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Securitisation of African elections

There are many countries in Africa that are going for presidential, national and local government elections this year and some of these countries such as Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo have a dark history of electoral violence.

In fact electoral violence is on the rise in Africa. Despite more than 20 years of adopting democratic governance, democratic indicators are relatively unchanged over the course of 20 years, and electoral violence has a detrimental effect on citizens’ view of democracy.

Elections across sub-Saharan Africa are frequently accompanied by fears of electoral violence and shrill calls for peace from civil society, journalists, governments, and international actors.

Editor's Comment
Mob justice isn't just

A young man suspected of breaking into a car was seized by residents, severely assaulted, and died in the hospital within an hour. We unreservedly condemn this mob justice. It is not a solution to crime, but a criminal offence that turns citizens into murderers.Residents are understandably angry about theft. The person who raised the alarm at 4am acted lawfully, and the neighbours who rushed to help showed community spirit. But what followed was...

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