Election fever kicked off in Africa in 2020, with old rivals facing off in Ghana, and leaders running for controversial third terms in West Africa.
Here are the major highlights of the African elections in 2020.
Togo
February 22 was Election Day in Togo. The country of 8 million people re-elected President Faure Gnassingbe. He polled 72 percent of votes compared to 18 percent for opposition leader Agbeyome Kodjo. The latter suspected fraud.
Burundi
Burundis constitutional court upheld the May 20 election results, rejecting a petition by opposition leader Agathon Rwasa. Rwasa has alleged irregularities. The ruling partys Evariste Ndayishimiye won with 68 percent of votes.
The 52-year old succeeded longtime leader, Pierre Nkurunziza. Nkurunziza had been in power since 2005.
Malawi
In Malawi, the top court annulled the results of the presidential elections of February 2019. It cited widespread irregularities. And so on June 23, Malawians head to the polls again.
President Peter Mutharika run against opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera.
Chakwera won by 58.5 percent of valid votes cast. But Peter Mutharika was not ready to exit. He claimed the civic exercise was the worst in the nations history.
Sadly, as Malawians have seen, this election is the worst in Malawis history of our elections,' Peter Mutharika told a press conference.
Ethiopia
In September, the northern region of Tigray in Ethiopia defied Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to hold local elections. This escalated tensions with the federal government.
Abiy rejected calls for dialogue, leading to thousands of Ethiopian refugees into Sudan. Despite claiming control of Mekele, the UN reports of ongoing fighting.
Seychelles
The Seychelles election saw its first opposition victory in 44 years. An Anglican priest won the presidential election. Wavel Ramkalawan won enough votes in the first round of polls to clinch the presidency. It was his sixth attempt at the countrys top job.
Tanzania
In Tanzania, it was a landslide win for President John Magufuli during the October 28 presidential elections. Magufuli got a second term in office, despite closing the world in on the real impact of the coronavirus pandemic in the East African nation.
He garnered more than 84 percent of valid votes cast. His main opponent, Tundu Lissu managed just 13 percent, according to the National election commission. Lissu and other opposition parties claimed that the process did not adhere to international standards.
Ivory Coast
In Ivory Coast, President Alassane Ouattara's bid for a third term ignited fury by the opposition, who said it was illegal for Ouattara to run again.
They said he broke a two term limit.
But Ouattara said he was free to stand for a third term under the countrys new 2016 constitution.
Ouattara,78, won the controversial election which was boycotted by the opposition.
The president had previously announced he would not run for another term.
But in July, the ruling partys previous presidential nominee, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly died suddenly. Ouattara then rescinded his decision. The move sparked protest in the capital Abidjan.
Around 85 people were killed in election-related clashes, raising fears of a repeat of the civil war after the 2010 vote, which saw around 3,000 people killed in ethnic clashes.
Guinea
Deadly clashes also erupted in Guinea. President Alpha Conde won a controversial third term in office in October. At least 30 people died in the aftermath of the controversial elections.
According to the Independent electoral commission, the 82-year old had 59.5 percent of votes.
Opponent 68-year old Cellou Diallo and other opposition parties petitioned the constitutional court.
But the court said they had produced no evidence and declared Conde the winner on Saturday, November 7.
Burkina Faso
In November, Burkinabe took its turn to elect a president. President Roch Marc Christian Kabore was re-elected with 57.87 percent of votes.
Kabore secured enough votes to serve a second term. Once seen as a stable nation, the election was held in the shadow of jihadist violence and a surge in attacks.
Security dominated the campaign trail. One-third of the population was disenfranchised because of the insecurity. Kabore's opponent raised concerns about the validity of the vote count. But the electoral commission dismissed the claims.
International electoral observer missions also confirmed the polls were largely free and fair. The opposition did not file an appeal over their claims.
Ghana
December 7 was Ghana's time to decide on who would be the next leader for four years.
The two longstanding rivals, incumbent Nana Akufo-Addo and his predecessor, John Maham, went head to head in a keenly contested poll.
Police reported that five people were killed, dampening an otherwise peaceful election.
The Electoral Commission announced on Wednesday, December 9 that President Nana Akufo Addo won by 51.95 percent.
The opposition rejected the result. For now, it is not clear if the National Democratic Congress party will mount a legal challenge.
