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World & Nation

Democracy in Africa

By Robyn Dixon
 and Priya Krishnakumar
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Nigeria’s democratic transition from one government to another sends a powerful message on a continent where leaders commonly cling to power. Few countries have seen a democratic transfer.

Successful democratic transitions:

Senegal

Benin

Kenya

Liberia

Ghana

Zambia

Malawi

GHANA: Two peaceful transfers of power, in 2000 and 2008.

ZAMBIA: In 2011, President Rupiah Banda steps down after defeat.

SENEGAL: In 2012, incumbent Abdoulaye Wade loses to Macky Sall.

KENYA: Opposition candidate Mwai Kibaki wins presidency in 2002.

LIBERIA: After civil war and transition government, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf wins presidency in 2006.

BENIN: In 1991, Nicephore Soglo defeats longtime dictator Mathieu Kerekou.

MALAWI: Peter Mutharika defeats incumbent Joyce Banda in 2014.

And some won't leave:

Sudan

Cameroon

Uganda

Equatorial

Guinea

Angola

Zimbabwe

CAMEROON: Paul Biya, 39 years in power.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, 35 years.

ANGOLA: Jose Eduardo dos Santos, 35 years.

ZIMBABWE: Robert Mugabe, 34 years.

UGANDA: Yoweri Museveni, 29 years.

SUDAN: Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir, 25 years.

World & Nation
Robyn Dixon

Robyn Dixon was a foreign correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. She has reported from China, sub-Saharan Africa, Russia, the Caucasus, Central Asia and other parts of the former Soviet Union, as well as Afghanistan and Iraq. She left The Times in October 2019.

Priya Krishnakumar

Priya Krishnakumar is a former graphics and data journalist at the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she has worked at the Washington Post, Patch Media and Northwestern University’s Knight Lab. She’s a Northern California native and graduated from Northwestern University in 2014 with a degree in journalism. She also refuses to stop talking about how amazing the weather is in L.A.

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