2022 Elections Monitoring

By:  Grace Marwa - Pattison and Vivian Nilsson - van Iperen

In 2022, nine African States held and concluded elections (presidential and/or parliamentary): Angola, Congo Rep., Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal and Somalia. Tunisia held the first round of the parliamentary elections in December 2022, and the second in January 2023. As the Tunisian elections concluded in 2023, they will not be included in this analysis. The elections in Chad, Guinea and Libya were also scheduled to be held in 2022 but were postponed.

In many of the nine countries, the 2022 elections resulted in positive gains concerning women’s representation and participation as the share of women elected to national parliaments increased, and there were notable gains in women’s political leadership.  

By: Rafaela Kieto and Vivian Nilsson – van Iperen

The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe held its legislative elections on 25 September 2022. The election was disputed between 10 political parties and a coalitionand 123,302 voters voted, of which 50.8% were women. Overall, the country experienced peaceful and orderly electoral campaigns and polls. This atmosphere is confirmed by the attitudes of the departing Prime Minister and party leader of MLSTP/PSD, Jorge Bom Jesus. Although he claimed numerous irregularities had marred the 2022 elections, Mr Bom Jesus said he would respect the results. He urged Sao Tomeans to remain calm while awaiting the validation of the results by the Constitutional Court. 

By: Naomi Ndifon

On 7 October 2022, the Kingdom of Lesotho held its tenth National Assembly elections to choose the members of parliament. The election outcome surprised many onlookers. A newly formed populist party, the 6-month-old Revolution for Prosperity (RFP), beat 48 other parties, winning 56 out of 120 parliamentary seats and displacing the ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC). The Revolution for Prosperity is led by its founder, Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, Lesotho’s richest man. Observers from the United KingdomAfrican Union and European Union noted that election day processes were peaceful, inclusive, transparent and well-organized.

 By: Vivian Nilsson – van Iperen

On November 20, 2022, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea held its presidential and legislative elections. President Obiang decreed that the elections be held simultaneously based on a recommendation from the senate and for financial reasons. The presidential elections were previously scheduled to be held in early 2023. In the days leading up to the polls, the government arrested many opposition activists accusing them of planning attacks. Even so, election day proceeded peacefully. Interest in the elections was high, with a reported 98.41% voter turnout.

By: Naomi Ndifon

In what can be described as a long-awaited, high-stakes election, the Republic of Angola held its presidential and parliamentary elections on the 24th of August, 2022. The 2022 elections are the fifth since the country's independence in 1975 and its return to the multiparty system in 1992. Election day processes were generally fair. However, the final results were disputed and raised uproar amongst the main opposition party's supporters. The aftermath of the elections left several people injured.

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