EISA

‘Why participate in elections if we’re not properly represented?’ Women’s political participation and representation in SADC countries

Increased democratisation in Southern Africa might suggest that gender equality no longer matters in the politics of countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Yet the political participation and representation of women remains controversial owing to gender stereotypes, rhetoric, tokenism and patriarchy. Critically examining the political processes in the SADC region, specifically elections, […]

journal of african elections vol9 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

The State, Elections and Hidden Protest: Swaziland’s 2008 Elections

In many African countries elections are accompanied by conflict emanating from the concerns of different sections of the population. The continent has experienced numerous protests over election results or the manner in which electoral processes have been conducted. Yet while protest by organised groups has been admirably analysed by some scholars, their analysis falls short […]

The Challenge of Political Legitimacy Posed by the 2007 General Election

The placing of electoral democracy at the top of the SADC agenda is steadily beginning to pay dividends – Swaziland is the only country in Southern Africa which does not hold democratic elections. Since democratisation in 1993 Lesotho has held four elections. This paper considers the 2007 election, discussing the electoral process and the subsequent […]

Irish Electoral Politics

Why might South and Southern Africans find the Irish electoral experience especially relevant and instructive? Firstly, they may identify parallels with their own recent political history. Ireland’s political institutions are the result of a post-colonial settlement and were designed to accommodate an ethnic minority. They survived a long period of one-party rule. Historically they were […]

journal of african elections vol3 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Traditional and Modern Political Systems in Contemporary Governance in Africa

This paper analyses the role of traditional and modern institutions of governance in contemporary Africa. It examines the traditional institutions in their historical setting and the way in which they negotiated with the modern political arrangements under colonialism and later during the post-independence period. Both the colonial and postcolonial authorities viewed traditional political institutions with […]

journal of african elections vol3 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Party Systems in the SADC Region: In Defence of the Dominant Party System

In the past ten years or so the process of democratisation in emerging democracies has continued to face numerous and persistent challenges. The most pertinent of these is the rapid movement towards one-party dominant political systems. This phenomenon has been observed by scholars who have administered a series of tests to determine the possibility of […]

journal of african elections vol3 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Local Elections in the SADC Countries: A Comparative Analysis of Local Electoral Institutions

With the recent wave of democratisation in Sub-Saharan Africa a new interest has emerged in elected local councils. The importance of elected local governments in promoting democracy is now emphasised by both national actors and the international community. It is also increasingly underlined by research, both from the field of development theory/politics and from comparative […]

journal of african elections vol3 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Governance and Human Rights in the SADC Region

Central to the process of the institutionalisation of democratic governance in Southern Africa is the extent to which a human rights culture and practice are embedded within the current political landscape. There are numerous international human rights instruments to which Southern African states are party. But it is one thing to sign and ratify these […]

journal of african elections vol3 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

The Dominance of the Swazi Monarchy and the Moral Dynamics of Democratisation of the Swazi State

The struggle for independence in Swaziland contended with two important dynamics: (i) the emerging new ideology of party politics in Africa largely patterned after the Westminster model of parliamentary democracy; (ii) the ideology of traditionalism that centred all contestation of political power on the monarchy. I observe that over the years the dominant philosophical framework […]

journal of african elections vol2 number 1 transparent democratic governance in africa

Intra-Party Democracy and the Inclusion Of Women

The inclusion of women in decision-making is a fundamental human right and an issue of social justice. There can be no democracy where ‘decisions about changing the lives of people are taken without the participation of more than half of the very lives that have to be changed. It cannot be participatory democracy when decisions […]