Climate change and african political stability ccaps program, identifies. Strategies to prevent and manage electoral violence accord. The workshop was organized to explore issues associated with the. The countrys electoral history is replete with narratives of flawed and disputed elections that have turned violent, resulting in numerous fatalities and. Political violence is a threat to building a strong, efficient and visible democratic africa. The theme was preventing and managing violent electionrelated conflict in africa.
Our task here is to begin the inquiry by focusing on a workshop held in ethiopia in december 2008. Using round 4 afrobaromter survey data from 20 african countries in 2008, 45 percent of respondents reported some fear of election violence. Electoral institutions and electoral violence in subsaharan. Since the 1990s, the elections in west africa have often been a strong opportunity to express violence. The prevention and mitigation of electionrelated violence methodology for identifying relevant strategies the action points presented in this guide draw on good electoral management, security and peacebuilding efforts undertaken to prevent and mitigate electionrelated violence in specific national and electoral contexts. We find that gender equality is associated with lower electoral violence. Apr 25, 2010 the aim of this paper is to investigate electoral conflicts in africa since the end of the cold war by using the 2005 postelection violence in ethiopia as a case study. Media, elections and political violence in eastern africa. Electoral violence in west africa a comparative analysis of. Electoral violence in subsaharan africa 3 cent of african elections can be characterized as violent with voters experiencing harassment, intimidation, and in some cases, death, as a direct result of the electoral process. Some additional factors can protract electionrelated violence in africa.
We examine the impact of gender equality on electoral violence in africa. Democratization and electoral violence in subsaharan africa. The evidence showed that patrimonialism as the style of politics, the types of elections, the. Electoral violence in africa introduction since the reintroduction of multiparty politics in subsaharan africa in the early 1990s, electoral competition for state power has become the norm and many states there have since held more than three successive elections. Ethnic contest and electoral violence in northern kenya. The electoral process in many of africas new democracies has been characterised by violence. Elections have frequently been associated with violence in africa. Electoral violence in subsaharan africa, edited by dorina bekoe. In the past few years, very violent elections have occurred in countries such as cote divoire, kenya, nigeria, and. However, recent manifestations of electoral violence have assumed an unprecedented magnitude. Sep 08, 2018 causes of electoral violence in nigeria. Emerging trends and challenges of electoral democracy in africa 5 accountability that would be relevant for the continent. Electoral violence can be physical violence, but can also include threats and intimidation. The aim of this paper is to investigate electoral conflicts in africa since the end of the cold war by using the 2005 postelection violence in ethiopia as a case study.
May 30, 2018 most often, violence results in the absence of, or when grievance mechanisms are compromised. What is the nature of this violence and how to eradicate it for good. Tensions were widespread throughout the entire electoral cycle, but in the end only three casualties were reported. Nov 22, 2017 across africa, disputed presidential elections degenerated into postelection violence in ethiopia 2005, nigeria 2007, zimbabwe 2008, ivory coast 2010 and more recently in gabon 2016. The electoral process in these emergent democracies have. These contrasting even contradictoryviews raise questions about the legitimacy of the success narrative. The recent 2016 post election crisis in gabon12 that left scores dead seems to shows that electoral violence is an intractable phenomenon on the continent.
The evidence showed that patrimonialism as the style of politics, the types of elections, the type of electoral system and election administration are the main causes of election violence in africa. Deliberate acts of violence by political party actors and disregard for rules and regulations. Over the past few years, largescale violence has been reported during elections in africa. Elections in africa are periods in which the stability and security of african states hangs in the balance, due to. Even though ignorance of the electoral process is a threat to our peace, it is also the case that some acts of election violence are perpetrated by people who are knowledgeable about. The following factors are responsible for electoral violence in nigeria. Election violence and the future of democracy in africa. Most often, violence results in the absence of, or when grievance mechanisms are compromised. In 2015, elections brought about the first peaceful transfer of power to africas most populous country, nigeria, but also led to mass civil unrest and instability in burundi. Electoral violence and the challenge of democratic. History of electoral violence in nigeria notable cases 1. Pdf explaining electoral violence in africas new democracies.
