THE decline in the quality of political participation and rule of law in African elections is sometimes described as "defective" democracy. It's much worse than that. It is debilitating and it is dangerous. Free and fair elections are the bedrock of democracy and the only stable basis for good governance.
In Africa, just as in every region, there is no more critical variable than governance. The nature of governance determines how the people see the state. The quality of governance determines the services they receive. Governance shapes social interactions, guarantees peace and the prospect of economic development.
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