Free, fair, and inclusive elections are the cornerstone of democracy and inclusive governance. However, the holding of an election is not in and of itself sufficient to establish its credibility or even the state of democracy in a country. Rather, to be credible, elections must be part of a broader political framework based on good governance, the rule of law, and equal participation in political life. Despite many challenges, Africa has made tremendous progress in recent decades, both normatively and institutionally and on the ground.

Kenya’s general elections were held on August 9, 2022. Four candidates vied for the presidency, and voters also cast ballots for governors, senators, members of parliament, and members of county assemblies. The elections turned out to be a momentous political event that will have wider repercussions, especially for the East African region.

Our speakers will first share their insights on the various aspects of the Kenyan election and project lessons to be learned. They will then explore the prospects for the upcoming elections in Africa in 2023, notably in Nigeria in February, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the DRC.

Speakers

Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh is currently the Senior Associate and Regional Director for Central and West Africa at NDI. He has organized and advised international election observation missions and also supervised democracy support programs in a number of African countries. An expert on democratization in Africa, Chris is a frequent contributor to major radio and television networks. He has published a number of articles in academic journals on African politics and democratization. He holds a law degree from the University of Yaoundé in Cameroon, an LL.M. in international law from Harvard Law School, and a Ph.D. in political science from Boston University. Dr. Fomunyoh is an adjunct professor at the African Center for Strategic Studies and a former adjunct professor of African politics and government at Georgetown University. He is bilingual in AN and FR.

Renee Ngamau currently holds a seat on the Global Board of Amnesty International, after previously serving as Chair of the Board of Amnesty International Kenya. She is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and currently practices in Kenya. Ms. Ngamau is a prominent community leader in Kenya and a human rights activist. She is a leadership and business coach and focuses on helping women start, grow and scale their businesses. She holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of London and has practiced in Kenya and the UK. Renee is also a media personality and was the host of “Capital in the Morning”, a critically acclaimed weekday morning show on the popular Capital FM station. Renee has been honored by the Graca Machel Trust for her work on behalf of women in Africa and is one of seven African media champions.

Moderator

Dr. Cheickh T. Bangoura, Chair of the ASG. He holds a PhD in International law and is an expert on the Rule of Law, International Justice and International Affairs. Cheickh was a fellow and university lecturer in Germany, before joining the UN for a career spanning over twenty years. He has particularly held the positions of Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director for the UN International Drug Control Program (now UNODC) respectively in the regional offices for West Africa and ECOWAS, and for East and Southeast Africa (Nairobi). More recently, he served as Senior Legal Advisor, Policy Coordinator and Diplomatic Advisor to UN Under-Secretaries-General and Prosecutors of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals. Cheickh has worked for Citizenship and Immigration Canada, CANADEM, the Pearson Peacekeeping Training Centre and CIDA and has served on several international and Canadian humanitarian and electoral missions including Haiti, Ukraine, DRC, Liberia, Togo, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Mali, Benin and Burundi.