Upcoming Elections
Guinea-Bissau Legislative – March 10, 2019
The UN Security Council issued a statement expressing “deep concern” about continued delays of the legislative elections, which were supposed to take place on November 18 2018. “The members of the Security Council expressed their concern that unless political actors demonstrate renewed good faith and political will to hold genuinely free and fair elections, Guinea-Bissau is set to face a continuous cycle of instability,” said the statement. 21votes Guinea-Bissau overview.
Comoros Snap Presidential and Regional – March 24, 2019
News24 reports that the president of Comoros has set presidential and regional elections for March 24, with a possible second round on April 21. The Economist calls “the world’s most coup-prone island paradise.” This year, Comoros saw protests, an armed rebellion on Anjouan island, and harsh prison and forced labor sentences for opposition figures after the president won a controversial referendum.
Malawi Tripartite (presidential, local legislative) – May 21, 2019
Malawi24 reports that Malawi’s election commission has “warned political parties and youths in Mangochi District against provocative campaigns and acts capable of breaching peace in the build-up to the 2019 tripartite polls.” Mangochi District, which sits next to Lake Malawi, has seen a series of violent incidents this year.
Recent Elections
Democratic Republic of the Congo General – December 30, 2018
The long-delayed elections finally happened, despite morning rainstorms that flooded streets. Results are not out yet, but both the ruling coalition and the opposition say they won. The Financial Times notes: “Though the only credible polls gave opposition candidate Martin Fayulu a 28-point lead over Mr. Kabila’s man going into the vote, some Congolese fear the ruling party will find a way to give Mr Shadary victory.”
Observers reported widespread irregularities on election day. Voters in three cities considered to be opposition strongholds were not able to vote.
Before the election, widespread violence and skullduggery reigned. There are fears that Joseph Kabila, who has been president since 2001, will not relinquish power.
But there’s a small ray of hope. Africapedia and Rogue Chiefs publisher Charles Onyango-Obbo notes:
Madagascar Presidential Runoff – December 2018
The BBC reports: “A former leader of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, has won the country’s presidential run-off vote, electoral authorities say. He won nearly 56% to defeat another former president, Marc Ravalomanana. Both candidates had previously promised to accept the result. However Mr Ravalomanana – who was ousted by Mr Rajoelina in a coup almost 10 years ago – has since made allegations of what he calls ‘massive fraud.’”O
Other Regional News and Views
Eritrea
The Globe and Mail’s Geoffrey York takes rare look at Eritrea, one of the most closed societies in the world.
Ethiopia
CNN’s Farai Sevenzo examines Ethiopia’s new reformist prime minister Abiy Ahmed. Despite so many strongmen in Africa, “[One] African leader’s 2018 story has gripped the continent’s imagination because of the heady pace of change his appointment has engineered.” For example, “Under Abiy, Ethiopia has gone from being one of the world’s worst jailers of journalists to for the first time in more than a decade of having no journalists in prison.”
Gambia
Amelia Nierenberg of the Associated Press reports: “Journalists in Gambia have launched a self-regulatory body they hope will offer legitimacy, and far more freedom, to media emerging from a dictatorship that ruled the tiny West African nation for more than two decades. During the 22 years of former President Yahya Jammeh’s rule, journalists were regularly abducted, tortured and killed. The new government has vowed new freedoms after he fled into exile in early 2017 following a surprise election defeat.”
Sudan
The Financial Times reports: “Opposition groups in Sudan have called for a New Year’s Eve march to the presidential palace in protest against Omar al-Bashir’s 29-year rule as anti-government demonstrations entered a third week. The uprising, which started in the eastern city of Atbara on December 19 over a government decision to raise the price of bread, has spread across the country as opposition parties have sought to capitalise on the public’s anger.” The government has blocked social media networks in an attempt to inhibit protest organizers.
Regional
Quartz reviews African democracy in 2018.
DW writes: “Voters in several African nations, including Nigeria and South Africa, are headed to the ballot box in 2019. But despite the numerous elections, experts don’t expect much change on the continent.”
Anjouan Island, Comoros, which saw an armed rebellion earlier this year. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Haryamouji
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views in all of the linked articles or publications.
