Themes

Democratic Renewal in Africa? Constitutional Development, Political Pluralism and Electoral Integrity, explored through eight sub-themes.

AURC 2026 theme

Democratic Renewal in Africa? Constitutional Development, Political Pluralism and Electoral Integrity

The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Democratic Renewal in Africa? Constitutional Development, Political Pluralism and Electoral Integrity’. Fundamentally, constitutionalism, political pluralism, and the integrity of election management bodies form a triad that underpins democratic stability in Africa. While many African states have adopted the formal architecture of democracy, in practice, their democratic trajectories often shift between consolidation and backsliding. Across the continent, constitutionalism is frequently shaped by the tension between formal constitutional provisions and their substantive implementation. A constitution limits executive power and requires that it be exercised rationally, responsibly, and within defined constraints.

The conference will examine the dynamics of political pluralism across Africa, with particular attention to political competition as a foundation of democratic processes. Additionally, the theoretical conceptualization of governance, leadership and institutional integrity in Africa’s democratic renewal will form a central knot of the conversation. In this context, the integrity of election management bodies (EMBs) is critical. Their credibility largely determines whether elections are viewed as genuine expressions of the will of the people or as processes shaped to preserve incumbency.

Abstracts are invited on pertinent aspects of constitutional development in Africa, pluralism in Africa’s political space, and the integrity of EMBs in Africa. The conference is structured to cover the following sub-themes:

  1. 01

    Sub-theme 1

    Thirty years of South Africa’s Constitution: lessons for Constitutional Democracy

    Parallel Session I · Day 1, 14:00 – 15:30 · Moderator: Dr Ntombizodumo Mkwanazi

    • Constructing Unemployment as a Human Rights Violation in a Constitutional Democracy: A Critical Discourse Analysis of South Africa — Awam Mavimbela
    • South Africa’s 30 Years of Constitutional Democracy: Lessons for Africa — Sibulele Mosana
    • Student-Worker Alliances and Democratic Renewal in South Africa: Contesting Institutional Power through #FeesMustFall — Siphamandla Maputuma
    See it in the programme
  2. 02

    Sub-theme 2

    Constitutional development and the consolidation of democratic traditions in Africa

    Parallel Session II · Day 1, 14:00 – 15:30 · Moderator: Prof Sone Enongene

    • Constitutional Resilience without Social Consolidation? Thirty Years of South Africa’s Constitution and Lessons for African Democracy — Dr Sakhile Hadebe
    • Constitutional Meta-Governance and Political Maldevelopment: Theorizing the Spectrum of Constitutionalism and Constitutionality in African Postcoloniality — Prof Nene Lomotey Kuditchar
    • Guardians or Gatekeepers? The Role of Constitutional Courts and Electoral Bodies in Checking Self-Serving Constitutional Amendments — Salwa Mukoda
    See it in the programme
  3. 03

    Sub-theme 3

    Unconstitutional and constitutional amendments: implications for institutions supporting Democracy and good Governance in Africa

    Taken up across the keynote addresses and high-level panels.

  4. 04

    Sub-theme 4

    Democratic Regression, Political Opportunism and Popular nationalism in Africa

    Parallel Session III · Day 1, 15:35 – 17:15 · Moderator: Dr Mokhantšo Makoae

    • Regular elections and democratization processes: Between electoral integrity and electoral autocracy — Dr Sakah Bernard Nsaidzedze
    • From Consolidation to Backsliding: Democratic Regression, Political Opportunism and Popular Nationalism in Contemporary Africa: Comparative Analysis of Sub-Saharan Africa — Arnold Mugwagwa
    • Problematics of Presidential Term Limits and Constitutional Mutilations in Africa — Peter Otieno Mitenga

    Parallel Session IV · Day 1, 15:35 – 17:15 · Moderator: Prof Yolisa Madolo

    • Constitutional supremacy and democratic contestation in South Africa: A case study of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s proposal for Parliamentary supremacy — Boikanyo Nkwatle
    • From Anti-Coupism to Anti-Capture Constitutionalism: Reimagining the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance at the Threshold of Twenty Years — Prof Dejo Olowu
    • Unconstitutional Amendments and the Erosion of Democratic Institutions in Africa: A Case Study of Uganda — Dr Allawi Ssemanda
    See it in the programme
  5. 05

