AfricTivistes initiated the African Governance and Democracy Champion recognition to help promote democratic governance in Africa through a more open and civic-minded approach. The public vote started on June 21th, following a detailed sorting and pre-selection process carried out by a panel of experts between January and May. This third phase of the process allows African citizens to choose a champion from the five shortlisted and nominated by the panel of judges. The champion will be officially announced in Abidjan on 27 June.

At a time when democratic gains are under threat in several African countries, AfricTivistes has launched the “AfricTivistes Champion of Governance and Democracy” initiative. This distinction aims to promote the values of good governance, democracy and respect for institutions in Africa through the promotion and defence of the fundamental principles of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG). The purpose is to single out an actor in political and public life or an entity (current or former head of State, public institutions, prominent state personalities, civil society organisations or leaders) who has had a substantial impact on the democratisation and good governance processes in his or her country between 2012 and 2023.  

AfricTivistes is encouraging African citizens to identify the person they consider to have been the champion of governance and democracy in the performance of his or her duties following the identification of the nominees by the panel of judges. 

After a rigorous shortlisting process, here are the five nominees proposed by the jury members:

• Thuli Madonsela (“Protector of the People” from 2009 to 2016) : South African advocate who helped draft the country’s Constitution in the 1990s.  As “Protector of the People”, she earned a reputation for her integrity, courage and commitment to justice and political accountability, notably in the Nkandla case. She has become the embodiment of integrity and the fight against corruption.

• The Supreme Court of Kenya, embodied by David Maraga ( 19 October 2016 to 20 May 2021): this institution plays an essential role in regulating the political and institutional landscape, helping to establish a culture of judicial independence in Kenya thanks to its numerous rulings. It also remains one of the few, if not the only, constitutional courts to have annulled a presidential election. In 2017, the Chief Justice, Justice David Maraga, delivered a landmark verdict, overturning Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory and ordering new elections. 

• The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission embodied by Dr. Lamin Sise (2018-2021): Established in December 2017, the main objective of this commission under the leadership of Dr. Lamin Sise was to establish an impartial historical record of human rights violations committed between July 1994 and January 2017 under the presidency of Yahya Jammeh. It was also tasked with tracing the fate of disappeared victims and awarding reparations. 

• President Hage Geingob (late 1941-2024): He had demonstrated remarkable leadership in favour of democracy and transparency in Namibia, as well as in continental governance. During his presidency, he took significant measures to strengthen democratic institutions and promote citizen participation.

• Irene Chirwa Mambilima (late 1952-2021): As the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Zambia until her passing away, Mambilima played a crucial role in maintaining the independence and integrity of the judiciary. She strived to ensure that the court’s decisions were impartial and based on the law, thereby enhancing public confidence in the judicial system.

The selection process is divided into three phases: 

• An advisory committee to validate the project’s Terms of Reference and approve the approach 
• A selection committee made up of a jury to draw up the selection criteria and propose the list of nominees
• An open and inclusive public vote to identify the winner. 

The selection criteria are: respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; respect for the principle of the rule of law; peace, security, stability and development; participatory democracy and inclusion. 

The jury is made up of members of the Advisory Committee and the Selection Committee. These two groups are made up of experts and leading figures from African civil society. 

They include Ibrahima Kane, Head of the African Union Programme at the Open Society Foundation; Paschal Chem, communications and democratic governance specialist in Africa; Professor Ndioro Ndiaye, President of the Alliance for Migration, Leadership and Development (AMLD) and Coordinator of the Réseau francophone pour l’Egalite Femme-Homme (RF-EFH); Marie Josiane Ngah, Deputy and Francophone Coordinator of WADEMOS; Alioune Tine, Founder and Director of the AfrikaJom Centre; Jimm Chick Fomunjong, Head of Knowledge Management at WACSI; Fatou Jagne, Founder and Director of the Center for Women Rights and Leadership; Abdou Khafor Kandji, Project Manager of Y En A Marre; Dr Sylla Sow, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences at Cheikh Anta Diop University; Mamadou Mbodj, civil society figure and Coordinator of Forces Vives du Sénégal (F24); Demba Gueye, civil society player; Gilles Yabi, Executive Director of Wathi think tank; Dr Selly Ba, Sociologist, etc. Dr. Latyr Tine, Senior Programme Manager at Gorée Institute et Mamadou Ly, founder of Ma Revue de Presse.

The public vote will be calculated cumulatively with those of the panel of judges. Vote for your champion on the platform: https://democracychampion.net/.   Each public vote counts towards identifying the African Champion of Governance and Democracy in a free and independent manner.

The announcement of the AfricTivistes Champion of Governance and Democracy will take place on June 27, during a joint activity of the African Union and AfricTivistes dedicated to the promotion of the ACDEG.

The Champion’s initiative is part of the Charter Project Africa, which supports the implementation and ownership of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG). The initiative is co-piloted by partner civil society organisations. These organisations were represented on the Advisory Committee and the Selection Committee.

Implementation Matrix

For any additional information, please send an email to: info@africtivistes.org.