Africa This Week: October 7, 2024

October 7, 2024

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

The Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte and Fort of São Sebastião on the Island of Mozambique, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Stig Nygaard (CC BY 2.0) 

Upcoming Africa Elections

Mozambique Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 9, 2024

Mozambique’s politics have been dominated by FRELIMO, which has been in power since 1975, when Mozambique became independent, and the main opposition RENAMO. The parties evolved from armed groups that fought a civil war between 1976 and 1992 (and have engaged in clashes since then until an August 2019 peace accord). The Soviet Union backed FRELIMO, while Rhodesia and then apartheid South Africa backed RENAMO.

Mariama Diallo, Voice of America (October 7, 2024): Some ready for change with Mozambique elections, others want continuity

Antonio Cascais, DW (October 7, 2024): Elections in Mozambique: Frelimo regarded front-runner

GZERO (October 7, 2024): Viewpoint: Mozambique holds elections amid renewed hopes for LNG projects

Jose Tembe and Angela Henshall, BBC (October 5, 2024): Fresh faces in Mozambique’s poll as independence era leaders bow out

The Africa Report (October 4, 2024): Four contenders vying for Mozambique’s top job

Bhargav Acharya, Reuters (October 2, 2024): What are the key issues in Mozambique elections?

Botswana Legislative and Local Elections: October 30, 2024

Mqondisi Dube, Voice of America (September 30, 2024): Botswana leader, 3 from opposition confirmed as presidential candidates

Nigeria: Local elections in Abia: November 2, 2024 and State elections in Ondo: November 16, 2024 – next national elections are in 2027 (following state elections in Edo on September 21, 2024)

Chris Kwaja and Matthew Edds-Reitman, U.S. Instate of Peace (October 1, 2024): Nigeria at a Crossroads: Navigating Protests Amid Elections

Mauritius Parliamentary Elections: November 10, 2024

Mauritius announced its general elections right after Britain announce that it would cede the Chagos Islands, a strategic archipelago in the Indian Ocean that houses the Diego Garcia air base, to Mauritius. Diego Garcia is a key base for both the United Kingdom and the United States. Mauritius has close ties with China, including a free trade agreement inked 2021. 

Andrew Stuttaford, National Review (October 6, 2024): Britain’s Dangerous Territorial Giveaway

Reuters (October 4, 2024): Mauritius’ President Roopun sets general election for Nov 10

Nick Gutteridge and Dominic Penna, The Telegraph (October 3, 2024): ‘America will be furious and Beijing delighted’: How Starmer handed Chagos to China

Senegal Snap Legislative Elections: November 17, 2024

For a long time, Senegal was considered a stable democracy, but backsliding and protests riled the tenure of former president Macky Sall, who served until this year and was not eligible to run for a third term. Sall’s chosen successor, Amadou Ba, lost to leftist opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye in this year’s presidential election, which took place in March. Faye is now holding legislative elections to consolidate his hold on power. 

A series of oil and gas discoveries starting in 2014 have set Senegal up to become a player in energy production, upping the geopolitical and international economic stakes of Senegal’s politics.

Katarina Höije, Bloomberg (October 5, 2024): Senegal Pledges Swift Action on Budget Gap After Ratings Cut

AFP (October 2, 2024): Senegal Releases Three Who Were Critical Of Authorities

Africanews (October 2, 2024): Senegal’s opposition coalition names former Pres. Macky Sall as its lead candidate

Jessica Moody, African Business (October 1, 2024): As elections approach, how has President Faye changed Senegal?

Guinea-Bissau Snap Legislative Elections: November 24, 2024 (presidential election also due by the end of 2024 but could be delayed)

Paulin Maurice Toupane, Institute for Security Studies (October 2, 2024): Guinea-Bissau must restore institutional legitimacy for credible elections

Tanzania Local Elections: November 27, 2024

Kizito Makoye, Globe and Mail (October 1, 2024): Opposition leaders face disappearances, deaths and detentions in Tanzania

Ghana Presidential and Legislative Elections: December 7, 2024

Kent Mensah, The Africa Report (October 1, 2024): Ghana: Who’s who in the race to become president?

Somalia General Elections: Due in 2027

Africanews (October 4, 2024): UN Official pledges support for Somalia, as it faces challenges including elections

Elections On Deck

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