Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty

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0 Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty Democracy No. Country Major political parties Party system 9 Gambia Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction – ruling, National Alliance for Democracy and Development 10 Mozambique Frelimo, Renamo, Party of Peace, Democracy and Development 11 Namibia South-West African People’s Organization (SWAPO), Congress of Democrats, Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia, National Unity Democratic Organization, United Democratic Front 12 Rwanda Rwandese Patriotic Front, Christian Democratic Party, Islamic Democratic Party 13 South Africa African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, United Democratic Movement 14 Tanzania Chama Cha Mapinduzi, Civic United Front, Party for Democracy and Progress, Tanzania Labour Party, United Democratic Party 15 Uganda National Resistance Movement, Forum for Democratic Change, Democratic Party, Uganda People’s Congress 16 Zimbabwe Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU- PF) and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Dominant-party system Dominant-party system Dominant-party system Dominant-party system Dominant-party system Dominant-party system Dominant-party system Dominant-party system? Source: Mohamed Salih, African Political Parties: Evolution, Institutionalization and Governance (London: Pluto Press, 2003).
International Idea At face value, a relatively large number of dominant parties emerged in Africa a few years after the democratization process had been unleashed. Four challenges to democracy from dominant-party systems could be teased out because: • they impede competitive politics, which contributes to political apathy and low voter turnout, as has been demonstrated in the last elections in South Africa, Mozambique, Mali and Senegal; • dominant parties dominate the legislature and could monopolize the lawmaking process to promote the predominant party’s economic and social interests; • governments formed under the system are less accountable to the legislature, which they dominate, and the opposition, which is too small to be effective; and • they encourage government to develop the arrogance of power and become irresponsive to citizen demands. What needed to be done is explained by our colleague Renske Doorenspleet: ‘This phenomenon of dominant one-party systems should be taken into account more explicitly. New classifications of party systems should be developed in which this new type is included and in which the new type with its special characteristics is investigated’ (Doorenspleet 1999: 177). This work is vitally important for the democratic future of these countries, particularly if competitive politics is to flourish and political parties are to play their pivotal democratic role in governance. 4.2.4 Multiparty systems A multiparty system is characterized by competition between more than two parties, thus reducing the chances of single-party government and increasing the likelihood of coalitions. However, it is difficult to define multiparty systems in terms of the number of parties being explained by reference to the class nature of party support (party conflict being seen, ultimately, as a reflection of the class struggle), or as a consequence of party democratization and the influence of ideologically committed grass-roots activists. One problem with the two-party system is that two evenly matched parties are encouraged to compete for votes by outdoing each other’s electoral promises, perhaps causing spiralling public spending and fuelling inflation. This amounts to African Party and Electoral Systems
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12 13 6.3.5 The prescription model
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No. Country Year of introduction 1
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Country Enforcement authority Benin
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Chapter 7 Conclusions and Recommend
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Acronyms and Abbreviations ACE Admi
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References and Select Bibliography
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Kadima, Denis, (ed.), The Politics
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—‘Building Political Parties: R
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About the Authors Per Nordlund is a
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Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty

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