Read this article:
Year in Review: Africa's 2020 elections - Africanews English
- Seychelles - Wikipedia - January 23rd, 2023
- Seychelles Maps & Facts - World Atlas - January 23rd, 2023
- Seychelles | Culture, History, & People | Britannica - January 23rd, 2023
- Demographics of Seychelles - Wikipedia - January 23rd, 2023
- Seychelles Population 2022 (Live) - worldpopulationreview.com - November 28th, 2022
- Tourism Seychelles on the Road and Charming South African Partners - eTurboNews | TravelWireNews - May 12th, 2022
- Seychelles dahl: The Creole recipe that is a family favourite - SBS - May 12th, 2022
- 'I want to leave it all out there:' Ned Azemia finding form again for UTEP track - El Paso Times - May 12th, 2022
- The Spirit of BirdLife - BirdLife International - May 12th, 2022
- EU Accepts COVID Certificates of 3 More Third Countries as Equivalent to the EU Digital COVID Certificate - SchengenVisaInfo.com -... - May 12th, 2022
- Twin Cyclones Asani and Karim Form Over Indian Ocean; Satellite Images Capture Twins on Opposite Sides of Equator | The Weather Channel - Articles... - May 12th, 2022
- KuCoin Ventures Makes $1 Million Investment in SakuraVerse, the First Project Backed by KuCoins $100 Million Creators Fund - Yahoo Finance - April 28th, 2022
- Emerald Yacht Cruises Is Hugging the Coast - Cruise Industry News - April 28th, 2022
- SEYCHELLES: Covid-19 puts a damper on waste management on the island of Perseverance - AFRIK 21 - February 11th, 2021
- Meet the American who is the first Black woman to travel to every country in the world - RADIO.COM - February 11th, 2021
- Waldorf Astoria and Canopy by Hilton to Debut in the Seychelles - Franchising.com - February 7th, 2021
- Meet the American who is the first Black woman to travel to every country in the world - Talk Radio 1210 WPHT - February 7th, 2021
- Africa in the news: Nigerian oil, COVID-19, and Uganda updates - Brookings Institution - February 7th, 2021
- Tales from the Coffeeshop: A gift for splitting hairs and spinning gestures - Cyprus Mail - February 7th, 2021
- How travelers help to protect the Outer Islands of the Seychelles - CNN - February 4th, 2021
- Air Seychelles would be ahead of schedule on transformation plan if 2020 was a normal year: CEO | CAPA - CAPA - Centre for Aviation - February 4th, 2021
- KuCoin CEO Reflects on 2020 and Looks to the Future - PRNewswire - February 4th, 2021
- Israel and Greece in talks to allow reciprocal visits for vaccinated tourists - Ynetnews - February 4th, 2021
- Vaccinated tourists can now visit the Seychelles without quarantining - Euronews - January 23rd, 2021
- Everything You Need To Know Before Visiting The Amazing Seychelles - TravelAwaits - January 23rd, 2021
- Got the vaccine? Then you can now hit the beach in Seychelles - Time Out - January 23rd, 2021
- Why Romania is a better post-lockdown holiday option than the Seychelles - Telegraph.co.uk - January 23rd, 2021
- Ambassador for United States to the Republic of Seychelles bids Farewell - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - January 23rd, 2021
- More contributions to the Covid-19 Relief Fund - News - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - January 23rd, 2021
- 3 islands in the Seychelles you must see - IOL - December 28th, 2020
- What Happened To Air New Zealands Boeing 767s? - Simple Flying - December 28th, 2020
- Top 10 Nature Images of 2020: Wildflowers, Coastal Scenes, and Ancient Treasures - The Pew Charitable Trusts - December 28th, 2020
- His View: That's our boy, shredding values to the bitter end - Moscow-Pullman Daily News - December 28th, 2020
- Seychelles, Longtime Home of BitMEX, Is Bending to US Pressure on KYC - Yahoo Finance - December 21st, 2020
- Seychelles and San Jose among routes axed by BA - Daily Business - December 21st, 2020
- Cabinet Business - 16th December 2020 - News - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - December 21st, 2020
- BitMEX Trading Exchange Earns Criminal and Civil Prosecution for AML Violations - JD Supra - December 21st, 2020
- President meets with Seychellois Community in the UAE - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - December 21st, 2020
- Seychelles Promoted in the First Virtual Gulf Travel Show - FTNnews.com - December 21st, 2020
- Figure of the week: Africas visa openness continues to improve - Brookings Institution - December 21st, 2020
- India needs more than Quad to secure the Indo-Pacific - The Times of India Blog - December 21st, 2020
