Djibouti Parliamentary Elections: Free and Fair?

 The Associated Press published on 24 February 2023 an article titled "Djibouti Holds Parliamentary Vote Branded as Sham by Opposition."

Two political parties are contesting on 24 February seats in Djibouti's 65-member National Assembly.  The party of President Ismail Omar Guelleh is expected to win an overwhelming majority.  The principal opposition political parties are boycotting the election and charging that it will not be free and fair.  

Reaction to Kenya's Election

The Atlantic Council published on 14 August 2017 a commentary titled "The Kenyan Elections: Too Soon to Relax" by Bronwyn Bruton, Atlantic Council's Africa Center.

The author noted, perhaps perversely, that the recurrence of post-election violence is a testament to the strength rather than the weakness of Kenya's democracy when compared to wining outcomes in the high ninety percentiles in certain other countries.

African Arguments published on 18 August 2017 a commentary titled "Kenya Voted for Change and Got It . . . at the Local Level" by Hannah Waddilove, University of Warwick.

The author points out that while the incumbent president was reelected, over half of Kenya's incumbent governors and 62 percent of its members in the National Assembly lost their seats.

Upcoming Elections in Djibouti

The Africa Research Institute recently published a brief background piece that focuses on the presidential elections in Djibouti scheduled for 8 April 2016.  The political opposition has threatened to boycott them.  The author is Aden Omar Abdillahi.