Image: Voter in Tanzania, 2018. Author Madjika87. Source Wikimedia Commons

Over 2020 and 2021, a number of crucial African elections will take place in the midst of the COVD-19 pandemic. Governments across the continent have responded very differently to the challenges presented by the pandemic, ranging from denial to lockdowns. When it comes to elections, the various stages in the process – from voter registration to campaigning and actual balloting – harbour the potential for the spread of the virus.

The Centre of African Studies at the University of Edinburgh are hosting a project under the UKRI GCRF/Newton Agile COVID 19 Rapid Response call addressing African Elections During the COVID-19 Pandemic, for which the Royal African Society is an impact partner. This is organized with partners in the Central African Republic, Ghana, Tanzania, the UK and USA.

The roundtable will afford an opportunity to reflect on the Tanzania elections that took place on 28 October, and to take stock of the unfolding process in CAR and Ghana – as well as events in Côte d’Ivoire whose own election, which has been boycotted by the opposition, has been mired in controversy.

Chair: Dr Nicholas Westcott, Director of Royal African Society

Panellists on Tanzania:
Victoria Lihiru, Open University of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam

Tom Molony, Centre of African Studies, Edinburgh
Rob Macdonald, Centre of African Studies, Edinburgh

Panellists on CAR, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire:
Kojo Asante, Centre for Democratic Development, Accra, Ghana
Alain Serge Magbe, Echelle, Bangui, Central African Republic
Sarah Johnson, The Carter Center, Atlanta, USAT

Please register via Eventbrite, and the Zoom link will be e-mailed to you on the day of the event.