Africa’s latest elections end with crackdowns on opposition and disputed results

The latest elections in different African countries have ended with the same outcome: sidelined opposition candidates, disputed results and protests from mostly young voters after incumbents were reelected.

The elections featured a bureaucrat in Cameroon who has become the world’s oldest leader with half his life spent as president. An economist in Ivory Coast who is starting his fourth term at age 83. And a woman in Tanzania whose emergence as the country’s first female president had originally created hope that change was coming — but has been denounced for an authoritarian style.

The continent of 1.4 billion people — where most countries have been independent for about 60 years — disputed election outcomes could further weaken shaky democracies and embolden soldiers increasingly taking over power, analysts says.

Africa is home to some of the world’s youngest populations and oldest leaders, a paradox that has contributed to an upsurge in