Publisher Description

The third wave of democracy that reached African shores at the end of the Cold War brought with it a dramatic decline from 1990 onwards in dictatorships, military regimes, one-party governments, and presidents for life. Multiparty democracy was at the core of the constitutional revolutions that swept through most of Africa in those watershed years. However, that wave is either losing momentum or receding - or being reversed in its entirety.This volume examines democracy and elections in Africa, a focus motivated by two concerns. First, after 30 years it is important to take stock of the state of constitutional democracy on the continent.The democratic gains of the 1990s and 2000s seem to be falling by the wayside, with the evidence mounting that regimes are concealing authoritarianism under the veneer of elections, doing so in an international context where populist regimes are on the rise and free and fair multiparty elections are consequently no longer a given. It is becoming a battle to protect and retain constitutional democracy.The second reason for this volume's focus on democracy and elections isthat multiparty democracy is essential for the proper functioning of the state in addressing the major problems facing Africa - internal conflict, inequality and lack of development, and poor governanceand corruption. The focus of this volume is thus on how competitive politics or multiparty democracy can be realized and how, through competition, such politics could lead to better policy and practice outcomes.

Author Biography

Charles M. Fombad is Professor of Law and head of the African Comparative Constitutional Law Unit of the Institute for International and Comparative Law in Africa (ICLA), based at the Faculty of Law of the University of Pretoria. Nico Steytler is South African Research Chair in Multi-level Government, Law and Policy, at the University of the Western Cape.

Table of Contents

Nico Steytler: Introduction: Democracy, Elections, and Constitutionalism in AfricaPart 1: Making Multiparty Democracy Work in Africa1: Charles M. Fombad: Democracy, Elections and Constitutionalism in Africa: Setting the Scene2: Nicholas Cheeseman: How Could We Design Democracy to Make it Work in the African Context3: Adem Abebe and Charles M. Fombad: The Africa Union and the Advancement of Democracy: The Problem of Unconstitutional Retention of Governmental Power.4: Nico Steytler: Local Multiparty Democracy in AfricaPart 2: Authoritarian Multiparty Democracy: Case Studies5: Tinashe Chigwata: Multiparty Democracy in Zimbabwe After the Adoption of the 2013 Constitution6: Henning Melber: Competitive Authoritarianism in a Constitutional Democracy: The Case of SWAPO in Namibia7: Zemelak Ayitenew Ayele: Constitutionalism and Electoral Authoritarianism in Ethiopia: From EPRDF to EPP8: Teresa Noguira Pinto: Constitutionalism and Developmental Authoritarianism: Power, Law and Legitimacy in Post-Genocide Rwanda9: Sherif Elgebeily: Egypt's Plasticine Constitution: Autocratic Democracy and the 2018 Presidential ElectionsPart 3: Enhancing the Role of Political Parties in Making Democracy Work10: Edwin Babeiya: Internal Party Democracy in Tanzania: A Reflection on Three Decades of Multiparty Politics11: Zelalem Defigie: Party-political Financing, Democracy and Constitutionalism in Ethiopia (1991-2018)Part 4: Enhancing Democratic Quality Through Electoral Processes12: Rotimi Suberu: Nigeria in Search of a Credible Electoral Administration: Recent Reforms and Persistent Challenges13: O'Brien Kaaba and Charles M. Fombad: Adjudication of Disputed Presidential Elections in AfricaPart 5: Promoting Inclusive and Participatory Democracy14: Jill Cottrell Ghai: Women's Participation in Elections and Legislatures in Kenya Under the 2010 Constitution15: Makanatsa Makonese: How Zimbabwe's 2013 Constitution Addresses Women's Election and Participation in ParliamentPart 6: General Conclusion16: Charles M. Fombad: Reversing the Surging Tide towards Authoritarian Democracy in Africa

