An identity card records nationality. Police, courts, and administration determine what citizenship is worth. Across Africa, millions vote, pay taxes and carry state documents, yet security, justice and services often depend on wealth, identity and political connections. The question is what membership allows a person to claim from public authority.
Africans organise much of daily life through families, communities and markets. Citizenship asks whether everyone can rely equally on public institutions. Can people across regions, communities and social positions approach public institutions and receive comparable treatment?
