Guest Blog: NGN Expert Perspectives on Africa’s 2024 Election Year

Historic elections in Botswana ends ruling party’s almost 60 years in power

On the 30th of October 2024, Botswana held its 13th national elections; the results marked a historical moment in the country’s political landscape. For the first time in 58 years, the long-standing ruling party, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), was unseated. The 54-year-old Duma Gideon Boko, led a coalition of opposition parties under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) to victory.

The loss of the elections by the Botswana Democratic Party might be attributed to a combination of factors, including deteriorating living conditions, a high unemployment rate of 27 %, and 32 % youth unemployment. The Umbrella for Democratic Change’s election campaign (which promised creation of jobs, decent housing, increased minimum wage, and increased pension for the old, among others) raised hopes for Botswana and inspired them to bring change.

With 2024 having been a record year of elections, we hope that the winds of change that swept across Africa, with Botswana, Ghana & Senegal, witnessing a democratic dispensation that resulted in the smooth transition of power, will inspire other African countries to ensure that they should respect the will of the people, and uphold their collective rights and voices to decide who should rule them.

– Gaokgakala Sobatha, Principal Urban Planner, Ministry of Local Government, Botswana.

Mauritius changes political leadership for the first time in a decade

Following the 2024 general election, Mauritius experienced a change in political leadership after a decade. However, the 2024 IIAG’s Overall Governance data for Mauritius for the last ten years (2014-2023) indicate a serious decline in the quality of the country’s governance to the point that in the latest IIAG report, Mauritius became downgraded to the second position for the first time since the index was created.

Due to the change in political leadership with the winning ruling party having won the majority of parliamentary seats, citizens’ expectations are high. However, a change in political leadership for Mauritius cannot guarantee an immediate improvement in the quality of the country’s governance. There are many areas for improvement that will require strengthening, for example, overcoming the decline in the IIAG category of ‘Participation, Rights & Inclusion’, which is the most deteriorated area in the last ten years for Mauritius. There is a long road ahead for the new Mauritius government, which Mauritius citizens will continue to hold accountable.

– Dr Adeelah Kodabux, Director of LEDA Research & Advocacy, Mauritius.

Ghana’s election results reflect citizens’ dissatisfaction with the state of governance

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) victory in Ghana’s elections continues the trend of incumbents losing elections across Africa. Ghana, Botswana and Mauritius – all countries with major declines in satisfaction with democracy per the latest rounds of the Afrobarometer report, all lost their elections. The Ghanaian public’s dissatisfaction is also reflected in the 2024 IIAG, which shows significant declines in Public Perception of Economic Opportunities and the Civil Society Space by -5.1 and -11.2 points respectively over the last ten years.

Ghana also recorded extremely low voter turnout figures of about 60.9%. This historic low may also be an indication that many voters have lost faith in the two-party system of electoral democracy to solve their everyday problems. The incoming NDC administration has the unenviable task of restoring citizens’ trust in democracy by improving the quality of governance, recovering looted funds, and addressing structural weaknesses in the economy. With a projected 2/3 majority in parliament, it will have all the political power it needs to enact bold and transformational reforms.

– Lolan Sogoe-Moses, Leadership group member, Ghana Compact for Political and Economic Transformation.

Ending the cycle of postponed elections in South Sudan

The world was closely watching South Sudan to hold landmark elections in December 2024 promising to end a perpetual regime of transitional governance since emerging as an independent state in 2011. In light of the current status of the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), it has not made sufficient progress to establish an environment conducive for peaceful, free, and fair elections. The postponement in late September 2024 didn’t surprise many observers.

With a new promise of holding elections in 2026, South Sudan has a renewed opportunity towards creating a safe environment for the polls. However, there is a need to inject impetus into the electoral process in order to gain traction towards achieving key benchmarks for untroubled elections with a particular focus on security and the legal election modalities framework.

– Patrick Godi, Youth Representative for Revitalized Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, South Sudan.

All across Africa, the youth are taking charge of the continent’s future

In 1964, at the Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela declared his commitment to a democratic and free society, stating ‘It is an ideal for which I am prepared to die’. Sixty years later, South Africans joined the world in celebrating this ideal through the ballot. However, in Africa’s 2024 elections, Mandela’s vision takes on new meaning as youth redefine freedom on their own terms. Across the continent, voter turnout dwindled, reflecting disillusionment with traditional structures. In South Africa, only 58.6% voted, with the African National Congress (ANC) experiencing a historic decline.

Yet, young people are asserting their agency beyond the ballot box, finding new avenues for activism. From climate action in Uganda to economic justice protests in Mozambique. In Kenya, digital tools have become weapons for transparency and accountability. These movements suggest that for many African youth, the path to Mandela’s vision lies not only in elections but in reshaping governance through innovation and activism. Amandla!

– Mike Mpanya, CEO of Nubi AI and Founder of Ubuma Leadership, South Africa.