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The Legitimacy of Elections in Africa and the Threat to Democracies
March 12, 2008
The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa and Howard University's Ralph J.
Bunche International Affairs Center will sponsor a forum, "Democracy Threatened: The
Legitimacy of Elections in Africa" on Wednesday, March 12 from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. The
event will take place at the Bunche Center, located at 2218 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC.
Panelists for this program are:
- The Honorable Donald M. Payne, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health
- Ms. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
- His Excellency Ambassador Peter N.R.O. Ogego, Embassy of the Republic of Kenya
- Mr. Dave Peterson, Regional Director-Africa, National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
- Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, Senior Associate and Regional Director of Central and West Africa, National Democratic Institute (NDI)
- Ms. Stephanie Blanton, Regional Director for Africa, International Republican Institute (IRI)
- Dr. Lorenzo Morris, Chair of the Department of Political Science, Howard University
The panel of experts will discuss recent as well as upcoming African elections and their impact on the
future of democracy on the continent. These issues are especially critical because of the positive
economic growth experienced by several African countries in the past few years. Effective democratic
frameworks are often pre-conditions for attaining and sustaining stability and growth. But the recent
history of some nations suggests that an opportunity may be lost.
The successful outcome of the 2005 Liberian elections enhanced the legitimacy of the electoral process
and prospects for democracy on the continent. Two years later, Kenya's elections led to violent clashes
and the deaths of hundreds of Kenyans. Was the violence in Kenya an aberration or a sign that democracy
in that country is seriously threatened? And what are the implications and impact on Africa's other
nascent democracies?
The partnership between Howard University's Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center and The Africa
Society for the Issue Forum Series began in 2000. Its purpose is to bring together policymakers, the
media, academics, opinion leaders, stakeholders, African leaders, and the public to discuss key topics
pertaining to the African continent.