Cape Verde Watchdog to Track 2024 Campaign Promises
As Cape Verde prepares for municipal elections on December 1, a prominent civil society organization is launching a new initiative to hold politicians accountable. The Cape Verdean Civil Society Forum (Forum-CV) announced on Thursday that it will maintain a formal record of every promise made by candidates during the 2024 campaign, tracking their progress through 2028.
Accountability from Campaign to City Hall
The Forum-CV manifesto outlines a plan to monitor the actions of winners in each of the archipelago’s 22 municipalities. By maintaining an updated database of campaign commitments, the organization aims to move beyond rhetoric and ensure that elected officials deliver on their word.
“Forum-CV announces that it will proceed with the recording of all promises and commitments made by candidates,” the organization stated. This record will serve as a watchdog tool throughout the 2024–2028 mandate, allowing citizens to monitor the performance of their local leaders in real time.
A Platform for Reform
Beyond simple monitoring, the Forum’s manifesto challenges candidates to address systemic issues. Key demands include:
- Housing Justice: Prioritizing dignified housing for low-income populations to combat the rise of clandestine constructions in urban centers.
- Participatory Budgets: Implementing systems in all local governments to allow citizens a direct say in how public funds are spent.
- Civic Standards: Establishing and enforcing municipal codes of conduct regarding public cleanliness and the preservation of shared spaces.
Concerns Over Shrinking Competition
The push for accountability comes at a time when electoral diversity in Cape Verde appears to be narrowing. The National Elections Commission (CNE) recently reported a significant drop in the number of independent citizen groups registered for the ballot.
This year, only ten forces—five political parties and five citizen movements—are competing. This is a sharp decline from four years ago, when 16 groups (four parties and 12 independent movements) sought office. CNE President Maria do Rosário Pereira warned that this trend represents “a decrease in the electoral competitiveness that citizens need to make a choice,” signaling a potential need to strengthen the country’s “democratic fabric.”
The Election Landscape
Approximately 352,000 voters are registered for the December 1 vote, with half of the electorate concentrated in the key hubs of Praia, São Vicente, and Santa Catarina.
The current political map is dominated by the governing Movement for Democracy (MpD), which holds 14 municipalities. The opposition African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) currently controls the remaining eight. As the campaign intensifies, Forum-CV’s new “promise tracker” aims to ensure that regardless of which party wins, the real victors are the voters.
Image: Pexels – Element5 Digital
