The United Nations marks International Day of Democracy tomorrow. The day is set aside to provide the opportunity to look for ways of strengthening democracy and finding answers to its challenges. In line with this, we bring you a selection of previously published articles looking at the ebbs and flows of democracy in Africa.

In the first article, Nic Cheeseman argues that African leaders are more constrained by democratic rules than conventional wisdom suggests. In the second, Cheryl Hendricks and Gabriel Ngah Kiven lament the reversal of democratic gains on the continent, particularly when it comes to how long leaders can stay in power.

Another challenge is the abuse of the electoral process. In the case of Kenya, Barbara Yoxon explains that, while the country holds regular elections, political elites regularly intimidate the opposition as well as journalists and the judiciary. The same can be said for Zimbabwe, where according to David B. Moore, it will take more than elections to dislodge a ruling regime that’s backed by the military.

In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni continues to defy democratic norms by crushing all opposition. His latest attempt to snuff out dissent saw Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka ‘Bobi Wine’ detained, tortured, and charged with treason. Jimmy Spire Ssentongo explains why the young MP is such a thorn in Museveni’s flesh. In many ways, Togo takes the cake. The incumbent Faure Gnassingbé has been in power since 2005 when he took over from his father. Given that the country doesn’t have presidential term limits, Gnassingbé is poised to rule for a long time even though 85% of Togolese want a cap on terms. Anja Osei argues that constitutional reform is the best way to go.