Africa This Week – December 31, 2018
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Last Updated: January 7, 2019 by 21votes
Each day, 21votes gathers election and political news from a different region of the world. We explore Africa on Mondays. Click the map pins.
Guinea-Bissau Legislative - March 10, 2019
The UN Security Council issued a statement expressing “deep concern” about continued delays of the legislative elections, which were supposed to take place on November 18 2018. “The members of the Security Council expressed their concern that unless political actors demonstrate renewed good faith and political will to hold genuinely free and fair elections, Guinea-Bissau is set to face a continuous cycle of instability,” said the statement. 21votes Guinea-Bissau overview.
Comoros Snap Presidential and Regional - March 24, 2019
News24 reports that the president of Comoros has set presidential and regional elections for March 24, with a possible second round on April 21. The Economist calls “the world’s most coup-prone island paradise.” This year, Comoros saw protests, an armed rebellion on Anjouan island, and harsh prison and forced labor sentences for opposition figures after the president won a controversial referendum.
Malawi Tripartite (presidential, local legislative) – May 21, 2019
Malawi24 reports that Malawi’s election commission has “warned political parties and youths in Mangochi District against provocative campaigns and acts capable of breaching peace in the build-up to the 2019 tripartite polls.” Mangochi District, which sits next to Lake Malawi, has seen a series of violent incidents this year.
Democratic Republic of the Congo General - December 30, 2018
The long-delayed elections finally happened, despite morning rainstorms that flooded streets. Results are not out yet, but both the ruling coalition and the opposition say they won. The Financial Times notes: “Though the only credible polls gave opposition candidate Martin Fayulu a 28-point lead over Mr. Kabila’s man going into the vote, some Congolese fear the ruling party will find a way to give Mr Shadary victory.”
Observers reported widespread irregularities on election day. Voters in three cities considered to be opposition strongholds were not able to vote.
Before the election, widespread violence and skullduggery reigned. There are fears that Joseph Kabila, who has been president since 2001, will not relinquish power.
But there’s a small ray of hope. Africapedia and Rogue Chiefs publisher Charles Onyango-Obbo tweets: “There are a 1,000 things wrong with the DR Congo election, yet a small MIRACLE still happened: In the end Kabila didn’t become president for life, and DRC will transfer power thru the vote – something that has still not happened in many “stable” countries in Africa.”
Madagascar Presdidential Runoff - December 2018
The BBC reports: “A former leader of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, has won the country’s presidential run-off vote, electoral authorities say. He won nearly 56% to defeat another former president, Marc Ravalomanana. Both candidates had previously promised to accept the result. However Mr Ravalomanana – who was ousted by Mr Rajoelina in a coup almost 10 years ago – has since made allegations of what he calls ‘massive fraud.’”
Eritrea
The Globe and Mail’s Geoffrey York takes rare look at Eritrea, one of the most closed societies in the world.
Ethiopia
CNN’s Farai Sevenzo examines Ethiopia’s new reformist prime minister Abiy Ahmed. Despite so many strongmen in Africa, “[One] African leader’s 2018 story has gripped the continent’s imagination because of the heady pace of change his appointment has engineered.” For example, “Under Abiy, Ethiopia has gone from being one of the world’s worst jailers of journalists to for the first time in more than a decade of having no journalists in prison.”
Gambia
Amelia Nierenberg of the Associated Press reports: “Journalists in Gambia have launched a self-regulatory body they hope will offer legitimacy, and far more freedom, to media emerging from a dictatorship that ruled the tiny West African nation for more than two decades. During the 22 years of former President Yahya Jammeh’s rule, journalists were regularly abducted, tortured and killed. The new government has vowed new freedoms after he fled into exile in early 2017 following a surprise election defeat.”
Sudan
The Financial Times reports: “Opposition groups in Sudan have called for a New Year’s Eve march to the presidential palace in protest against Omar al-Bashir’s 29-year rule as anti-government demonstrations entered a third week. The uprising, which started in the eastern city of Atbara on December 19 over a government decision to raise the price of bread, has spread across the country as opposition parties have sought to capitalise on the public’s anger.” The government has blocked social media networks in an attempt to inhibit protest organizers.
Regional
Quartz reviews African democracy in 2018.
DW writes: “Voters in several African nations, including Nigeria and South Africa, are headed to the ballot box in 2019. But despite the numerous elections, experts don’t expect much change on the continent.”