A decade of electoral violence in africa, 2004 to 20 electoral violence has, in certain instances, catalyzed prolonged political conflict. An empirical examination of existing theories gregory wallsworth october 28, 2015 abstract recent studies of election violence in africa found violence mars as many as 80 percent of african elections. Even though ignorance of the electoral process is a threat to our peace, it is also the case that some acts of election violence are perpetrated by people who are knowledgeable about the electoral process and its rules and regulations. A quick look at the past decade of elections held in africa demonstrates the nagging persistence of election violence. A recent study using data from more than 50 african elections from 2011 to 2017, showed that almost all these elections had cases of electoral violence at some stage of the poll kewir et gabriel 2018. Abstract recent studies of election violence in africa found violence mars as many as 80 percent of african elections. Electoral corruption and fraud, furthermore, the following could serve as incentives for electoral violence in nigeria.
While most elections in west africa have been held in a peaceful environment in recent years, various acts of violence have been recorded. Rhetorical strategies used by politicians and personalities involved in such conflict tend to play. Even as there are challenges in elections in the africa, it remains the only. The electoral commission had received reports of political violence in three other towns in southern zambia and warned it would halt campaigning there if violence persisted, it said. The prevention and mitigation of electionrelated violence. In kenya, there is rape, sexual harassment, hate speeches, eviction and displacement, as the unique examples of the nature of political and electoral violence in the country. In countries where identity politics are prevalent, election conflicts often ignite religious, ethnic, regional, and other tensions. Best practices for the prevention of electoral violence reliefweb. A practitioners guide providing firsthand accounts and lessons from scholars and political and civic leaders in the field, with the aim of expanding the. To ascertain the gaps in the electoral processes in two strategic african countries and establish what can be done to improve electoral bodies. Hence, within the framework of the election violence concepts and theories, the research aims are to clearly define the various nuances and their interlinkages within the crisis political, security and socioeconomic. Electoral violence is both the causative and symptomatic in africa.
Across africa, disputed presidential elections degenerated into postelection violence in ethiopia 2005, nigeria 2007, zimbabwe 2008, ivory coast 2010 and. This research has a specific focus on electoral violence in west africa with much emphasis on nigeria and cote divoire. The tables brief analysis of the anticipated outcomes of the elections in terms of electoral violence is based on the historical and structural. Election violence in ghana breaking news, ghana, africa. The study was reliant on electoral violence theory by hoglund 2009. However, the election proceeded calmly, with only a few minor incidents. Permit me to cite these cases in an unchronological order. Specific case studies of electoral violence in countries such as ghana, kenya, and nigeria provide the context to further understanding the circumstances under which electoral violence takes place, recedes, or. Causes of electoral violence in africa written by ngah. I focus on electoral violence in africa for a number of theoretical and. Using round 4 afrobaromter survey data from 20 african countries in.
Policy notes electoral violence in africa september 2012 upcoming elections september 2012december 20 table 2 shows the elections scheduled for between september 2012 and december 20. The 20 general elections proceeded without mass violence, a significant advance in light of the countrys recent electoral history. Electoral violence in subsaharan africa lynne rienner publishers. This is a notable cause for concern in africa, where, as one participant noted, twentyfive countries on the continent are classified as mixed regimes, neither full democracies nor full autocracies. C a u s e s o f e l e c t i o n v i o l e n c e i n a f r i c a. Electoral seasons more than anytime else reveals the fragility and soft underbelly of the nigerian state. Strategies to prevent and manage electoral violence mainly focus on the perpetrators of violence, and the perspectives of the victims of such violence are often neglected. A united approach to support the victims of violence is important so that those affected can cope with the consequences of violence. Kenyas 2010 constitution was intended to end fierce electoral battles, but in the northern counties of isiolo and marsabit it has exacerbated ethnic and border tensions. Emerging trends and challenges of electoral democracy in africa. These include structural factors, cultural factors, monetization of politics, and the neopatrimonial nature of politics in africa. A recent study using data from more than 50 african elections from 2011 to 2017, showed that almost all these elections had cases of electoral violence at some stage of the poll kewir et gabriel. Thus, electoral violence is any act of violence carried out in the course of political activities before, during or after election. In ethiopia, the coming to power of the eprdf in 1991 marked the fall of the derg dictatorial military government and the beginning of a multiparty democracy.
