ÔCamer.com
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    ÔCamer.comÔCamer.com
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • ShowBiz
    • Sports
    • Français
    ÔCamer.com
    Home»News»Elections in Africa in the time of COVID
    News

    Elections in Africa in the time of COVID

    Ludovic SouleymanouBy Ludovic Souleymanou6 January 2021No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit WhatsApp Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest WhatsApp Email

    Despite the pandemic, most countries met their schedule in 2020

    UN/MINUSCA – Despite a fragile security situation, Central Africans massively exercised their civic duty by visiting polling centres and voting.

    The Central African Republic and Niger held their presidential and legislative elections on 27 December 2020, thus closing a difficult year where, despite fears of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most African countries managed to meet their electoral calendars.

    However, in two of the most observed countries, the polls did not go as originally planned. In Ethiopia, parliamentary elections scheduled for 29 August have been postponed to mid-2021, while in Somalia, the deadline for parliamentary elections in December 2020 has not been met, although the scheduled date for the presidential elections in February 2021 remains on the calendar.

    Elections for members of the House of People's Representatives and regional state councils throughout Ethiopia were to be held in the new political environment ushered in by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's reforms. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for ending a two-decade conflict with neighboring Eritrea.

    In Somalia, the 2020 elections were to be the first in 50 years and voters were to elect the president and his representatives by direct vote. The last elections by universal suffrage in the country were held in 1969. Subsequent presidential elections, held in 2009, 2012 and 2017, involved a system of thousands of clan delegates voting for parliamentary representatives, who in turn elected the president. 

    In Chad, legislative elections, originally scheduled for December 13, are now scheduled for the last quarter of 2021. 

    Despite a fragile security situation, Central Africans massively exercised their civic duty by going to voting centers and voting. Photo: United Nations

    Despite COVID-19

    In February, Togolese went to the polls to elect their president, just weeks before COVID-19 closed.

    Then, in March, Cameroon again held legislative elections in a dozen constituencies, while on March 22, Guineans participated in a constitutional referendum and highly contested general elections. 

    A week later, Malians held their general elections.

    In May, voters in Benin elected their local representatives, while Burundians elected their president. 

    In June, Malawians were called to the polls again for a new presidential election after courts invalidated the results of a previous election in 2019.

    Egyptians chose their senators in August, while in October, Côte d'Ivoire, Seychelles and Tanzania held their presidential elections and Cape Verdeans elected their representatives to the city council.

    November began with a constitutional referendum in Algeria on 1 November, followed by general elections in Burkina Faso on 22 November. 

    Then on December 7, Ghanaians held their parliamentary and presidential elections, while Liberians were called for a constitutional referendum and a mid-term senatorial election.

    On December 27, the Central African Republic and Niger ended the year on elections in Africa in 2020. Central Africans voted despite attempts by some rebel groups to disrupt the vote. In Niger, the process would have been largely peaceful. 

    In both countries, second rounds are scheduled for the New Year, which will mark the beginning of a new cycle of the 2021 calendar on the continent.

    Elections scheduled for 2021

    CountryBallotDate
    AngolaLocalApr 2021
    BeninPresidential & LocalApr 2021
    Burkina FasoLocalMay 2021
    Cape VerdePresidential & ParliamentaryTue 2021
    Central African RepublicNational Assembly (second round)8 Feb 2021
    ChadNational Assembly & Local24 Oct 2021
    ChadPresidential4 Apr 2021
    Ivory CoastNational AssemblyOct 2021
    DjiboutiPresidential8 Feb 2021
    EthiopiaHouse of Representatives31 August 2021
    GabonSenateEarly 2021
    GambiaPresidential4 Dec 2021
    LibyaPresidential & Parliamentary24 Dec 2021
    MadagascarLocal & Senate (indirect)2021
    MauriceLocal2021
    MoroccoHouse of Representatives, local assembly of councillors (indirect, after local)Sep 2021
    NigerPresidential (second round)21 Feb 2021
    Republic of CongoPresidential31 Mar 2021
    RwandaLocalFeb 2021
    SenegalRegional & Local28 Mar 2021
    São Tomé & PríncipePresidentialJuly 2021
    SomaliaPresidential (indirect)8 Feb 2021
    SomalilandHouse of Representatives and SenateMay 2021
    South AfricaDistrict and MunicipalAugust 2021
    South SudanPresidential, National Assembly, LocalAugust 2021
    UgandaPresidential, National Assembly (first round)10 Jan 2021
    UgandaPresidential, National Assembly (second round)8 Feb 2021
    ZambiaPresidential, National Assembly, Local12 August 2021

    Africa Renewal: 4 January 2021

    By: Franck Kuwonu

    Source: Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA)

    Share this:

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • WhatsApp

    Articles similaires

    Ludovic Souleymanou
    • Website

    Related Posts

    Semi-final /BAL 2022: FAP fails against Petro de Luanda

    26 May 2022

    CHAN wrestling: Cameroon wins two gold medals

    25 May 2022

    Northwest: Prison official and three collaborators killed by separatists

    12 April 2022
    ARTICLES RECENTS

    Semi-final /BAL 2022: FAP fails against Petro de Luanda

    26 May 2022

    CHAN wrestling: Cameroon wins two gold medals

    25 May 2022

    Northwest: Prison official and three collaborators killed by separatists

    12 April 2022

    Social security: a special scheme for footballers in the making

    12 April 2022
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • WhatsApp
    PUBLICITÉ
    © 2022 OCamer.com. All rights reserved

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.