January 8, 2024

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

Voters in the DRC’s 2018 general elections. Photo credit: Wikimedia/MONUSCO Photos (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Upcoming Africa Elections

Somalia, Presidential Election Puntland: January 8, 2023 (indirect – by parliament)

Horn Observer (January 8, 2024): Puntland Decides: Challenges and dynamics of Puntland State presidential election

Mohammed Omar Ahmed, Bloomberg (January 6, 2024): Oil-Rich Puntland Region of Somalia Elects Leader Amid Tensions

Senegal Presidential and Legislative Elections: February 25, 2024

Al Jazeera (January 5, 2024): Presidential race setback for Senegal opposition leader after court rulings

Allison Meakem, Foreign Policy (January 2, 2024): Senegal Tries to Beat the Odds in Africa’s Coup Belt

South Africa General Elections: Spring 2024 (due)

Allison Meakem, Foreign Policy (January 2, 2024): Frustrated South Africa Wonders if ANC Is Still Worth It

Chad Presidential Election: By October 2024 (delays possible)

Moki Edwin Kindzeka, Voice of America (January 3, 2024): Chad’s Junta Leader Appoints Pro-Democracy Figure as Prime Minister

Cameroon Presidential and Legislative Elections: December 2025

Moki Edwin Kindzeka, Voice of America (January 4, 2024): Cameroon Opposition Calls for Single Candidate to Face Biya in Next Election

Past Africa Elections

Democratic Republic of the Congo General Elections: December 20-24, 2023

Ange Adihe Kasongo, Reuters (January 6, 2024): Congo’s election commission cancels 82 candidates in disputed December polling

Africanews (January 5, 2024): DR Congo Election: Catholic, Protestant churches demand inquiry before acceptance of results

Paul Nantulya, Africa Center for Strategic Studies (January 2, 2024): Elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Persistent Crisis of Legitimacy

Jason K Stearns, BBC (January 2, 2024): DR Congo elections: How Félix Tshisekedi won chaotic poll

Sierra Leone General Elections: June 24, 2023

Umaru Fofana, BBC (January 4, 2024): Ernest Bai Koroma: Sierra Leone ex-president charged with treason over attempted coup

Regional Analysis

RFI (January 3, 2024): Year of elections has Africa poised for political shake-up in 2024

Martina Schwikowski, DW (January 3, 2024): Africa 2024 elections: Stability at stake?