As more than 17 African countries prepare for elections in 2024, we are launching a series of op-eds and podcasts on the continent about whether digitalization will benefit African democracies. (Delwyn Bellasamy/M&G)
As more than 17 African countries prepare for the 2024 elections, Digital African has partnered with Mail & Guardian, Tayalisha Center for Digital Excellence and the Institute of Electoral Management Services in Africa (IEMSA) to launch the continental edition. launches an editorial series. A podcast about whether digitalization will benefit African democracies.
Scholars, experts and researchers from across the continent will present their opinions, based on their original research, on how elections are affected by digital technology.
These editorials are reinforced by continued coverage of African elections, focusing on:
- Misinformation and disinformation
- Gender bias in the electoral process
- The digital divide and how it excludes a large portion of voters from participating in elections
- Digital governance undermines democracy especially during elections
- The power of digital citizenship to strengthen democracy during elections
Digital Afrikan's Youth Desk, called Frame of Reference (FOR), has already launched a social media series on TikTok about how people can influence and influence the outcome of their country's democracy through elections. and engaging young voters across the continent.
expert opinion
The election series kicks off with five editorials by academics and experts on digitalization and governance, which will run over the next six weeks. Each work is enhanced by a podcast in which the authors discuss the work in more detail and illustrate their points with anecdotes. they are:
african democracy super bowl
Business Insider Africa estimates that in 2024, 20 African countries will go to the polls to choose their national and regional leaders in what some observers are calling the “Super Bowl of Democracy.” Advocates of good governance are keenly watching how the recent technology boom experienced in 2021 has affected the continent's democracies. Wits School of Governance postdoctoral researcher Maxwell Maseko uses the South African case study to argue that digital technology should be deployed to transform electoral management in Africa.
Are politicians undermining democracy through social media?
Bresmore Nikiti, a researcher at the Wilhelm Westfalische University in Münster, Germany, used a paper entitled “Social media, party narratives and supporter opinion – Zimbabwe after the 2018 elections” to It examines how losing candidates use social media to gain influence. Their supporters should not accept the election results.
Is Africa ready for electronic voting?
Professor Colin Turkle, NRF-rated researcher and Digitalisation Research Chair at the Durban University of Technology, discusses recent changes to the electoral system to include independent candidates and the impact of unusually long ballot papers. We are considering whether it is necessary to switch to electronic voting to counteract this.
Are African politicians doing their part to curb online disinformation and misinformation?
Kenya-based governance consultant Tom Mboya considers whether digital platforms are a resource or a threat to African democracies. In an era of disinformation and misinformation, what can politicians do to reduce the spread of fake news online?
How lack of ICT skills hinders effective election management in Africa
Japheth Ondiek and Gedion Onyango present insights from their paper titled “Technology policy implications of electoral technology system implementation in Kenya.” Tabulation technology and electoral votes are becoming a more reliable alternative to purely traditional voting methods that are susceptible to manipulation. However, the lack of ICT skills in electoral organizations is a significant barrier to the implementation of digital solutions.
podcast
The election series podcast, hosted by Frame of Reference editors Sinethemba Mtshali and Maxwell Maseko, complements the editorials and articles published in the Mail & Guardian and is available to stream on YouTube and Spotify. Authors and experts discuss how their articles on democracy in Africa add color and texture to published articles.
The Digital Afrikan is a journalism organization with a mission to drive Africa's digital transformation.Visit us or contact us here [email protected].