Upcoming Elections
Guinea-Bissau Legislative – March 10, 2019
The UN Security Council issued a statement expressing “deep concern” about continued delays of the legislative elections, which were supposed to take place on November 18 2018. “The members of the Security Council expressed their concern that unless political actors demonstrate renewed good faith and political will to hold genuinely free and fair elections, Guinea-Bissau is set to face a continuous cycle of instability,” said the statement. 21votes Guinea-Bissau overview.
Comoros Snap Presidential and Regional – March 24, 2019
News24 reports that the president of Comoros has set presidential and regional elections for March 24, with a possible second round on April 21. The Economist calls “the world’s most coup-prone island paradise.” This year, Comoros saw protests, an armed rebellion on Anjouan island, and harsh prison and forced labor sentences for opposition figures after the president won a controversial referendum.
Malawi Tripartite (presidential, local legislative) – May 21, 2019
Malawi24 reports that Malawi’s election commission has “warned political parties and youths in Mangochi District against provocative campaigns and acts capable of breaching peace in the build-up to the 2019 tripartite polls.” Mangochi District, which sits next to Lake Malawi, has seen a series of violent incidents this year.
Recent Elections
Democratic Republic of the Congo General – December 30, 2018
The long-delayed elections finally happened, despite morning rainstorms that flooded streets. Results are not out yet, but both the ruling coalition and the opposition say they won. The Financial Times notes: “Though the only credible polls gave opposition candidate Martin Fayulu a 28-point lead over Mr. Kabila’s man going into the vote, some Congolese fear the ruling party will find a way to give Mr Shadary victory.”
Observers reported widespread irregularities on election day. Voters in three cities considered to be opposition strongholds were not able to vote.
Before the election, widespread violence and skullduggery reigned. There are fears that Joseph Kabila, who has been president since 2001, will not relinquish power.
But there’s a small ray of hope. Africapedia and Rogue Chiefs publisher Charles Onyango-Obbo notes:
Madagascar Presidential Runoff – December 2018
The BBC reports: “A former leader of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, has won the country’s presidential run-off vote, electoral authorities say. He won nearly 56% to defeat another former president, Marc Ravalomanana. Both candidates had previously promised to accept the result. However Mr Ravalomanana – who was ousted by Mr Rajoelina in a coup almost 10 years ago – has since made allegations of what he calls ‘massive fraud.’”O
Other Regional News and Views
Eritrea
The Globe and Mail’s Geoffrey York takes rare look at Eritrea, one of the most closed societies in the world.
Ethiopia
CNN’s Farai Sevenzo examines Ethiopia’s new reformist prime minister Abiy Ahmed. Despite so many strongmen in Africa, “[One] African leader’s 2018 story has gripped the continent’s imagination because of the heady pace of change his appointment has engineered.” For example, “Under Abiy, Ethiopia has gone from being one of the world’s worst jailers of journalists to for the first time in more than a decade of having no journalists in prison.”
Gambia
Amelia Nierenberg of the Associated Press reports: “Journalists in Gambia have launched a self-regulatory body they hope will offer legitimacy, and far more freedom, to media emerging from a dictatorship that ruled the tiny West African nation for more than two decades. During the 22 years of former President Yahya Jammeh’s rule, journalists were regularly abducted, tortured and killed. The new government has vowed new freedoms after he fled into exile in early 2017 following a surprise election defeat.”
Sudan
The Financial Times reports: “Opposition groups in Sudan have called for a New Year’s Eve march to the presidential palace in protest against Omar al-Bashir’s 29-year rule as anti-government demonstrations entered a third week. The uprising, which started in the eastern city of Atbara on December 19 over a government decision to raise the price of bread, has spread across the country as opposition parties have sought to capitalise on the public’s anger.” The government has blocked social media networks in an attempt to inhibit protest organizers.
Regional
Quartz reviews African democracy in 2018.
DW writes: “Voters in several African nations, including Nigeria and South Africa, are headed to the ballot box in 2019. But despite the numerous elections, experts don’t expect much change on the continent.”
Anjouan Island, Comoros, which saw an armed rebellion earlier this year. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Haryamouji
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views in all of the linked articles or publications.
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Category: This Week Tags: Comoros, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Sudan