctions — first in response to its illegal annexation of Crimea and then its subsequent invasion of Ukraine — Vladimir Putin’s regime has increasingly turned to new partnerships across Africa for greater global influence and economic lifelines.

Aug 11, 2023

Russia’s Influence in the Central African Republic

Squeezed by Western sanctions — first in response to its illegal annexation of Crimea and then its subsequent invasion of Ukraine — Vladimir Putin’s regime has increasingly turned to new partnerships across Africa for greater global influence and economic lifelines.

Aug 11, 2023

Russia’s Influence in Sudan

Squeezed by Western sanctions — first in response to its illegal annexation of Crimea and then its subsequent invasion of Ukraine — Vladimir Putin’s regime has increasingly turned to new partnerships across Africa for greater global influence and economic lifelines.

Mar 31, 2023

Women at the Forefront of Democracy: Mobilizing Women and Youth in Madagascar

Democracy is facing a myriad of challenges across the African continent, from Nigeria’s flawed presidential election to military coups in the Sahel, from deadly crackdowns on pro-democracy movements in countries like Eswatini, Chad, and Rwanda to Russia’s efforts in the region to fan public cynicism about liberal values.

Jan 25, 2023

Champion of Solidarity: African Democracy Defenders Standing With Ukraine

Last month, thousands took to the streets of China in response to the Chinese Communist Party’s severe pandemic lockdowns. The demonstrations were not only a rallying cry for the end of the country’s rigid COVID restrictions; they were also a showcase of the people’s determination for freedom and human rights.

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