Electoral violence in Africa’s shrinking civic space: Nature, magnitude and remedies

https://doi.org/10.35912/jgas.v6i1.2753
Published: Jan 6, 2026

Abstract:

Purpose: This study investigates the nature, magnitude, and potential remedies for electoral violence in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, with the aim of offering evidence-based insights for mitigating its occurrence.

Methods: A descriptive survey design was adopted. Data were collected using the Comprehensive Electoral Violence Questionnaire (r = 0.82), which was developed to measure stakeholders’ perceptions of electoral violence. A total of 1,800 participants (600 from each country) responded to items addressing the nature, scale, and possible solutions to electoral violence in the three countries.

Results: The findings revealed that the most prominent features of electoral violence include poor civic education, the misuse of state resources by incumbent governments, and the influence of foreign actors. The magnitude of violence is reflected in the widespread use of firearms, the involvement of large, organized groups, and the targeting of specific ethnic or religious communities. Key remedies identified were ensuring judicial independence for peaceful resolution of disputes, promoting civic education, and strengthening electoral commissions.

Conclusions: Electoral violence in Africa is multifaceted, deeply rooted in governance weaknesses, and exacerbated by systemic and external factors. Addressing this requires institutional reforms, public education, and impartial legal mechanisms.

Limitations: The study relied solely on self-reported data from selected stakeholders, which may have introduced perception bias and limited generalizability.

Contributions: This study offers comparative insights into three African democracies and provides actionable policy recommendations for reducing electoral violence and strengthening democratic resilience.

Keywords:
1. Africa
2. Democracy
3. Electoral Violence
Authors:
Timilehin Olayinka Omoniyi
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Omoniyi, T. O. (2026). Electoral violence in Africa’s shrinking civic space: Nature, magnitude and remedies . Journal of Governance and Accountability Studies, 6(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.35912/jgas.v6i1.2753
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Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): January
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References

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  2. Birch, S., Daxecker, U., & Höglund, K. (2020). Electoral violence: An introduction. Journal of Peace Research, 57(1), 3-14. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343319889657
  3. Birch, S., & Muchlinski, D. (2018). Electoral violence prevention: what works? Democratization, 25(3), 385-403. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2017.1365841
  4. Brosché, J., Fjelde, H., & Höglund, K. (2020). Electoral violence and the legacy of authoritarian rule in Kenya and Zambia. Journal of Peace Research, 57(1), 111-125. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343319884983
  5. Collier, P., & Vicente, P. (2008). Votes and Violence: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Nigeria. The Centre for the Study of African Economies Working Paper Series, 124. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/ecoj.12109
  6. Daxecker, U. E. (2012). The cost of exposing cheating: International election monitoring, fraud, and post-election violence in Africa. Journal of Peace Research, 49(4), 503-516. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343312445649
  7. Fjelde, H., & Höglund, K. (2016). Electoral institutions and electoral violence in sub-Saharan Africa. British Journal of Political Science, 46(2), 297-320. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007123414000179
  8. Flores, T., & Nooruddin, I. (2012). The Effect of Elections on Postconflict Peace and Reconstruction. The Journal of Politics, 74. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022381611001733
  9. Goldsmith, A. A. (2015). Electoral violence in Africa revisited. Terrorism and Political Violence, 27(5), 818-837. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2013.863184
  10. Gutiérrez-Romero, R. (2021). The Long-Run Impact of Electoral Violence on Health and Human Capital in Kenya. arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.13849. doi:https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2112.13849
  11. Hafner-Burton, E., Hyde, S., & Jablonski, R. (2012). When Do Governments Resort to Election Violence? British Journal of Political Science, 44. doi:https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1667063
  12. Henry, R. (2023). Effectiveness of Electoral Violence Prevention Mechanisms: Insights from Malawi. Tanzania Journal of Sociology, 9(2), 1-18. doi:https://doi.org/10.56279/tajoso.v9i2.127
  13. Höglund, K. (2009). Electoral Violence in Conflict-Ridden Societies: Concepts, Causes, and Consequences. Terrorism and Political Violence, 21(3), 412-427. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09546550902950290
  14. Klaus, K. (2017). Contentious land narratives and the nonescalation of election violence: Evidence from Kenya’s Coast region. African studies review, 60(2), 51-72. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/asr.2017.2
  15. Laakso, L. (2019). Electoral violence and political competition in Africa Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics.
  16. Matlosa, K., & Zounmenou, D. D. (2011). Identity, diversity and electoral violence: Dilemmas of democratic transformation in Africa. Africa Review, 3(2), 141.
  17. Okyere, F. (2016). Electoral Violence and Mass Atrocity Prevention in Ghana: Contextualizing the Atrocity Prevention Framework. Managing election-related conflict and violence for democratic stability in Ghana II, 23.
  18. Onapajo, H. (2014). Violence and votes in Nigeria: The dominance of incumbents in the use of violence to rig elections. Africa Spectrum, 49(2), 27-51. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/000203971404900202
  19. Orji, N. (2013). Making democracy safe: Policies tackling electoral violence in Africa. South African Journal of International Affairs, 20(3), 393-410. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10220461.2013.841808
  20. Simati, M., & Burchard, S. (2021). Election Violence in Kenya: When and How Courts Matter. Giant Steps in the Development of Africa. Nairobi: CEDRED Publications, 35-47.
  21. Söderström, J. (2018). Fear of electoral violence and its impact on political knowledge in sub-Saharan Africa. Political Studies, 66(4), 869-886. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0032321717742835
  22. Von Borzyskowski, I., & Kuhn, P. M. (2020). Dangerously informed: Voter information and pre-electoral violence in Africa. Journal of Peace Research, 57(1), 15-29. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343319885166
  23. Von Borzyskowski, I., & Wahman, M. (2021). Systematic measurement error in election violence data: Causes and consequences. British Journal of Political Science, 51(1), 230-252. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007123418000509
  24. Wahman, M. (2024). How Strategic Violence Distorts African Elections. Journal of democracy, 35(2), 108-121. doi:https://doi.org/10.1353/jod.2024.a922837
  25. Wahman, M., & Goldring, E. (2020). Pre-election violence and territorial control: Political dominance and subnational election violence in polarized African electoral systems. Journal of Peace Research, 57(1), 93-110. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343319884990