The presidents of Kenya and Ghana abandoned economic reform in order to win their first multi-party elections in 1992.

ECONOMIST: The rulers, the ruled and the African reality

Neither Zambia nor Kenya would have held multi-party elections at all had events continued uninterrupted along their 1980s course.

ECONOMIST: Africa��s democratic despots

The party was later transformed into a political party and eventually ruled Malawi for 10 years after the first multi-party elections were organized.

BBC: Bingu wa Mutharika (back) and Bakili Muluzi (front)

But since the ascession to power of President Muluzi following Malawi's first multi-party elections in 1994, the profile of Muslims has been given more prominence.

BBC: Malawi school plan sparks religious feud

Of the world's nearly 200 countries, 140 now hold multi-party elections.

ECONOMIST: Liberty's great advance

In 1991, Secretary of State James A. Baker III addressed Mongolia's first legislature chosen in multi-party elections, applauding the rise of democracy and promising millions of dollars in aid.

CNN: Friday,

President Hosni Mubarak promised multi-party elections there in 2005.

NPR: Democracy Suffers in Egypt After Election

The move comes after a series of pay rises to civil servants in the run-up to the country's first multi-party presidential elections, due to be held before 10 October.

BBC: Maldives teachers strike over pay

Many countries now have multi-party systems and hold regular elections.

ECONOMIST: Letters