Table of African Countries*
Comparative Measures of Freedom
up or down indicates a change in Political Rights, Civil Liberties, or Status since the last survey. In the Table, click
on the number preceding the arrow for an explanation of the rating and/or status change in the selected country. A rating
of 1 represents the most free and 7 the least free rating.
Trend Arrows indicate general positive or negative trends since the previous survey that are not
necessarily reflected in the raw points and do not warrant a ratings change.
| Trend |
Country |
Political Rights |
Civil Liberties |
Status |
|
Angola |
6 |
5 |
Not Free |
|
Benin |
2 |
2 |
Free |
|
Botswana |
3 |
2 |
Free |
|
Burkina Faso |
5 |
3 |
Partly Free |
 |
Burundi |
4 |
5 |
Partly Free |
|
Cameroon |
6 |
6 |
Not Free |
|
Cape Verde |
1 |
1 |
Free |
|
Central African Rep. |
5 |
5 |
Partly Free |
|
Chad |
7 |
6 |
Not Free |
|
Comoros |
3 |
4 |
Partly Free |
 |
Congo-Brazzaville |
6 |
5 |
Not Free |
|
Congo-Kinshasa |
6 |
6 |
Not Free |
|
Côte d'Ivoire |
6 |
5 |
Not Free |
|
Djibouti |
5 |
5 |
Partly Free |
|
Equatorial Guinea |
7 |
7 |
Not Free |
|
Eritrea |
7 |
7 |
Not Free |
|
Ethiopia |
5 |
5 |
Partly Free |
|
Gabon |
6 |
5 |
Not Free |
|
The Gambia |
5 |
5 |
Partly Free |
|
Ghana |
1 |
2 |
Free |
|
Guinea |
7 |
6 |
Not Free |
|
Guinea-Bissau |
4 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Kenya |
4 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Lesotho |
3 |
3 |
Partly Free |
|
Liberia |
3 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Madagascar |
6 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Malawi |
3 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Mali |
2 |
3 |
Free |
|
Mauritania |
6 |
5 |
Not Free |
|
Mauritius |
1 |
2 |
Free |
|
Mozambique |
4 |
3 |
Partly Free |
|
Namibia |
2 |
2 |
Free |
|
Niger |
5 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Nigeria |
5 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Rwanda |
6 |
5 |
Not Free |
|
São Tomé & Príncipe |
2 |
2 |
Free |
|
Senegal |
3 |
3 |
Partly Free |
|
Seychelles |
3 |
3 |
Partly Free |
|
Sierra Leone |
3 |
3 |
Partly Free |
|
Somalia |
7 |
7 |
Not Free |
|
Somaliland |
5 |
5 |
Partly Free |
|
South Africa |
2 |
2 |
Free |
|
Sudan |
7 |
7 |
Not Free |
|
Swaziland |
7 |
5 |
Not Free |
|
Tanzania |
4 |
3 |
Partly Free |
|
Togo |
5 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Uganda |
5 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Zambia |
3 |
4 |
Partly Free |
|
Zimbabwe |
6 |
6 |
Not Free |
*The ratings in this table reflect global events from 1 January 2009
through 31 December 2009.
Criteria for designation as an Electoral Democracy
1. A competitive, multiparty
political system.
2. Universal adult suffrage
for all citizens (with exceptions for restrictions that states may legitimately place on citizens as sanctions for criminal
offenses).
3. Regularly contested
elections conducted in conditions of ballot secrecy, reasonable ballot security, and the absence of massive voter fraud that
yields results that are unrepresentative of the public will.
4. Significant public
access of major political parties to the electorate through the media and through generally open political campaigning.
Additional Note: The
presence of certain irregularities during the electoral process does not automatically disqualify a country from being designated
an electoral democracy. A country cannot be an electoral democracy if significant authority for national decisions resides
in the hands of an unelected power, whether a monarch or a foreign or international authority. A country is removed from the
ranks of electoral democracies if its last national elections were not sufficiently free or fair, or if changes in law significantly
eroded the public's opportunity for electoral choice.
