Cartoonist and scholar Jim Spire Ssentongo has reignited public debate on electoral integrity after revisiting How to Rig an Election, a book published in 2018 that he says remains highly relevant in explaining what unfolds during elections in many countries today.
In a post on X, Ssentongo described the book as a timely and enduring analysis of how elections are manipulated under the guise of democracy.
He noted that he would later share excerpts to further illustrate its arguments, which he believes resonate strongly with current political realities across Africa and beyond.
Authored by political scientists Nic Cheeseman and Brian Klaas, the book examines what it terms “pseudo-democratic” tactics used by authoritarian leaders to maintain power.
Contrary to popular belief, the authors argue that dictators who allow elections often stay in office longer than those who rule without them, using controlled electoral processes to legitimize their authority.
The book outlines six core strategies commonly deployed to undermine elections while preserving a democratic façade.
These include manipulating electoral laws, weakening opposition parties, controlling institutions, and influencing media narratives to ensure predetermined outcomes.
Drawing from firsthand experience as election observers and extensive interviews with political leaders, diplomats, election officials, and insiders, Cheeseman and Klaas present documented cases of electoral malpractice from countries such as Argentina, Zimbabwe, Brazil, India, Nigeria, Russia, and the United States, including references to the 2016 US election.
Ssentongo’s remarks come at a time when debates around electoral credibility remain prominent in East Africa, where opposition groups and civil society organisations frequently raise concerns over transparency, state capture of institutions, and the misuse of security agencies during polls.
By revisiting How to Rig an Election, Ssentongo positions the book not just as a critique of flawed electoral politics, but as a warning about the limits of elections alone in delivering democracy.
He suggests it offers important intellectual grounding for those seeking reforms aimed at safeguarding democratic processes from authoritarian manipulation.