Africa Drifting from Democracy Path

Published on 25th January 2011

With recent developments in Africa especially where three elections held in African States, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast were either deliberately bungled or stolen, Africa is sliding into a new era of undemocratic and illegitimate leadership of forced Coalitions especially after incumbents are defeated in elections and refuse to Cede power.

It begun in Kenya, went to Zimbabwe and now in Ivory Coast. With 17 elections lined up in Africa, in some countries where the incumbents believe they are actually a benevolent gift to their countries and should not quit under any circumstances, Africa is headed into a dangerous terrain soon after "liberating" itself from the era of dictatorships, coups and outright despotic rulership.

The tragedy is that the world; The United Nations and African Union particularly have watched by as a new breed of leaders morph in to replace the dictators, those who achieve semi-legitimacy through refusing to cede power and then hoping for a coalition. Because it happened in Kenya, Mugabe felt he too could pull it and now Gbabgo is over confident a "peaceful settlement" will be found.

This back door approach to leadership that defeats the essence of democracy risks taking Africa to the next level of doom, back to coup de-tats. Army Generals will jusfity, with support of wider populations, their actions as "restoring democracy" and go ahead to plunder just as has happened in the past with such military regimes.

The world especially the UN and AU, must find a remedy to this and Ivory Coast's case should be the catalyst to act. With the coming 17 elections this year, Africa cannot afford any more erosion of the African people's confidence on the need to vote and whether universal suffrage counts anymore.

As it is, it was difficult to convince many rural populations to vote during elections, voter apathy was at its highest during the reigns of the likes of Moi when mlolongo and short lines could determine the "winner" of an election.

It has taken years of civic education to build democratic confidence.We should not allow this to degenerate. Moreso, we should not allow Africa to slide back to coups and dictatorships.

By Otieno Sungu

Chairman, Vugu Vugu Mashinani


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