An Assessment of Multi-Party Elections in Post-Conflict Countries in Africa: the Case of Sierra Leone
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University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh AN ASSESSMENT OF MULTI-PARTY ELECTIONS IN POST-CONFLICT COUNTRIES IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF SIERRA LEONE BY PAUL NORTEY DOWUONA (10182447) THIS DISSERTATION IS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS LEGON MAY 2020 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DECLARATION I, PAUL NORTEY DOWUONA, hereby declare that except for materials quoted or cited from other sources which has been duly acknowledged, this dissertation and the interpretations drawn therein are my original work under the supervision of Dr. Afua Boatemaa Yakohene. No part of it has been published or submitted anywhere else for any other purpose. …………………………………… ………………………………………….. PAUL NORTEY DOWUONA DR. AFUA BOATEMAA YAKOHENE (STUDENT) (SUPERVISOR) DATE: 20th May, 2020 DATE: 20th May, 2020 i University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DEDICATION I dedicate this project work to my family, Ampofowaa – my beloved wife and my two boys Nii Noi and Nii Narku, for their unending support towards my Masters education. To my parents Samuel & Maud Dowuona, as well as my siblings Naaki and Nortei for their advice and role they played in completing my studies. To all my extended family members, colleagues at work and in school, as well as friends in and out of the country, thank you for your encouragement during this study – God bless you. To all the people who volunteered information and their time during this work in Sierra Leone, and whose desire is to see a better Sierra Leone, keep the dream alive and it shall materialize. ii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS All Glory to God for the Grace to go through my period of study, as well also undertake this work. My sincere gratitude goes to my affable and dedicated supervisor, Dr. Afua Boatemaa Yakohene for her objective review of my work and patience even when there were delays. Immense thanks also go to the entire faculty and non-teaching staff at the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD). I am also grateful to my previous and current employers- Nestlé and Upfield Ghana Ltd respectively for granting me the time to undertake this study. Also, to M. Salim Wangabi, Ms. Catherine McCarthy, Mr. Benjamin Nyarko, Mrs. Aminata Kabbah and all other Sierra Leoneans who volunteered to partake in the questionnaire and interviews which helped me with the dissertation. iii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ABBREVIATIONS ADP - Alliance Democratic Party ANC - African National Congress APC - All People’s Congress C4C - Coalition for Change CAR - Central African Republic CDA - Citizens Democratic Party CDP - Citizens Democratic Party CFR - Council on Foreign Relations CSO - Civil Society Organization EC - Electoral Commission ECOMOG - ECOWAS Ceasefire Monitory Group ECOWAS - Economic Community of West African States HRWI - Human Rights Watch International IEBC - Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IGR - Institute of Governance Reform MDC - Movement for Democratic Change MPLA - Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola NASA - National Super Alliance NDA - National Democratic Alliance NDC - National Democratic Congress NECSL - National Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone NEW - National Election Watch NGC - National Grand Coalition NPD - National Progressive Democrats NPP - New Patriotic Party iv University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh NURP - National Unity and Reconciliation Party OAU - Organization of African Unity ODM - Orange Democratic Movement PLP - Peace and Liberation Party PMDC - People’s Movement for Democratic Change RNIP - Republic National Independent Party RUF - Revolutionary United Front RUFP - Revolutionary United Front Party SADR - Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic SLJA - Sierra Leone Journalist Association SLPP - Sierra Leone Peoples Party UDM - United Democratic Movement UN - United Nations UNDP - United Nations Development Programme UNPP - United National People’s Party UP - Unity Party WANEP - West Africa Network for Peace Building v University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION.......................................................................................................................................... i DEDICATION............................................................................................................................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................................... iii ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................. x CHAPTER ONE ......................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 Background to the Research Problem ............................................................................................... 1 1.1 Statement of the Research Problem .................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Research Questions ........................................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Research Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Scope of the Study ............................................................................................................................ 6 1.5 Rationale of the Study ....................................................................................................................... 6 1.6 Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................................... 7 1.7 Literature Review ............................................................................................................................ 10 1.7.1 Post-conflict Authoritarianism in East and Central Africa ............................................................ 10 1.7.2 Post-conflict Democratization in Southern and West Africa .......................................................... 11 1.7.3 Pros and Cons of Multi-party Elections after Conflict ................................................................... 12 1.8 Sources of Data ............................................................................................................................... 16 1.8.1 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 17 1.9 Research Design .............................................................................................................................. 17 1.9.1 Sampling Size, Population and Method .......................................................................................... 18 1.9.2 Ethical Considerations .................................................................................................................... 18 1.10 Arrangement of Chapters ................................................................................................................ 19 Endnotes ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER TWO ...................................................................................................................................... 22 OVERVIEW OF CONFLICTS IN AFRICA ......................................................................................... 22 2.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 22 2.1 Definition of Conflict ...................................................................................................................... 22 vi University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 2.2 Causes of Conflict in Africa............................................................................................................ 24 2.2.1 Ethnicity and Nepotism ................................................................................................................... 24 2.2.2 Corruption and Mismanagement .................................................................................................... 25 The 1970s through early 1990s witnessed the most coups in Africa as analyzed by Patrick ..................... 25 2.2.3 Personal Ambition of Leaders......................................................................................................... 26 2.2.4 Agitations for Autonomy or Self-determination .............................................................................