Egyptians celebrate Mubarak's exit    Photo courtesy

The 2011 popular uprising in Tunisia and Egypt is a warning to all governments in Africa to deepen democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights. The evident rage by demonstrators in the two countries and the unequivocal call for regime change from the streets should be heard by all governments in the continent. The rapid spread of popular discontent and the show of defiance against powerful coercive instruments of the state in the two countries should be instructive.

It is shortsighted for any government anywhere in the world to build its foundation on brutal repression of its people. It is also naïve for any government to believe that the innate tendency of citizens to have a say on how they are governed can be denied in the long term. It is also dangerous to rely on a tiny coterie of elite and well connected families to run a country and dominate its political and economic space.

Democracy, rule of law and respect for basic human rights are the three fundamental pillars of any progressive society in the 21st Century. With technology advances, increasing rates of education among younger individuals and the tentacles of globalization, citizens of most countries are now in one way or the other interconnected with the wider global society. A new generation of young people is growing up familiar with various forms of technology and increasingly aware of what is going on around the world.

Command and control of information flows has changed drastically in the last 20 years. It is an illusion to believe that any government can substantially control information flows to its citizens in the 21st century. Even in the poorest slums of Africa and other parts of the world, a cell phone is a prized possession. A short wave radio is never far away.

African governments should pay close attention to the anticipated, expected events in Tunisia and Egypt. Any individual that says that a popular uprising to an autocratic government is unexpected is being less than honest. It may take a long time in coming. But, surely, the oppressed will eventually lash out. Stifling political and economic space throughout history almost always leads to popular uprisings.

The most important downpayment on democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights is free and fair elections. African governments should commit to the conduct of transparent, free and fair elections at all times. Each government should invest on political legitimacy through renewable mandates from the electorate.Rigging elections, manipulating the electoral process or denying citizens the right to participate in elections will be a bad idea. African governments conducting elections in 2011 and 2012 should be especially careful.

The democracy contagion is now alive and well in the continent. Africa, the cradle of human civilization should in the 21st Century become the beacon of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights. To think otherwise will be counterproductive to the cherished dreams of Africa’s renaissance.

By Dr. Chinua Akukwe

Former Chair of the Technical Board of the Africa Center for Health and Human Security at the George Washington University, Washington, DC. He has written extensively on health and development issues in Africa, including five books.