Beyond Elections: Making accountability work

by Rosebell's Blog, posted in Uncategorized

We’re closing, in part, on this note:

Since the late 1980s, the number of elected governments in Africa has increased dramatically. Elections are now the norm on the continent, and citizens are using both traditional and new media to exert pressure for continuing reform and accountability. What tools and institutions are complementing elections to strengthen democracy and promote peacebuilding? How are communication technologies creating new platforms for citizen voices and government accountability?

One wonders whether rigged elections (Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Uganda) also count in the dramatic increase in elected governments. Just asking.

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Published by Rosebell's Blog

Bushenyi roots. editor, public speaker, feminist writer, award-winning blogger and socio-political analyst. Words seen in international media like The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Quartz and Mundo Negro. Expertise in new media, social justice, migration, gender, peace and security issues. Was honored with the 2018 Anna Guèye Award for her work on digital democracy, justice and equality by Africtivistes. She is the co-editor of a book: Challenging Patriarchy: The Role of Patriarchy in the Roll-Back of Democracy. Rosebell has expertise in human rights, gender, peace and conflict issues. Rosebell was recently recognized by Avance Media as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Africa for 2021 edition. I studied Mass Communication at Makerere University, short courses on Non-violent conflict at Tufts University, Global Leadership and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and MA in Media, Peace and Conflict Studies from the University for Peace. Outside Uganda, I have lived in Costa Rica, Switzerland and a bit in Ethiopia.

One thought on “Beyond Elections: Making accountability work”

  1. I’m doing research on the potential for new information and communication technology (especially blogs and twitter) to increase political participation in Africa: looking primarily at Swaziland and other Southern African states.

    Unfortunately, since the cynical “electoralism” of the 90s (and perhaps the US’ botched presidential election in 2000?), the idea has been to elect governments, however fairly, and hope that the campaigns, experience, and changing expectations institution

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