Elections are an important pillar of democracy. They provide opportunities for political change and challenges. The electoral process is an important event for all. For citizens: it is their chance to use their vote to effect change in their country. In the broader aspect – the political competition and participation leads to greater levels of acceptance and peaceful coexistence.
Last year we saw Africans using their votes to effect in their respective countries. Retired football star George Weah was elected as president of Liberia. This victory was his third attempt following failures in 2005 and 2011. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta held onto power after the hotly contested presidential election rerun in October 2017.
2018 will sound off election rumbles on the continent. Zimbabweans will go to the polls following the military coup and eventual ousting of former President Mugabe. The Blue Nile, Abyei and Nuba Mountains (Sudan) will hold a referendum on joining South Sudan.
Here are the presidential elections in Africa to keep an eye out for:
Here are the presidential elections in Africa to keep an eye out for:
| Country | Date | |
| Cameroon | October | |
| DRC | December | |
| Egypt | Between February- May | |
| Mali | December | |
| Madagascar | November or December | |
| Mali | December | |
| Mauritius | December | |
| Sierra Leone | March | |
| South Sudan | July | |
| Zimbabwe | July | |
Here is the rest of the 2018 African election calendar:
| Country | Election | Date |
| Chad | National Assembly & Local | 2018 |
| Djibouti | National Assembly | February |
| DRC | Legislative & Provincial | December |
| Ethiopia | Regional State Council & Local | 2018 |
| House of Federation (indirect) | ||
| Gabon | National Assembly | By April |
| Gambia | Municipal elections | April |
| Guinea | Local | February |
| National Assembly | September | |
| Guinea- Bissau | National People’s Assembly | April |
| Libya | Parliament | September |
| Madagascar | Provincial & Regional | Postponed from 2017 to 2018 |
| Parliament | November or December | |
| Mali | Local & Communal | April (postponed from 17 December 2017) |
| National Assembly | November | |
| Mauritania | National Assembly | November or December |
| Niger | Local | Postponed from 8 January 2017 to 2018 |
| Rwanda | Chamber of Deputies | September |
| São Tomé & Principe | National Assembly, Regional & Local | August |
| Sierra Leone | House of Representatives & Local | March |
| Constitutional referendum | Postponed from September 2017 to 2018 | |
| South Sudan | National Legislative Assembly, Regional & Local | July |
| Swaziland | House of Assembly & Tinkhundla | September |
| Togo | National Assembly & Local | June or July |
| Zimbabwe | Parliamentary, Senate & Local | July |
