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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...

25 July, 2012 PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release STATEMENT FROM GHANA DECIDES ON THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT MILLS We are shocked and saddened by the death of His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills.  The announcement of his death was nothing less of a surprise and a blow to a nation that is  continually trying to surmount immense developmental challenges. President Mills led Ghana  on a path that he best judged as one that could propel the country he loved forward. He did his  bit, but now he is gone. We have been overwhelmed with Ghana's heartfelt response to the death of President Mills. The words fine academic, religious, hardworking and peace-loving are most often used to describe him. Some mention humility and we should not mistake that for timidity. President Mills brought the "GOOD MAN” syndrome to Ghana’s politics. So on the event of his death; we are shaken, here at Ghana Decides. Ghana’s future is opened up again and we are thinking ...

If you're an 18+ Ghanaian citizen currently living/studying/working abroad, kindly take a moment to complete this survey on Ghana Election 2012 and the Diasporan Ghanaian. Thanks :) -- Dear Fellow Ghanaian, So you probably heard about the GhanaDecides and iRegistered campaigns that BloggingGhana launched recently in partnership with STAR-Ghana . No? Well, you best get acquainted quick! It's the hottest thing in town,even Mashable.com picked up on it. Good thing I'm here to give you all the juicy details and some :) With the world gradually accepting the fact that tweets, hashtag events and Facebook are here to stay, many have found interesting and innovative ways to use social media, even in the political arena. The Obama '08 Presidential campaign, the Arab Spring and Senegal's #sunu2012 movement and elections are but some of the many ways that social media has contributed to political change. Now it's Ghana's turn. Come December 2012, Ghana w...

Hi Folks! It's been a month since my last blog and a lot has certainly happened within the span of those four weeks! Of course, it's gonna be hard to recap everything that went down, so instead I'll zone in on key events in the sphere of African democracy . As you probably know, 2012 is a big year for elections in Africa. There are over 10 presidential elections slated to take place and you can imagine how antsy the whole continent is. Elections are somewhat of a litmus test for democracy and overall advancement in many African countries, and both politicians and citizens tend to be on edge when it's time to head to the polls. So, what's happened so far? Well, we need not look further than the West African region where two neighboring countries - both with presidential elections this year - have embarked on strikingly different paths. Senegal: Le Teranga, Victorious & Proud Remember how Youssou Ndour was running for president? Yeah. Well, the Senegale...

Dear Fellow African, The hour is nigh, and the trumpet has sounded. After months of dilly-dallying, the levees have broken and Senegal, as we know it, is at a crossroads. It could also very well be the cradle of an African Re-Awakening. Call it the "Africa Spring", a " Renaissance " or a "Revolution", it is here. I'm not going to use ink and paper describing what led this West African "beacon of democracy" down this path . Unfortunately, we know it all too well. Here it is in under 140 characters: It's ironic that the leader in this case is the very one who spent an estimated $27million on a copper statue which he named "La Monument de La Renaissance Africaine." I doubt Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade ever imagined that those words would be transformed into the energy that is sweeping across Senegal as we speak. The global economic crisis might have wrecked havoc in many-a financial market, but to its cred...

As some of you probably know, I worked in Senegal for a while with an NGO focused on women and youth rights. I also got the opportunity to interact with many locals and to get a sense of the political situation under Wade's government. Many Senegalese are simply fed up with Wade and want him out. His second term is coming to an end and elections are due on February 26. Like Ghana, a Senegalese president is allowed to have a maximum of two consecutive terms. However, Wade circumvented the constitution and secured a go-ahead from the Supreme Court (whose judges he appointed) to run for a possible third term in office. The result? Mass protests across the country dubbed "Y'en A Marre, Wade Degage!" (We're Fed Up, Wade Get Out!). It should be noted though that all this has been brewing for a very long while, stemming largely from the economic crisis, rising costs of living and the incessant power cuts in Senegal last March. Also, many people - myself included - do...

It's day three of the year 2012. Already! First off, I wish each and every one of you a great year ahead. May you have enough of everything you need to achieve your biggest dream and highest potential, and may you never want for the love, support, strength and confidence to get to where you want to be. Second, Youssou Ndour - world renowned Senegalese musician - just announced his candidature for Senegal's presidential election on February 26, 2012! I'll admit, the first person I thought of when I read the news was Wyclef Jean who put in a similar bid for Haiti's presidential seat in 2010. But let's not dwell on that. It's a new year and if the recent past has been any indication, it's that anything is possible. Besides, unlike Jean who didn't even meet the constitutional requirement of having lived in the country for at least five years, Ndour has been very visible on the local scene - mainly through his music - and is also a UN goodwill ambassado...