How the new naira notes are affecting campaigns in Nigeria
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) Godwin Emefiele and President Buharie unveiling of the New Naira Note (Photo by Premium Times) A pre-election report released by YIAGA Africa shows that whereas political parties were observed spending money on voter hospitality and voter inducement activities in 33 states, it was more prevalent in the […]
Uganda’s president, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (center) , the First lady and other NRM members during the Liberation day celebrations in Kakumiro district last week. Uganda on January 26th commemorated the 37th National Resistance Movement (NRM) victory day anniversary. After 1986 when President Yoweri Museveni and his NRM party came into power, he instituted the non-party “Movement” system […]
Is this the end of electoral authoritarianism in Tanzania?
Tanzania’s president, Samia Suluhu Hassan Following decades of electoral authoritarianism, registered political parties in Tanzania have been unleashed to organise and hold rallies to discuss their political ambitions including criticizing government and the dominant Chama Cha Mapinduzi party. This is happening at a time when the next general elections are two years away. This opening […]
Sierra Leone Parliament. (Photo by Cocorioko) The presidential elections in Sierra Leone are less than six months away and will be the first under the newly enacted public elections Act 2022. Presidential elections will go simultaneously with the elections of ordinary members of parliament and local councils’ representatives. The current president, Julius Maada Bio, will […]
Political Party Financing among the focus areas of the 2nd Summit for Democracy 2023 due in Zambia
Zambia’s capital, Lusaka. The Republic of Zambia is one of the co-host countries for the second Summit for Democracy alongside the United States, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, and the Republic of Korea on March 29-30, 2023. Zambia is handling the theme on elections. Zambia co-hosting the summit’s theme on elections could not have been more […]
The State of Rwanda’s Political Finance Regulatory Framework
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame during the 2017 Presidential campaigns. (Photo by The Independent) Come September, 2023, Rwandans will hit the polls to elect their representatives to parliament. Often referred to as the land of a thousand hills, this fast-growing economy currently has eleven political parties that only have four main sources of raising party finance. […]
Nigerians need democracy not moneycracy
Nigerians need democracy not moneycracy It is now apparent that the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC) did not have enough time to fortify the department of Elections and Party Monitoring in order to effectively enforce the campaign finance provisions as prescribed under the new Electoral Act of 2022. The new Electoral Act (2022) […]
Bankrolled social media influencers at the centre of disinformation in Nigeria elections
As election campaigns heat up in Nigeria ahead of the February 25, 2023 polls, social media has been weaponized by some political parties and candidates to spread disinformation and misinformation. Prominent social media influencers are making a money kill from political parties as they trade their services to orchestrate the spread of disinformation and misinformation […]
Insecurity and attacks on INEC facilities a thorn on credibility of Nigeria 2023 elections
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices that were recently attacked. (Photo by Ripples Nigeria). As Nigeria gets closer to her seventh general elections scheduled for February 2023 since returning to electoral democracy in May 1999, insecurity and attacks at the INEC facilities continue to stand out as a major concern to electoral stakeholders. This is […]