    Sub-theme 5

    Governance, leadership, and institutional integrity in Africa’s democratic renewal

    Parallel Session V · Day 2, 15:10 – 16:30 · Moderator: Ms Auriel Niemack

    • Beyond Representation: Women's Leadership, Institutional Integrity, and the Constitutional Meaning of Democratic Renewal in Africa’s Constitutional Democracies — Prince Kudakwa Kahari
    • Reimagining Ethical Leadership Education for Democratic Renewal: An Ubuntu-Centred Framework for Institutional Integrity in South Africa — Sive Zintle Mbangiswano
    • Language, Democratic Renewal, and the Politics of Equality: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Presidential Speeches in Kenya — Naftal Nyakundi
    • Policing the Police in Kenya: The Role of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority in Police Accountability and Constitutional Governance — Esther Nyaboke Kenyanya

    Parallel Session VI · Day 2, 15:10 – 16:30 · Moderator: Prof Emeka Obioha

    • Africa's Development Paradox: Policy Abundance, Governance Deficits, and the Challenge of Implementation — Prof Malefetsane Mofolo
    • Governing climate-induced disasters in South Africa: Institutional accountability, state capacity and democratic governance — Prof Bernard Hlalele
    • Thinking About African Democracy — Prof Khabele Matlosa
    See it in the programme
  6. 06

    Sub-theme 6

    Civil society organizations and the challenges of monitoring elections in Africa

    Parallel Session VII · Day 2, 16:35 – 17:55 · Moderator: Prof Beatrice Ekanjume

    • Eyes Without Teeth? Appraising the Effectiveness of SADC Electoral Observation Missions (SEOMs) in Safeguarding Zimbabwe’s Electoral Integrity — Dr Clayton Hazvinei Vhumbunu
    • Invisible Infrastructure Under Siege: Civil Society, Relational Trust, and the Hidden Labor of Election Monitoring in Receding Civic Spaces — Nwabisa Kondile
    • Electoral Fraud, Pre and Post-Election Violence and Constitutional Dilemmas in Kenya — Patrick Michael Ogeto
    • The Impact of Judicialisation on Nigerian Politics: 2015–2023 — Prof Richard Iroanya

    Parallel Session VIII · Day 2, 16:35 – 17:55 · Moderator: Prof Simon Kangethe

    • Civil Society, Legal Restrictions, and Electoral Integrity in Africa — Herbert Mncedisi Moyo
    • Beyond Electoral Pacification: From Election Observation to Enforceable Electoral Integrity in Southern Africa — Vuyokazi Yokwe
    • Election Management Bodies, Electoral Integrity and Digital Reform in Africa: South Africa in Comparative Perspective — Prof Sanjay Balkaran
    • Democratization, Electoral Politics, and Electoral Systems in Africa — Dr William Asante
    See it in the programme
  7. 07

    Sub-theme 7

    One-party state and political pluralism in Africa: The paradox of Africa’s governance processes

    Taken up across the keynote addresses and high-level panels.

  8. 08

    Sub-theme 8

    Institutions, Governance, and policy landscape of managing elections in Africa

    Taken up across the keynote addresses and high-level panels.

Call for abstracts

Submitting an abstract

Please specify for which sub-theme you would like your abstract to be considered. Abstracts or panel proposals should not be longer than 300 words and include full details (name/s, title, institutional affiliation, position, e-mail, and telephone number) of the authors.

Abstracts will be assessed against the criteria of originality, quality, relevance, and potential impact. To allow adequate time for discussion, engagement, and networking, only a limited number of abstracts will be selected for oral presentation.

Abstracts should be submitted via e-mail in Microsoft Word format to: aurc2026@hsrc.ac.za

Key dates

  1. Abstract submission deadline14 September 2026
  2. Notification to authors of selected abstracts22 September 2026
  3. Final paper submission deadline19 October 2026
  4. Conference dates19 – 20 November 2026

Questions about the conference?

The conference secretariat is happy to help.

Contact the secretariat