Each day, 21votes gathers election and political news from a different region of the world. Mondays we explore Africa.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Washington Post reports: “Congo may be approaching its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power in nearly 60 years, but Joseph Kabila, who has been president for the last 17, refused to rule out a return to power once he becomes eligible again after sitting out a term….Congolese opposition figures have raised fears that the elections will be rigged in favor of Kabila’s chosen successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, allowing the longtime president to continue his control over the country’s political apparatus, which includes lucrative state-owned mining companies. Congo is the world’s leading producer of cobalt, an essential component in many electronic devices.”
The DRC will use voting machines instead of paper ballots for the first time in this month’s elections. While some Congolese worry about the machines, the election commission argues that they will reduce cost and logistical difficulties. Bloomberg explains other reasons why stakeholders are concerned about the elections.
Cote d'Ivoire
Campaigning has begun for local election do-overs in some areas.
Togo
Protests continue in Togo, leaving at least two people dead. Protestors want the scheduled elections delayed in order to reform the election commission and institute term limits. The Gnassingbe family has ruled Togo for 50 years. The opposition coalition of 14 parties has more protests planned ahead of the polls.
Guinea-Bissau
Elections originally scheduled for November remain delayed. They are currently set to take place in January or February.
Guinea
The president has dispatched soldiers to quell violent protests over a variety of issues ranging from teacher salaries to election fraud, and spiked after local elections in February.
Angola
Angola’s official press agency reports that the government has prepared a draft law for local elections. Angola, an authoritarian state rated “not free” by Freedom House, has never before held local elections, but politicians have discussed holding local polls before 2022 (AllAfrica reports that they are scheduled for 2020).
Ethiopia
The Economist analyzes Ethiopia’s prospects for democratization (and does so in another article here).
Tanzania
Reuters reports: “Ten opposition parties in Tanzania say proposed amendments to a law governing political parties would criminalize their activities. Critics of President John Magufuli, who came to power in 2015, say he is increasingly cracking down on dissent with restrictions on the political opposition, the media, bloggers and non-governmental organizations. His government denies the accusations.”
Nigeria
Oge Onubogu and Idayat Hassan write about how to contain potential election violence in Nigeria: “Nigeria’s political parties are in full campaign mode ahead of national and state-level elections early next year, and unfortunately signs are emerging that election-related violence is a real possibility. It’s not too late, however, for Nigerians and the international community to take steps to reduce the risks of coercion and possibly even bloodshed. To do so effectively, it’s crucial that as much attention be paid to flashpoints at the state level as to tensions surrounding the higher profile campaign for president.”
Upcoming Elections in the News Democratic Republic of the Congo General – December 23, 2018 Washington Post reports: “Congo may be approaching its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power in nearly 60 years, but Joseph Kabila, who has been president for the last 17, refused to rule out a return to power once he becomes eligible again after sitting out a term….Congolese opposition figures have raised fears that the elections will be rigged in favor of Kabila’s chosen successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, allowing the longtime president to continue his control over the country’s political apparatus, which includes lucrative state-owned mining companies. Congo is the world’s leading producer of cobalt, an essential component in many electronic devices.”
The DRC will use voting machines instead of paper ballots for the first time in this month’s elections. While some Congolese worry about the machines, the election commission argues that they will reduce cost and logistical difficulties. Bloomberg explains other reasons why stakeholders are concerned about the elections.
Cote d’Ivoire Partial Local – December 16, 2018 Campaigning is underway for local election do-overs in some areas.
Togo Local – December 16, 2018 and Legislative – December 20, 2018 Protests continue in Togo, leaving at least two people dead. Protestors want the scheduled elections delayed in order to reform the election commission and institute term limits. The Gnassingbe family has ruled Togo for 50 years. The opposition coalition of 14 parties has more protests planned ahead of the polls.
Guinea-Bissau Legislative – January 2019 Elections originally scheduled for November remain delayed. They are currently set to take place in January or February.
Nigeria – February 16, 2019 Oge Onubogu and Idayat Hassan write about how to contain potential election violence in Nigeria: “Nigeria’s political parties are in full campaign mode ahead of national and state-level elections early next year, and unfortunately signs are emerging that election-related violence is a real possibility. It’s not too late, however, for Nigerians and the international community to take steps to reduce the risks of coercion and possibly even bloodshed. To do so effectively, it’s crucial that as much attention be paid to flashpoints at the state level as to tensions surrounding the higher profile campaign for president.”
Recent Elections in the News Guinea The president has dispatched soldiers to quell violent protests over a variety of issues ranging from teacher salaries to election fraud, and spiked after local elections in February.
Other Regional News and Views Angola Angola’s official press agency reports that the government has prepared a draft law for local elections. Angola, an authoritarian state rated “not free” by Freedom House, has never before held local elections, but politicians have discussed holding local polls before 2022 (AllAfrica reports that they are scheduled for 2020).
Ethiopia The Economist analyzes Ethiopia’s prospects for democratization (and does so in another article here).
Tanzania Reuters reports: “Ten opposition parties in Tanzania say proposed amendments to a law governing political parties would criminalize their activities. Critics of President John Magufuli, who came to power in 2015, say he is increasingly cracking down on dissent with restrictions on the political opposition, the media, bloggers and non-governmental organizations. His government denies the accusations.”
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views contained in all of the linked articles.
