Cape Verde 2024 Elections: Tracking Candidate Promises
As Cape Verde prepares for municipal elections on December 1, a prominent civil society organization is launching a new initiative to ensure that political promises aren’t forgotten once the ballots are counted. The Cape Verdean Civil Society Forum (Forum-CV) announced on Thursday that it will meticulously track every commitment made by candidates during the 2024 campaign.
Holding Leaders Accountable
According to a recently released manifesto, Forum-CV will maintain an active registry of all pledges made across the nation’s 22 municipalities. This tracking system will be updated throughout the 2024–2028 mandate, providing a transparent tool to verify whether winning candidates actually deliver on their word.
“The registry will allow for the monitoring of the actions of those elected,” the organization stated, positioning itself as a permanent watchdog for local governance.
Focus on Housing and Urban Reform
Beyond fiscal accountability, the Forum’s manifesto challenges candidates to tackle deep-seated social issues. High on the priority list is the demand for decent housing, particularly for low-income families. The organization pointed to the rise of clandestine constructions in urban centers as a symptom of a housing crisis that requires urgent political commitment.
The manifesto also calls for:
- Participatory Budgeting: Ensuring citizens have a direct say in how municipal funds are spent.
- Codes of Conduct: Establishing and enforcing rules to maintain public spaces and local cleanliness.
- Civic Vigilance: Strengthening the role of independent organizations as partners in solving municipal challenges.
A Shifting Political Landscape
The upcoming vote comes amid concerns over a dip in local democratic competition. Data shows a significant decrease in independent candidacies; this year, only five citizen movements are competing, down from 12 in the 2020 elections. In total, 10 political forces are vying for seats, compared to 16 four years ago.
Maria do Rosário Pereira, president of the National Elections Commission (CNE), warned that this trend could signal a “need to strengthen the democratic fabric” to avoid potential setbacks in the country’s political development.
The Stakes
Approximately 352,000 voters are registered for the December 1 polls. The political heart of the contest lies in Praia, São Vicente, and Santa Catarina, which together account for about half of the total electorate.
Currently, the governing Movement for Democracy (MpD) holds a dominant position, controlling 14 municipalities. The main opposition, the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), holds the remaining eight. As the campaign heats up, Forum-CV’s new “promise tracker” ensures that this time, the winners will be under closer scrutiny than ever before.
Image: Pexels – Edmond Dantès
