Liberation movements no longer appeal to voters and this is why there have been tectonic shifts in election outcomes. Democracy is maturing in Africa, as seen in a peaceful transfer of power in some countries.

Africa might still be perceived as a basket case with the continent not having much going for it. However, the continent -- even with its many shortcomings -- has an advantage over the developed world.

That advantage, evident in 2024, involves democracy in several African countries holding up after presidential and parliamentary elections, and a peaceful transfer of power being demonstrated.

In 2024, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Namibia all held elections. It has been a year in which liberation movements and political parties that enjoyed power for decades were voted out and, in the process, lost their hegemony.

In South Africa, public trust and goodwill eroded towards the ANC, which has single-handedly governed for three decades. The party failed to secure a majority of the votes during the May 2024 elections. Left with a bloody nose and eating humble pie, the ANC had to negotiate with smaller political parties to form a coalition government after its electoral support fell by 17 percentage points to 40%.

The same happened in Botswana. The Botswana Democratic Party, which has been in power for six decades, was booted out of...