2020 was a profoundly challenging one for democracy and its many defenders around the world, including in Africa. As we discussed and warned on our very first episode of the Resistance Bureau, authoritarian leaders across the continent manipulated the threat of covid-19 to roll back political rights and civil liberties while entrenching their repressive rule. 

What is more, elections across the continent in Togo, Burundi, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Tanzania – among others – were far from free and fair, drawing rightful criticism from citizens and outside observers alike. Yet Africa was also home to the only country in the world, according to Freedom House, to make progress on democracy over the last 12 months: Malawi. And we have also seen new forms of protest and civic resistance emerge in countries as varied as Nigeria and Zimbabwe, as well as Zambia, which faces a critical election in August 2021.  

As well as looking back at the lessons we learned for resisting authoritarian rule and democratic backsliding, we will also highlight the main issues to look out for in 2021.