Election Management Bodies in Africa: The pity of it all

Paul Otieno Onyalo
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Paul Otieno Onyalo: Pan African University-Institute of Governance Humanities and Social Science

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2020, vol. 4, issue 6, 164-171

Abstract: Since the (re-) introduction of multiparty politics in Africa in the early 1990s, electoral competition for state power has become the norm and most African countries have held more than three successive elections. However, while election is important part of a political process in a democracy and that every political system participate in election as a symbol of the democracy, experience of how Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) have managed elections in Africa has revealed that over the years, their independence have been mortgaged by different internal and external interest thereby being used to subvert the will of the people. This has generated a worrying trend of increasing election-related violent conflict that threatens democracy, peace and stability of the continent. Therefore, this research paper uses content analysis to examine the pitfalls of EMBs in managing elections in Africa with empirical evidence from different African Countries. In order to create an institutional strengthening design for EMBs that has high integrity, the paper concludes by proposing a raft of recommendations such as the need to create a framework for mutually cooperative links based on professionalism and impartiality, enabling EMBs to iron out any disputes during the electoral process, thus strengthening electoral administration and management as an investment for consolidating democracy in Africa.

Date: 2020
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