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