Even as there are challenges in elections in the africa, it. The most common types of political and electoral violence in east africa include abduction and kidnapping. This incidence of election violence in africa is so high that even an election considered being free, fair and transparent the outcome may not have been free of violence. Since the arab spring in 2011, several north african. The countrys electoral history is replete with narratives of flawed and disputed elections that have turned violent, resulting in numerous fatalities and reversing previous attempts at democratic consolidation. Tensions were widespread throughout the entire electoral cycle, but. In the article electionrelated violence in africa, atoubi 2012. Gender equality and electoral violence in africa international. It is the causative because it feeds the political crises that manifest regularly. While electoral violence has been a constant theme in nigerias history since independence, contributing to the collapse of previous attempts at entrenching democratic system of governance, the scale and intensity of electionrelated violence since the return to democracy in 1999 seems to dwarf what the country experience in the past. Using round 5 afrobarometer survey data from 35 african coun. Electoral violence in africa political violence and intimidation as an electoral strategy authored by fabian lauterbach written 072015 fabian lauterbach. Quantitatively, our estimates show that an increase in femaletomale labor force participation ratio by 1 percentage point is correlated with a.
Zambia suspends election campaigning over violence news. Togo in 2005, nigeria in 2007, cote divoire in 20102011, guinea in 2010, to. To prevent these issues causing electoral violence in august, stakeholders should deploy. Elections in africa are periods in which the stability and security of african states hangs in the balance, due to the threat of election violence ibid. About the authors the lead author, claire elder, worked as a consultant with international crisis groups horn of africa project in nairobi, kenya, where she monitored and researched the 20 kenyan general elections. Comparing theory and reality gregory wallsworth september 25, 2015 abstract various studies on election violence in africa have found violence to mar as high as eightypercent of african elections. Indeed, according to the cleen foundation, violence has been. The workshop was organized to explore issues associated with the media and postelection violence in east africa. Electoral violence is a subtype of political violence, but distinguished by its timing close to elections and its goals to impact elections, either by changing outcomes or to disrupt the elections themselves. Electoral violence is not limited to general and national elections.
The book breaks new ground with findings from the only known dataset of electoral violence in subsaharan africa, spanning 1990 to 2008. Preventing electoral violence in africa council on foreign. According to the fifth round of the afrobarometer survey more than 40% of the kenyans and almost 45% of the zimbabweans feared a lot that they would become victims of political intimidation and violence during election campaigns, demonstrating that. Pdf the electoral process in many of africas new democracies has been characterised by violence. South africas ten years of democracy 3 steven friedman two the electoral implications of social and economic change since 1994 23 jeremy seekings three voter information, government evaluations, and party images in the first democratic decade 40 robert mattes four parliament and the electoral system. Understanding electoral violence to better prevent it unowas. The conviction to integrity and the proper organization of elections by electoral management bodies is fundamental to success. We examine the impact of gender equality on electoral violence in africa using microlevel data from the sixth round of afrobarometer surveys. A number of factors have been offered to explain the prevalence of election violence in africa.
Emerging trends and challenges of electoral democracy in. From 1718 november 2009 at the crowne plaza hotel, rosebank, south africa, the electoral institute of southern africa eisa convened its fourth annual symposium. In the last years, crucial electoral processes took place or are taking place in a substantial number of countries across africa. The linkage between ethnicity, religious polarization and electoral violence in africa has become one of the most recurring theme in the literature on democracy and elections in the continent. Electoral violence could be regarded as electionsmotivatedcrisis employed to alter, change or influence by force or coercion, the electoral behaviour of voters or voting patterns or possibly reverse electoral decision in favour of particular individual, groups or political party. Since then, the trend line seems to be decreasing but still remains close to 50 percent. Causes of electoral violence in africa written by ngah gabriel sous dir. A dataset that covers election violence only in subsaharan africa is the african electoral.