Africa – December 10, 2018
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Last Updated: December 18, 2018 by 21votes
Africa – December 10, 2018
Each day, 21votes gathers election and political news from a different region of the world. Mondays we explore Africa.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Washington Post reports: “Congo may be approaching its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power in nearly 60 years, but Joseph Kabila, who has been president for the last 17, refused to rule out a return to power once he becomes eligible again after sitting out a term….Congolese opposition figures have raised fears that the elections will be rigged in favor of Kabila’s chosen successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, allowing the longtime president to continue his control over the country’s political apparatus, which includes lucrative state-owned mining companies. Congo is the world’s leading producer of cobalt, an essential component in many electronic devices.”
The DRC will use voting machines instead of paper ballots for the first time in this month’s elections. While some Congolese worry about the machines, the election commission argues that they will reduce cost and logistical difficulties. Bloomberg explains other reasons why stakeholders are concerned about the elections.
Cote d'Ivoire
Campaigning has begun for local election do-overs in some areas.
Togo
Protests continue in Togo, leaving at least two people dead. Protestors want the scheduled elections delayed in order to reform the election commission and institute term limits. The Gnassingbe family has ruled Togo for 50 years. The opposition coalition of 14 parties has more protests planned ahead of the polls.
Guinea-Bissau
Elections originally scheduled for November remain delayed. They are currently set to take place in January or February.
Guinea
The president has dispatched soldiers to quell violent protests over a variety of issues ranging from teacher salaries to election fraud, and spiked after local elections in February.
Angola
Angola’s official press agency reports that the government has prepared a draft law for local elections. Angola, an authoritarian state rated “not free” by Freedom House, has never before held local elections, but politicians have discussed holding local polls before 2022 (AllAfrica reports that they are scheduled for 2020).
Ethiopia
The Economist analyzes Ethiopia’s prospects for democratization (and does so in another article here).
Tanzania
Reuters reports: “Ten opposition parties in Tanzania say proposed amendments to a law governing political parties would criminalize their activities. Critics of President John Magufuli, who came to power in 2015, say he is increasingly cracking down on dissent with restrictions on the political opposition, the media, bloggers and non-governmental organizations. His government denies the accusations.”
Nigeria
Oge Onubogu and Idayat Hassan write about how to contain potential election violence in Nigeria: “Nigeria’s political parties are in full campaign mode ahead of national and state-level elections early next year, and unfortunately signs are emerging that election-related violence is a real possibility. It’s not too late, however, for Nigerians and the international community to take steps to reduce the risks of coercion and possibly even bloodshed. To do so effectively, it’s crucial that as much attention be paid to flashpoints at the state level as to tensions surrounding the higher profile campaign for president.”
Upcoming Elections in the News
Democratic Republic of the Congo General – December 23, 2018
Washington Post reports: “Congo may be approaching its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power in nearly 60 years, but Joseph Kabila, who has been president for the last 17, refused to rule out a return to power once he becomes eligible again after sitting out a term….Congolese opposition figures have raised fears that the elections will be rigged in favor of Kabila’s chosen successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, allowing the longtime president to continue his control over the country’s political apparatus, which includes lucrative state-owned mining companies. Congo is the world’s leading producer of cobalt, an essential component in many electronic devices.”
The DRC will use voting machines instead of paper ballots for the first time in this month’s elections. While some Congolese worry about the machines, the election commission argues that they will reduce cost and logistical difficulties. Bloomberg explains other reasons why stakeholders are concerned about the elections.
Cote d’Ivoire Partial Local – December 16, 2018
Campaigning is underway for local election do-overs in some areas.
Togo Local – December 16, 2018 and Legislative – December 20, 2018
Protests continue in Togo, leaving at least two people dead. Protestors want the scheduled elections delayed in order to reform the election commission and institute term limits. The Gnassingbe family has ruled Togo for 50 years. The opposition coalition of 14 parties has more protests planned ahead of the polls.
Guinea-Bissau Legislative – January 2019
Elections originally scheduled for November remain delayed. They are currently set to take place in January or February.
Nigeria – February 16, 2019
Oge Onubogu and Idayat Hassan write about how to contain potential election violence in Nigeria: “Nigeria’s political parties are in full campaign mode ahead of national and state-level elections early next year, and unfortunately signs are emerging that election-related violence is a real possibility. It’s not too late, however, for Nigerians and the international community to take steps to reduce the risks of coercion and possibly even bloodshed. To do so effectively, it’s crucial that as much attention be paid to flashpoints at the state level as to tensions surrounding the higher profile campaign for president.”
Recent Elections in the News
Guinea
The president has dispatched soldiers to quell violent protests over a variety of issues ranging from teacher salaries to election fraud, and spiked after local elections in February.
Other Regional News and Views
Angola
Angola’s official press agency reports that the government has prepared a draft law for local elections. Angola, an authoritarian state rated “not free” by Freedom House, has never before held local elections, but politicians have discussed holding local polls before 2022 (AllAfrica reports that they are scheduled for 2020).
Ethiopia
The Economist analyzes Ethiopia’s prospects for democratization (and does so in another article here).
Tanzania
Reuters reports: “Ten opposition parties in Tanzania say proposed amendments to a law governing political parties would criminalize their activities. Critics of President John Magufuli, who came to power in 2015, say he is increasingly cracking down on dissent with restrictions on the political opposition, the media, bloggers and non-governmental organizations. His government denies the accusations.”
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views contained in all of the linked articles.
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Category: Uncategorized Tags: Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo