Africans watched with bemusement as the US Presidential election descended into a chaotic aftermath of legal battles on Thursday.
President Donald Trump threatened more legal challenges over results in a handful of states, claiming without any evidence that voter fraud has been committed in places where Democrat Joe Biden appears to have won.
In Africa, a continent where some recent elections were marred by accusations of cheating and violence, some expressed alarm about the signal that Trump’s premature declaration of victory, allegations of fraud and flurry of lawsuits might send to their own leaders.
As Democrat Joe Biden appeared to edge closer to victory over Trump, some felt a sharp sense of irony seeing events play out in a developed nation whose authorities regularly admonish African leaders for not respecting democratic norms.
“We have seen them preparing for violence. People barricading their shops and their offices preparing for looting and violence, something that we normally experience in Africa. Can this happen in a country that has seen democracy for centuries?” asked Nairobi resident Nandasaba.
In Lagos, Nigeria, consultant Agbor Elemi said: “The America we are looking at as a model in everything is not even a model when it comes to electioneering.”
Trump, who during the long and rancorous campaign attacked the integrity of the American voting system, has alleged fraud without providing evidence, filed lawsuits and called for at least one recount.
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