insert_link Africa Opposition pressures Botswana Electoral Commission on voter’s roll Opposition parties in Botswana are putting pressure on the country’s electoral commission. With the country heading to elections on 30 October, the Botswana Congress Party is suing the Independent Electoral Commission over concerns about individuals registering in multiple constituencies. Party president Dumelang Saleshando wants these names removed from the voters' roll. todayOctober 24, 2024 25
insert_link Africa Tanzania’s election laws make it hard to build political opposition – what needs to change By Aikande Clement Kwayu, Tumaini University Makumira Tanzanians go to the polls this year in local elections to vote for street and village chairpersons. This will be followed by a general election next year for councillors, members of parliament and the president. Both sets of elections are being watched closely. They’re the first to be held following a raft of changes over the past eight […] todayJuly 15, 2024 8
insert_link Namibia The ANC remains in the lead nationally at 41.92-percent With just over 57-percent of the votes counted, the ANC remains in the lead nationally at 41.92-percent. The DA is currently second at 23.34-percent and the MK Party at 11.31-percent. In Gauteng, the ANC leads with 33.57-percent followed by the DA at 29.31-percent and the EFF at 12.55-percent. In the hotly contested KwaZulu-Natal, MK is at 43.95-percent, the ANC second with 18.98-percent and the IFP at 15.42-percent. In the Western […] todayMay 31, 2024 28
insert_link South Africa Drained but proud: how it felt to organise South Africa’s first democratic election in just 4 months By Kealeboga J Maphunye, University of South Africa South Africa’s historic 27 April 1994 national election marked the end of more than three centuries of colonial and apartheid rule. The period leading to the election was one of heightened political tension, with opponents of change working hard to derail the process through deadly violence. Political scientist Kealeboga Maphunye asks Mandla Mchunu, first deputy secretary of […] todayMay 22, 2024 19
Africa Tanzania’s elections are vulnerable to state abuse – urgent law reforms are needed By Aikande Clement Kwayu, Tumaini University Makumira Tanzania’s electoral law reform is overdue for an overhaul. This was made most apparent by the 2019 local elections and the 2020 general elections. The results were big wins for the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM): 99% of local authorities, 98.9% of parliamentary seats and 84% of the presidential vote. These margins of victory were contested. The United Nations, research […] todayFebruary 9, 2024 18
insert_link South Africa Independent Electoral Commission Firmly Denies Bias Allegations by Former President Jacob Zuma SA's Independent Electoral Commission emphatically refutes former president Jacob Zuma's allegations of bias toward the ANC, asserting that such claims are baseless. Zuma recently accused the commission of favoritism towards the ANC and suggested that certain IEC officials could be influenced with bribes to circumvent the commission's system. Janet Love, representing the IEC, urges political parties to collaborate with the commission to ensure the integrity of free and fair elections. […] todayFebruary 1, 2024 21
insert_link South Africa Over 18-thousand South Africans living abroad have registered to vote so far The SA Independent Electoral Commission says 18-thousand-469 South African citizens living in 101 countries have started registering to vote using the online registration portal system launched last month. The commission briefed the media on the readiness for the registration process this weekend. In 2019, about 21-thousand South Africans voted abroad. Chief Electoral Official Sy Mamabolo encourages eligible voters to check their registration status at the nearest diplomatic mission with their […] todayJanuary 26, 2024 6
insert_link South Africa South African Rainbow Alliance accuses the Electoral Commission of neglecting voter education South Africa's Rainbow Alliance has criticised the Independent Electoral Commission for excelling in registering over 400 parties but failing in voter education. Expressing concern over leaving education to politicians, they highlight a lack of awareness among tertiary students and neglect of the service industry. The alliance questions if such negligence aims to suppress new voters, and urges the IEC to extend working hours, and visit malls and tertiary institutions for […] todayJanuary 17, 2024 57