January 29, 2024

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

Voters in line during Senegal’s 2019 elections. Photo credit: Wikimedia/VOA Seydina Aba Gueye (public domain)

Upcoming Africa Elections

Senegal Presidential and Legislative Elections: February 25, 2024

Melissa Chemam, RFI (January 23, 2024): Human Rights Watch warns of Senegal repression ahead of elections

AP (January 22, 2024): Two opposition leaders in Senegal are excluded from the final list of presidential candidates

Africanews and AP (January 22, 2024): Senegal: Sonko, Wade not listed among official candidates of Feb.25 presidential polls

South Africa General Elections: Spring 2024

Gerald Imray, AP (January 29, 2024): South Africa’s ruling ANC suspends former president Zuma for backing a new party in elections

Bloomberg (January 23, 2024): Support for ANC will continue to decline following South Africa elections, pollster predicts

Chad Presidential Election: By October 2024 (delays possible)

Reuters (January 24, 2024): Putin Meets Chad Junta Leader as Russia Competes With France in Africa

AFP (January 23, 2024): Chad President Heads to Moscow for Talks With Putin

Tanzania General Elections: October 2025 (due)

Stratfor (January 25, 2024): Opposition Rallies Test Tanzania’s Commitment to Political Liberalization

RFI (January 24, 2024): Tanzania’s opposition rallies against ‘cosmetic’ electoral reforms

Past Africa Elections

Comoros General Elections: January 14, 2024

Faiza Soule Youssouf, AFP (January 24, 2024): Comoros court confirms president’s re-election, opposition cries foul

Democratic Republic of the Congo General Elections: December 20-27, 2023

International Crisis Group (January 26, 2024): DR Congo: A Full Plate of Challenges after a Turbulent Vote

Liberia General Elections: October 10 and November 14, 2023

Charles Wratto, The Conversation (January 23, 2024): Liberia transferred power peacefully again: 3 reasons the calm is holding, and one red flag

RFI (January 22, 2024): Liberia’s new president Boakai vows to tackle graft as he takes the helm

Mark N. Mengonfia and Chinedu Asadu, AP (January 22, 2024): Liberia’s new president takes office with a promise to ‘rescue’ Africa’s oldest republic

Regional Analysis

Matthew Kendrick, GZERO (January 29, 2024): ECOWAS “officially” loses three junta-run states

DW (January 28, 2024): Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger quit ECOWAS

The Economist (January 25, 2024): African governments are using courts to sway elections