Tag: Democracy

Gunning the Leviathans: Undying Presidencies, Term Limits, Changing Political Culture and the Mortification of Dire Political Transition in Africa

Gunning the Leviathans: Undying Presidencies, Term Limits, Changing Political Culture and the Mortification of Dire Political Transition in Africa

Posted by | Apr 28, 2020 |

The focal narrative in the literature on government and politics in Africa is sheathed with the credence that the region has been governed by tyrants, despotic regimes and political intrigues, abetting political transitions in belligerent awareness as a result. This paper attempts to make a significant departure from this account by interrogating the emerging political orders that deconstruct this primordial discourse on the African socio-political landscape. It argues that the locus of political transition has shifted from a long established political culture to a more mature democratic orientation. It demonstrates that some African nations have evolved from political pettiness to political adolescence. It concludes that the recent political transitions that took place in some African nations represent a different type of regime change that marks a momentous departure from the unwavering political culture previously present in Africa.

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Presidential Term Limits: A Threat to Peace and Security in Africa

Presidential Term Limits: A Threat to Peace and Security in Africa

Posted by | Apr 5, 2019 |

This article interrogates the recent trend whereby some African leaders resort to constitutional amendments to remove presidential term limits. It seeks to identify the factors that explain why this pattern is gaining ground in a growing number of countries, and analyzes its implications for peace and security in Africa. Attention is paid to two countries: Burundi and Burkina Faso which recently grappled with the issue of term limits with different outcomes. The article holds that the extension of presidential term limits threatens long-term peace and security in Africa. It argues that such political acts encourage unconstitutional changes of government, undermine human security, and weaken democratic institutions—all of which are critical to peace and security.

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The Internationalization of the Coup in Burkina Faso

The Internationalization of the Coup in Burkina Faso

Posted by | Apr 5, 2019 |

The article explores the political issues in the September 2015 military coup in Burkina Faso that was led by General Gilbert Diendere. Coming only a few weeks prior to a much-anticipated general election the coup plotters dissolved the transitional government that had been in place since the unexpected resignation of Blaise Compaore in October 2014. This article takes a retrospective view of the Burkinabe coup, and analyzes how it was precipitated by lingering political and economic crisis following President Compaore’s 27 years rule. It concludes, by way of alternative futures, that the only way to prevent coups is for African leaders to promote and strengthen democracy and pursue people-friendly socio-economic policies within the framework of good governance, accountability and transparency.

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