September 16, 2024

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

The fishing pier in Mbour, Senegal, not far from the hometown of the new left-wing president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Faye has dissolved the opposition-controlled parliament in order to consolidate power and enact a set of sweeping, radical reforms. Photo credit: Wikimedia/KVDP (public domain)

Upcoming Africa Elections

Nigeria, State Elections in Edo State: September 21, 2024 and Ondo: November 16, 2024

Allele Okpi, Africa Check (September 13, 2024): What you need to know about the upcoming off-cycle elections in Nigeria’s Edo and Ondo states

Mozambique Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 9, 2024

Human Rights Watch (September 11, 2024): Mozambique: Abuses Against Media, Activists Before Elections

Botswana Legislative and Local Elections: October 30, 2024

Reuters (September 13, 2024): Botswana’s exiled ex-leader Khama returns home, court suspends warrants

Guinea-Bissau Snap Legislative Elections: November 24, 2024 (presidential election also due in November or December 2024)

Reuters (September 12, 2024): Guinea Bissau President Embalo says he will not run for a second term

Somalia, Jubaland Regional Elections: By November 30, 2024 (due – delays likely)

Ari Snider, Maine Public Radio (September 9, 2024): Somali Mainer returns to East Africa to run for regional president of his former state

Somaliland Presidential Election: November 13, 2024

Mohammed Omar Ahmed, Bloomberg (September 15, 2024): Somaliland Will Press Ahead With Nov. 13 Presidential Election

Senegal Snap Legislative Elections: November 17, 2024

AP (September 12, 2024): Senegal’s president dissolves parliament to call a snap legislative election

Melissa Chemam, RFI (September 12, 2024): Parliament shake-up looms as Senegal’s government faces showdown with opposition

Colleen Goko, Bloomberg (September 10, 2024): Senegal Bonds Outperform as Traders Track Parliament Politics

Eromo Egbejule, The Guardian (September 9, 2024): Senegal’s leaders face harsh reality check after promises of radical reform

Tanzania Local Elections: November 27, 2024

Priscilla Mines, Voice of America (September 10, 2024): Tanzanian authorities deny rights abuses as critics keep disappearing

DW (September 9, 2024): Tanzania: US urges probe after opposition figure is killed

Andres Schipani, Financial Times (September 9, 2024): Killing of opposition politician in Tanzania casts shadow over upcoming elections

Cabo Verde Local Elections: December 1, 2024 (proposed)

Geraldine Boechat, MedaFrica (September 10, 2024): Opposition parties in Cape Verde propose local elections for December 1st

Chad Legislative and Local Elections: December 29, 2024

Remadji Hoinathy and Manatouma Nicodème Kelma, Institute for Security Studies (September 9, 2024): Can Chad’s November elections improve on past disputed polls?

Malawi Presidential and Legislative Elections: September 25, 2025

Tawanda Karombo, National Catholic Register (September 9, 2024): Vatican visit by Malawi’s president reflects church’s role amid food crisis, upcoming elections

Cote d’Ivoire Presidential Election: October 2025 (due)

Damien Glez, The Africa Report (September 9, 2024): Opinion: Will Côte d’Ivoire’s presidential election be a battle between former spouses?

South Sudan General Elections: December 22, 2026 (delayed yet again, this time from December 2024)

Deng Machol, AP (September 13, 2024): South Sudan postpones December elections by 2 years citing incomplete preparations

Will Ross, BBC (September 13, 2024): Emergency meeting in South Sudan after elections postponed

Regional Analysis

Thalia Gerzso, The Conversation (September 12, 2024): African countries are adopting two houses of parliament to boost democracy – but that’s not always what happens