- Upset in Seychelles presidential election as incumbent loses - The Associated Press - October 28th, 2020
- Seychelles is likely to maintain its record of free and fair elections in upcoming polls - The Conversation CA - October 28th, 2020
- Seychelles Travel Advisory Updates - October 19th, 2020
- Trade the US Election 'Game of the Throne' Volatility - FX Empire - October 19th, 2020
- Wedding Bells in the Seychelles Islands Read more Skip - eTurboNews | Trends | Travel News - September 5th, 2020
- President Faure meets with the Red Cross Society of Seychelles - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - September 5th, 2020
- President Appoints new Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Fishing Authority - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - September 5th, 2020
- Region cautiously reopens its doors - The Southern Times - September 5th, 2020
- FJ Book Club: A haunting debut thriller brimming with excess - Fashion Journal - August 10th, 2020
- President Faure visits Agency for Social Protection - News - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - August 10th, 2020
- Seychelles Telecommunications Market Share,Trends, and Growth Opportunities to 2025-Analysis of Seychelles Mobile, Fixed Telephone and Broadband... - August 8th, 2020
- Anantara to debut in the Seychelles with rebrand of iconic Maia Luxury Resort & Spa - Travel Daily News International - August 7th, 2020
- President Faure thanks the Leader of Government Business in the sixth National Assembly - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - August 7th, 2020
- President Faure proclaims the dissolution of the National Assembly - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - August 7th, 2020
- Under the Radar Beaches from the Seychelles to Saint-Tropez - Luxury Travel Magazine - August 4th, 2020
- President Faure attends ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the Office of the Auditor General - Office of the President of the Republic of... - August 3rd, 2020
- The economic substance exemption: escaping the claws of the Cayman tax - Lexology - July 31st, 2020
- Cabinet Business - Wednesday 29 July 2020 - News - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - July 31st, 2020
- Expedition removes 25 tons of waste from remote Aldabra Atoll - UNESCO.org - July 31st, 2020
- Covid-19 Hits Spanish Fishing Fleet in the Seychelles - Euro Weekly News - July 31st, 2020
- Seychelles Is Welcoming Commercial Flights In August, And Here's What You Need To Know - TheTravel - July 31st, 2020
- New guidelines aim to support mangrove restoration in the Western Indian Ocean - UN Environment - July 30th, 2020
- Rescue operation fails to find any sign of Bribie Island couple after boat sinks in stormy seas off African coast - ABC News - July 29th, 2020
- Kangaroo, blue macaws among animals rescued in Assam - The Hindu - July 29th, 2020
- With these rules, Seychelles will reopen to travellers from 1 August - Cond Nast Traveller India - July 28th, 2020
- Interview Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kenya, Somalia and the Seychelles, H.E. Frans Makken - The Netherlands and You - July 28th, 2020
- President Faure receives members of the Seychelles Bible Society - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - July 27th, 2020
- President Faure receives delegation from Seventh-Day Adventist Church of Seychelles - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - July 27th, 2020
- Etihad passengers flying to these nine countries may need Covid-19 tests - The National - July 25th, 2020
- Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi couple spent 15 weeks in the Seychelles after flights were grounded - The National - July 25th, 2020
- How, and Where, Covid-19 Is Spreading in Africa - Direct Relief - July 24th, 2020
- How, and Where, Covid-19 Is Spreading in Africa - World - ReliefWeb - July 24th, 2020
- Ray of light for region's economies - The Southern Times - July 24th, 2020
- THE 10 BEST Seychelles Luxury Resorts - Jul 2020 (with ... - July 22nd, 2020
- Secrets of One of the Most Private Islands in the Seychelles - Luxury Travel Magazine - July 22nd, 2020
- Cabinet Business - Wednesday 15th July 2020 - News - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles - July 21st, 2020
- Have we gone batty? - The Borneo Post - July 18th, 2020
- Tuna Spanish breathe after a month stranded in the Seychelles by the Covid-19 - Wire News Fax - July 18th, 2020
- Claim that coconut oil is worse for biodiversity than palm oil sparks furious debate - Science Magazine - July 18th, 2020