Elections and the politics of participatory democracy in Africa

bibliographic database
Line

Periodical article

Title:	Elections and the politics of participatory democracy in Africa
Author:	Seteolu, Dele
Year:	2007
Periodical:	Lagos Historical Review
Volume:	7
Pages:	94-104
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Nigeria Uganda Zimbabwe
Subjects:	electoral systems political participation
Abstract:	Elections are a critical aspect in participatory politics and assist to deepen the democratic space. The political culture in Africa is hinged on clientelism and prebendal politics, which influences the nature and outcome of electoral contests. Following a theoretical exposé, this article critically examines the electoral processes in Uganda, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. It identifies the monetization of politics, one-party hegemony and a lopsided representative system as inhibiting factors to expanding the democratic space. Furthermore, the article identifies the pervasive nature of the economic crisis in the region as a serious threat to participatory democracy. It argues that the region should deal with its economic underdevelopment and correlating poverty to reduce the repressive nature of the State, engender popular economic empowerment and ownership of the public space. Ref., sum. [ASC Leiden abstract]