Status and Ratings Changes, Trend Arrow
Explanations
Botswana's political rights rating
declined from 2 to 3 due to decreased transparency and accountability in the executive branch under President Seretse Khama
Ian Khama's administration.
Burundi received an upward trend
arrow due to the integration of the last remaining rebel group into the political process and the establishment of an independent
electoral commission.
Congo-Brazzaville received a downward
trend arrow due to President Denis Sassou-Nguesso's increasing centralization of power and the authorities’ handling
of the July 2009 presidential election and its aftermath, including their disqualification of several opposition candidates
and intimidation of journalists.
Congo-Kinshasa received a downward
trend arrow due to the government's continued harassment of human rights groups and an increasingly dangerous working environment
for journalists.
Gabon's civil liberties rating
declined from 4 to 5 and its status from Partly Free to Not Free due to increased restrictions on the media in the period
surrounding the presidential election as well as a crackdown on post-election protesters.
Eritrea's civil liberties rating
declined from 6 to 7 due to the government’s persistent and intense repression of religious minorities, its dominance
over the judiciary, and its harsh system of national service, which ties people to the state for much of their working lives.
Ethiopia received a downward trend
arrow due to the narrowing of political space in advance of the 2010 elections, the government's crackdown on the operations
of nongovernmental organizations, and its use of antiterrorism legislation against political opponents.
The Gambia's civil liberties rating
declined from 4 to 5 due to President Yahya Jammeh's enhanced personal control over the judiciary and threats of violence
against civil society organizations.
Guinea's civil liberties rating
declined from 5 to 6 due to the military junta’s repressive measures, including the massacre of some 150 opposition
protesters in September and the use of rape as a means of political intimidation.
Kenya's civil liberties rating
declined from 3 to 4 due to the government’s failure to address abuses by the security forces, including their role
in post-election violence in 2008.
Lesotho's political rights rating
declined from 2 to 3 and its status from Free to Partly Free due to unresolved disputes over legislative seats from the 2008
elections and a breakdown in internationally mediated negotiations between the government and opposition.
Madagascar's political rights
rating declined from 4 to 6 and its civil liberties rating from 3 to 4 due to President Andry Rajoelina’s unconstitutional
rise to power, suspension of the parliament, repression of opposition protests, and limitations on press freedom, including
the closure of several opposition media outlets.
Malawi's political rights rating
improved from 4 to 3 due to a fairer and more competitive presidential election in 2009, greater electoral participation by
women, and women’s subsequent representation in governing institutions.
Mozambique's political rights
rating declined from 3 to 4 due to significant irregularities and a lack of transparency pertaining to the registration of
candidates and the tabulation of votes in the October 2009 presidential, legislative, and provincial elections.
Niger's political rights rating
declined from 3 to 5 due to President Mamadou Tandja's antidemocratic moves to extend his power, including the dissolution
of the Constitutional Court and National Assembly and the holding of a referendum to eliminate term limits and postpone the
next presidential election—originally due in December 2009—until 2012.
Nigeria received a downward trend
arrow due to the ruling party's consolidation of power, especially through its influence over opposition appeals of 2007 election
results, and government involvement in sectarian violence that led to the deaths of several hundred people.
Somaliland's civil liberties rating
declined from 4 to 5 due to further restrictions on press freedom and the suppression of demonstrations following the postponement
of the presidential election.
Togo's civil liberties rating
improved from 5 to 4 due to the launch of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate past human rights abuses, as
well as a decrease in violence throughout the country.
Zambia's civil liberties rating
declined from 3 to 4 due to new legal restrictions on the activities of nongovernmental organizations.
Zimbabwe's political rights rating
improved from 7 to 6 due to the formation of a national unity government, the appointment of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
as prime minister, and the swearing in of an opposition-led parliament.
