As over 17 African countries gear up for elections in 2024, The Digital Afrikan, in partnership with The Mail & Guardian, Tayarisha Centre for Digital Excellence and The Institute of Election Management Services in Africa (IEMSA) are launching a continental series of op-eds and podcasts on whether digitalisation will benefit democracy in Africa.
Academics, experts and researchers from across the continent will present opinions derived from their own research on how elections are impacted by digital technologies.
These op-eds will be augmented by continuous coverage of African elections with a keen focus on:
- Misinformation and disinformation
- Gender biases in electoral processes
- The digital divide and how it excludes large parts of the electorate
- Digital governance that undermines democracy during elections
- The power of digital citizenship in strengthening democracy
"The Digital Afrikan's Youth Desk called Frame of Reference (F.O.R) has already kicked off a social media series on TikTok to engage young voters across the continent on how they can affect and influence democratic outcomes in their countries through elections."
African Democracy Superbowl
Business Insider Africa estimates that 20 African countries will go to the polls in 2024 to choose national and regional leaders in what some observers have termed a 'Democracy Super Bowl.' Supporters of good governance are keen to see how the recent technological boom experienced in 2021 has impacted democracy on the continent.