Circumspecte

Initially published on the London School of Economics (LSE) Africa Blog . -- Jarreth Merz’ film  An African Election  covers the highs and lows of Ghana’s crucial 2008 presidential election, giving important insights into the electoral processes which helped safeguard the very stability of this West African nation. With many African presidential elections on the horizon for 2012, the film is a reminder of what is really at stake when it comes to democracy across the continent. Through Merz’ camera lens, Ghana’s political sphere in 2008 unravels. That year, both the National Democratic Congress   (NDC) and the then-ruling  National Patriotic Party  (NPP) – Ghana’s two main political parties – had eight years of governance under their belt since multiparty elections found its roots in Ghana in 1992. Then, as now, each party had its distinctive colours and symbol. An elephant with the colours red, white and blue for the NPP ...

Originally written by Jemila Abdulai for the March 2012 edition of the SAIS Observer African Elections: Version 2012 The lineup of African elections this year is impressive to say the least. Over 10 countries are slated to go to the polls to select their local and national representatives. Among them are Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Zimbabwe; each of which will either re-elect or select an entirely new head-of-state. With the occasional nod of acknowledgement from regional and global observers, local elections garner some degree of attention. When it comes to high stakes and pulsating veins however, Africa’s presidential elections are rivaled only by the African Cup of Nations. Needless to say, presidential elections in Africa tend to be an all or nothing affair. Election Day comes with both anticipation and dread. Anticipation at the prospect of new opportunities and a renewed commitment towards national development, and dread at wh...