Dramatic presidential elections are, and have been in the last few weeks, happening in Africa. To the surprise of many observers, incumbents are suffering heavy losses to the opposition.

But the curse of disputed polls, post elections protests and violence, however, still hangs over the continent’s electoral systems and democracy. A case in point is what is happening in Mozambique at the moment.

Not all is gloom, though, because polls held last month in Botswana unexpectedly brought to an end the 58-year rule of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had been in power since the country’s independence in 1966.