September 26, 2022

A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in Africa, usually posted on Mondays and occasionally updated throughout the week.

The city of Abakaliki in southeastern Nigeria. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Liberty22 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Upcoming Africa Elections

Equatorial Guinea General Elections: November 20, 2022

Edward Mcallister, Reuters (September 24, 2022): Equatorial Guinea president to run again to extend 43-year rule

Crisis24 (September 21, 2022): Equatorial Guinea: Political gatherings likely ahead of general elections Nov. 20

Nigeria General Elections: February 18, 2023

Reuters and CNN (September 22, 2022): Nigeria’s Buhari, in last UN speech, slams ‘corrosive impact’ of leaders who cling to power

Vincent Ufuoma, ICIR (September 21, 2022): 2023: Amid concerns for INEC’s impartiality, Buhari promises legacy of free, fair elections

David Pilling, Financial Times (September 19, 2022): How Nigeria’s state lost the trust of its citizens

Zimbabwe General Elections: July 2023

Ibbo Mandaza and Tony Reeler, Daily Maverick (September 21, 2022): Are free and fair elections possible in Zimbabwe in 2023?

Robbie Gramer, Foreign Policy (September 16, 2022): Cafe Meeting Turns Into Tense Car Chase for U.S. Senate Aides in Zimbabwe

Gabon Presidential Election: August 2023 (due)

North Africa Post (September 19, 2022): Former Speaker of Gabon’s parliament arrested with around $2m in suitcases

RFI (September 18, 2022 – in French): Gabon: Opposition leader Guy Nzouba-Ndama arrested at the border with suitcases filled with banknotes

Democratic Republic of the Congo Presidential and Legislative Elections: December 2023 (due)

Michelle Gavin, Council on Foreign Relations (September 26, 2022): What’s Behind the DRC’s Decision to Auction Off Some of Its Rain Forest?

Marc Perelman and Christophe Boisbouvier, France24 (September 23, 2022): DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi: ‘Presidential elections will take place in 2023’

Clément Fayol, Antoine Harari, and Pete Jones, OCCRP (September 15, 2022): “I will take my percentage”: Congolese presidential adviser caught on tape negotiating corrupt mineral deal

Julian Pecquet, The Africa Report (September 13, 2022): DR Congo’s Fayulu embarks on weeks-long US tour ahead of elections

Somaliland Presidential Election: 2023 (postponed from November 13, 2022)

Reuters (September 25, 2022): Somaliland postpones presidential election until next year

Senegal Presidential Election: February 2024 (due)

France24 (September 20, 2022 – video): Senegal president names first prime minister since 2019

Katarina Hojie, Bloomberg (September 17, 2022): Senegalese President Names Amadou Ba to Lead New Cabinet

United Nations (September 15, 2022): Senegal: Civil society and human right defenders mobilize for a transparent election

Rachel Beatty Riedl, Bamba Ndiaye, and Oumar Ba, The Conversation (September 14, 2022): Senegal’s presidential poll is shaping up as a real contest, with voters in the driver’s seat

Sudan General Elections: By 2024 (due – unclear following coup)

Daphne Psaledakis, Reuters (September 23, 2022): Sudan’s leader says date for elections not fixed

Burkina Faso Elections: TBD, following coup

AP (September 22, 2022): Burkina Faso coup-leader defends his military takeover to UN

International Crisis Group (September 14, 2022): An Initial Assessment of Burkina Faso’s Transitional Leadership

Chad Elections: TBD, following coup

Human Rights Watch (September 23, 2022): Chad: Security Force Abuse Amid National Dialogue

Reuters (September 19, 2022): Chad foreign minister resigns as government engages rebels in talks

Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux (September 17, 2022): Bishops in Chad say African country’s national dialogue is a ‘monologue’

AFP (September 16, 2022): Chadian Rebel Returns For Talks On Country’s Future

Guinea Elections: TBD, following coup

Ougna Camara, Bloomberg (September 23, 2022): West Africa Bloc Ecowas Imposes Sanctions on Guinea’s Junta

Past Africa Elections

São Tomé and Príncipe Legislative Elections: September 25, 2022

Philip Andrew Churm, Africanews (September 26, 2022): São Tomé and Príncipe go to the polls as a model of democracy in Africa

Africanews with AFP (September 23, 2022): Sao Tome crisis-hit ruling coalition faces defeat in legislative polls

Angola General Elections: August 24, 2022

AFP (September 24, 2022): Thousands in Angola’s Capital Protest Alleged Electoral Fraud

Antonio Cascais, DW (September 16, 2022): Angola after the election: No rest for the opposition nor the president

Paula Cristina Roque, African Arguments (September 15, 2022): Angola: Anatomy of a stolen election

Cláudio Silva, African Arguments (September 14, 2022): The real winners of Angola’s election

Kenya General Elections: August 9, 2022

Gurjit Singh, Observer Research Foundation (September 13, 2022): The Kenyan elections: A surprisingly democratic and peaceful affair: The lack of political violence during the recent elections in Kenya spells progress for the East African country.

Regional Analysis

Peter Fabricius, ISS (September 23, 2022): Can Africa outdo its election riggers?

Ibrahim Al-bakri Nyei, Al Jazeera (September 21, 2022): African autocrats have new allies: Street goons – The police and military are being replaced by thugs as weapons of violence to build a veil of deniability.

Nic Cheeseman, The Africa Report (September 19, 2022): The rise of the opposition in Africa: Which governments are likely to fall next?

Africa Elections Coming Up in 2022 and 2023

Lesotho Parliamentary Elections: October 7, 2022

Central African Republic Local Elections: September 2022 (delayed – no new date set)

Somaliland Presidential Election: November 13, 2022

Equatorial Guinea General Elections: November 20, 2022

Guinea-Bissau Snap Parliamentary Elections: December 18, 2022

Nigeria General Elections: February 18, 2023

Djibouti Legislative Elections: February 2023

Nigeria Gubernatorial Elections in Most States: March 2023 (due)

South Sudan General Elections: By March 2023 (tentative)

Sierra Leone Presidential Election: June 24, 2023

Zimbabwe General Elections: July 2023

Eswatini Parliamentary Elections: August 2023 (due)

Gabon Presidential Election: August 2023 (due)

Mauritania Parliamentary Elections: September 2023 (due)

Gabon Legislative Elections: October 2023 (due)

Liberia Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 2023 (due)

Nigeria, Gubernatorial Elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States: November 2023 (due)

Madagascar Presidential Election: November 2023 (due)

Democratic Republic of the Congo Presidential and Legislative Elections: December 2023 (due)

Togo Legislative and Regional Elections: December 2023 (due)

Côte d’Ivoire Local Elections: 2023

Mali Presidential and Legislative Elections: TBD, following coup

Chad General Elections: TBD, following coup

Burkina Faso Elections: TBD, following coup

Guinea Elections: TBD, following coup

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