According to the Democracy Index report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, these processes have often been flawed across the continent
The index uses several indicators to assess the democracy score for each country, including electoral process and pluralism, whether they have a functioning government, political participation of its citizens, political culture and environment, and civil liberties.
The report noted that globally, the average score for electoral process and pluralism declined by 0.10 points in 2023.
While elections are not synonymous with democracy, they provide a vital opportunity to assess a country’s institutional strength, commitment to the rule of law, political inclusivity, and citizens’ policy priorities.
However, numerous challenges often arise during elections, leading to the disenfranchisement of many voters. These issues include poor access to rural areas, irregular voter registrations, political violence, and technical malfunctions.
Despite significant financial investments in elections across Africa, some countries have failed to address these basic obstacles, hindering citizens from exercising their fundamental right to choose their leaders.
According to the Mo Ibrahim report, sub-Saharan Africa spent nearly $44.3 billion on elections between 2000 and 2018. Within this same period the electoral cost per capita in Africa was $4.50, twice the world average and higher than in Europe, North America and Australasia, despite having a much lower GDP per capita.
The Democracy index report revealed the scores for electoral process and pluralism and the table below presents the African countries with the highest scores in the index.
| S/N | Rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
1 |
Mauritius |
9.17 |
|
2 |
1 |
Botswana |
9.17 |
|
3 |
1 |
Cape Verde |
9.17 |
|
4 |
1 |
Lesotho |
9.17 |
|
5 |
5 |
Ghana |
8.33 |
|
6 |
6 |
Zambia |
7.92 |
|
7 |
7 |
Liberia |
7.92 |
|
8 |
8 |
South Africa |
7.42 |
|
9 |
9 |
Malawi |
7.00 |
|
10 |
9 |
Namibia |
7.00 |
This index category comprises 12 indicators that encompass all the essential elements required to ensure fair elections and political pluralism.
In 2023, the scores for this category remained unchanged in the world’s two most democratic regions: North America and Western Europe, at 9.58 and 9.39, respectively. Eastern Europe and Central Asia saw a slight improvement, with their score rising to 6.27 from 6.24 in 2022.
The most significant decline occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the score dropped by 0.19 points, reaching 3.33. However, four African countries—Mauritius, Botswana, Cape Verde, and Lesotho—excelled in the electoral index, achieving impressive scores that rival global leaders.