Long Description

The third wave of democracy that reached African shores at the end of the Cold War brought with it a dramatic decline from 1990 onwards in dictatorships, military regimes, one-party governments, and presidents for life. Multiparty democracy was at the core of the constitutional revolutions that swept through most of Africa in those watershed years. However, that wave is either losing momentum or receding - or being reversed in its entirety. This volume examines democracy and elections in Africa, a focus motivated by two concerns. First, after 30 years it is important to take stock of the state of constitutional democracy on the continent. The democratic gains of the 1990s and 2000s seem to be falling by the wayside, with the evidence mounting that regimes are concealing authoritarianism under the veneer of elections, doing so in an international context where populist regimes are on the rise and free and fair multiparty electionsare consequently no longer a given. It is becoming a battle to protect and retain constitutional democracy.The second reason for this volume's focus on democracy and elections is that multiparty democracy is essential for the proper functioning of the state in addressing the major problems facing Africa - internal conflict, inequality and lack of development, and poor governance and corruption. The focus of this volume is thus on how competitive politics or multiparty democracy can be realized and how, through competition, such politics could lead to better policy and practice outcomes.

Feature

Examines how multiparty democracy currently works in Africa using case studies from a wide range of African countries and considers ways in which to achieve constitutional democracy, a key component of constitutionalismProvokes fresh, critical, and original thinking on how present challenges could be overcome and genuine democracy, constitutionalism, and the rule of law could be made a living reality in AfricaExplores how both African and international actors can support and strengthen electoral democracy by adopting a range of measures to promote good governance, constitutionalism, and the rule of law, most importantly the African Union's adoption of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

New Feature

Introduction: Democracy, Elections, and Constitutionalism in Africa, Nico Steytler Part 1: Making Multiparty Democracy Work in Africa 1. Democracy, Elections and Constitutionalism in Africa: Setting the Scene, Charles M. Fombad 2. How Could We Design Democracy to Make it Work in the African Context, Nicholas Cheeseman 3. The Africa Union and the Advancement of Democracy: The Problem of Unconstitutional Retention of Governmental Power., Adem Abebe and Charles M. Fombad 4. Local Multiparty Democracy in Africa, Nico Steytler Part 2: Authoritarian Multiparty Democracy: Case Studies 5. Multiparty Democracy in Zimbabwe After the Adoption of the 2013 Constitution, Tinashe Chigwata 6. Competitive Authoritarianism in a Constitutional Democracy: The Case of SWAPO in Namibia, Henning Melber 7. Constitutionalism and Electoral Authoritarianism in Ethiopia: From EPRDF to EPP, Zemelak Ayitenew Ayele 8. Constitutionalism and Developmental Authoritarianism: Power, Law and Legitimacy in Post-Genocide Rwanda, Teresa Noguira Pinto 9. Egypt's Plasticine Constitution: Autocratic Democracy and the 2018 Presidential Elections, Sherif Elgebeily Part 3: Enhancing the Role of Political Parties in Making Democracy Work 10. Internal Party Democracy in Tanzania: A Reflection on Three Decades of Multiparty Politics, Edwin Babeiya 11. Party-political Financing, Democracy and Constitutionalism in Ethiopia (1991-2018), Zelalem Defigie Part 4: Enhancing Democratic Quality Through Electoral Processes 12. Nigeria in Search of a Credible Electoral Administration: Recent Reforms and Persistent Challenges, Rotimi Suberu 13. Adjudication of Disputed Presidential Elections in Africa, O'Brien Kaaba and Charles M. Fombad Part 5: Promoting Inclusive and Participatory Democracy 14. Women's Participation in Elections and Legislatures in Kenya Under the 2010 Constitution, Jill Cottrell Ghai 15. How Zimbabwe's 2013 Constitution Addresses Women's Election and Participation in Parliament, Makanatsa Makonese Part 6: General Conclusion 16. Reversing the Surging Tide towards Authoritarian Democracy in Africa, Charles M. Fombad

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