Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty

No Country Religions: share of the population
International Idea
41 Swaziland Zionist (blend of Christianity and
indigenous ancestor worship) 40%,
Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%,
Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon,
Jewish, and other 30%
42 Tanzania Mainland: Christian 30%, Islam 35%,
indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar, more
than 99% Islam
43 Togo Indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%,
Islam 20%
44 Uganda Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%,
Islam 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%
45 Zambia Christian 50–70%, Islam and Hindu
24–49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
46 Zimbabwe Syncretism (part Christian, part
indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%,
indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and
other 1%
Source: Compiled from Infoplease, ‘World Religions’,
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0855613.html, downloaded August 2006.
Although the table does not show which countries are politically more stable than
others or provide any basis for relating political stability to the predominance of
one religion, or a mixture of religions, it is evident that the proliferation of religious
political parties is in the increase (Mohamed Salih 2003).
The practical implication of religious diversity and the interplay between religion
and politics is found in the formation of religious political parties not only in North
Africa (the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and the Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria)
but also in Africa South of the Sahara. The most highly profiled Islamic political
parties include the National Islamic Front (Sudan), the banned Islamic Party of
Kenya, the Islamic Resistance Party (Tanzania), the South Africa Islamic Party and
the Africa Muslim Party (South Africa), and the Mauritian Islamic Political Party
(Mauritius). The Christian Democratic Party of South Africa is one of the oldest
African political parties in the continent, with strong ties to the global Christian
Democratic movement.
Regardless of whether various religious groups have established political parties or
not, religion tends to get its way to politics in several ways. For instance, in countries
where religious parties are banned, they tend to hide behind seemingly secular
names. The most prominent among these on the African continent include the
Justice and Development Movement in Morocco, the Democratic Gathering Party
Context