How IT can assist in bringing transparency and accountability to African elections
One of the most pressing issues facing Africa today is the problem of opaque and unaccountable elections. In many countries across the continent, elections are marred by fraud, violence, and irregularities.
As a result, the people’s will is often not reflected in the outcome of the vote. This problem is compounded by international donors financing many African elections. These donors often have little oversight or accountability over how their money is used, resulting in a system that is both opaque and unaccountable.
The result is an electoral process that does not serve the needs of the people it is supposed to represent. African leaders must take urgent action to address this problem and ensure that their elections are free, fair, and transparent.
How IT can be used to bring transparency to the electoral process
In recent years, African countries have been working to improve the transparency and accountability of their elections through information technology (IT). IT can be used to create a more secure and efficient voting process and increase public access to information about the election.
Nigeria
In Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission has introduced an electronic voting system designed to reduce Electoral Fraud. In addition, the commission has also set up an online portal where citizens can access information about the election and track the progress of the vote count. These initiatives have helped improve the transparency of Nigerian elections and build public trust in the electoral process.
Ghana
The Electoral Commission has created an online database of registered voters available to the public in Ghana. This database has helped increase transparency and reduce electoral fraud by making it easier for citizens to verify their registration status and track the progress of the vote count.
Kenya
Violence and irregularities in the past have marred the Kenyan electoral process. To improve transparency and accountability, the Election Commission has set up an online portal where citizens can track the progress of the vote count. The portal includes data on the number of votes cast, the percentage of votes counted, and the number of spoilt ballots.
It also provides a list of candidate results by district. The portal is updated in real-time, and citizens can also sign up for SMS alerts. The Election Commission hopes to build trust in the electoral process by providing timely and accurate information and ensuring that all voices are heard.
Through initiatives such as these, African countries are working to improve the transparency and accountability of their elections, making them more democratic and responsive to the needs of their citizens.
Challenges that still need to be addressed
There are still some challenges that need to be addressed to make IT in African elections more effective. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that technology is accessible to all. This includes making sure that it is affordable and that adequate infrastructure is in place to support it.
Another challenge is ensuring that the data collected by IT systems are secure and can be trusted. This is particularly important in countries with a risk of electoral fraud.
Finally, it is essential to ensure that IT does not disenfranchise any groups of people. For example, in Ghana, biometric voter registration has been criticised for excluding people who do not have access to the required technology. These challenges need to be addressed to ensure that IT is used effectively to improve the transparency and accountability of African elections.
Despite the challenges, IT can play a vital role in bringing transparency and accountability to African elections. Readers must get involved in the push for change. There are several ways to do this, including signing petitions, writing to your elected representatives, and donating to organisations working on election reform. Together, we can make a difference.
