Over the two months, the state of West African democracy has been tested on several occasions. In Senegal, after second round elections, citizens elected a new president, their once Prime Minister Macky Sall.
In Mali, Coupists, led by Captain Amadou Sanogo, overthrew elected President Amadou Toumani Toure (ATT), even though presidential elections were originally scheduled for April 19. And in Guinea Bissau a chaotic military junta has grabbed hold of power in the face of civilian political challenge to its ascendancy. All are pivotal events for the region and the continent. They are keystone markers that may reveal as much about the ardent need to preserve and build democracy in Africa, as the precarious and fragile foundation on which it is built.
The elections in Senegal and the coup in Mali hold many lessons for West Africa's new democracies. A truly democratic culture must be spread across electoral institutions, processes, practices and actors, as exemplified in the lead up and eventual outcome of the recent Senegalese elections. In June 2011, Senegal's President Wade attempted an illegal constitutional coup when he tried to remove term limits in office and reduce the percentage needed to win from 50 percent plus 1 to 25 percent. It would have been his fifteenth amendment to the constitution. The Senegalese refused, rallying together to stop the amendment, and coalescing to form a civil movement, the M-23. This latter group would later be at the helm of citizen-driven campaigns against Wade's bid.
In hindsight, had this 15th constitutional change gone through Wade and his team would have already been sipping champagne at the end of the first round elections, when Wade won 34 percent of the votes. It was clear early on that Wade controlled the Constitutional Council, even before the February 26th round. The Council had overthrown the bid of Youssou N'dour, the popular musician with a great youth appeal, on the grounds that he did not have the sufficient 10,000 signatures required to be in the presidential race. In the end, preserving democracy became the responsibility of all Senegalese citizens. They used non-violent means, advocated by Y en a marre (a youth-led civil movement), to mobilize voters against Wade's plans for re-election. This tandem (and timely) effort of a united opposition and an engaged citizenry may serve as a valuable lesson for other countries.
The firm belief of Senegalese people in the power of a democratic electoral process sets a good example for Sierra Leoneans who are facing upcoming elections in November. The present political climate in the country is dangerously polarized, inching towards a precipice. Much work is needed to address the prevalent mood of distrust and help boost electoral confidence to avoid any outbreak of major violence.
The second important lesson lies in the nexus of what took place in Senegal and Mali. Certainly, democracy in Africa benefits from a number of important frameworks on elections and governance. An inherent goal is the promotion of constitutional order and succession through the ballot boxes. While military coups may be more 'traditional' ways of overthrowing governments, the practice of the 'civilian coup', as attempted by Wade, is becoming very serious, and an oft overlooked danger. In Africa, it is dangerous for any government to stay longer than two terms against constitutional provisions.
A situation whereby the elected President runs for limitless terms in office - as the case in Niger, Cameroun, Chad, Burkina Faso and Gabon - must be condemned. A 'civilian coup' can be as serious and damaging as a military coup d'états. Sadly, the silence and failure of the AU, ECOWAS and other various regional commission bodies to sanction these acts emboldens other African heads of states and raises questions about the usefulness and effectiveness of such organizations. In Niger, former President Mamadou Tandja used the parliament to rubber stamp the outcome of a discredited referendum and was only stopped by a counter military coup. In Chad, President Idris Derby removed term limits (with the acquiescence of a biased parliament) and is now serving his fourth term. In Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo's attempt was foiled only by a resilient Nigerian population. In Cameroun, Paul Biya has become a lifelong President. And the story continues in Burkina Faso, Gabon, Uganda and Zimbabwe. None of these civilian coups have been sanctioned by AU or any RECs.
In Mali, the coupists justified their acts by saying ATT was 'incompetent' - this reflects the larger inability for democracy to meet expectations of economic and political freedom in other parts of Africa. In Senegal, the nationwide mood for change stems from the corruption and mismanagement that has greatly deprived and impoverished its people. In Mali, it stems from ATT's failure to provide adequate funding and equipment to confront Tuareg militants and protect the country's sovereignty. Both cases point to a common problem facing African democracies - rather than deliver economic freedom, presidents, governors and mayors privatise state resources to service their families and friends while immiserating their citizens.
Both events this past week are clear indications that it is time for deep reflections on the meaning of democracy. From Senegal to Nigeria, Mali to Mauritania, Benin to Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea to Togo, citizens in West Africa are in search of the benefits of democracy that go beyond the rituals of regular voting every four to seven years.
As demonstrated in Senegal, the livelihood of democracy lies with three essential ingredients. First, citizens must be schooled in democratic principles so they can play an active role in protecting democracy against anti-democratic forces. Second, political parties must be transparent and accountable. And finally, Africa needs a vigilant and bold AU and regional commission that will protect the sanctity of democratic frameworks, norms and practices. Meeting these conditions will not only keep Africa on its path towards democracy, but also help ensure its political, social and economic development for the future.
Oladayo Olaide is the Economic Governance Program Manger at the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).
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"AFREICA IS EVOLVING NOTHING HAPPENS BEFORE ITS TIME". WHAT WE MUST ALSO CONSIDER IS THAT THE WEST IS THE TEACHER AND ESPOUSER OF SUCH NOTIONS THEY CONTIUE TO SHOW THIS TO WORLD POULATIONS IN LIBYA SYRIA AFGHANISTAN IRAQ SO ON. DO NOT GET IT TWISTED THE WEST HAS BEEN THE MOST INFLUINCIAL AS WELL AS THE MOST SEDITIOUS ARM ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN AFRICA STARTED IN VIORY COAST WHEN THE YOUTHS RECOGNISED THAT THEY WERE BEING FORCED TO ACCEPT A GOVERNMENT THEY WERE NOT INETERESED IN HAVING. THEY PROVED TO THE WORLD NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS WHEN THERE WAS DEMAND FOR A STRIKE PEOPLE WENT TO WORK. WHNEEVER GBAGBO ASKED FOR THE SAME THING THE ROADS WER FILLED YET AFRICANS NEGLECTE3D TO SEE THIS A DEMOCRACY AT WORK.THE NORTH AFRICANS TUNISIA ALSO A FRANCO FONE STATE RECOGNISED WHAT THE YOUTHS IN IVORY COAST WERE SAYING AND STEPPED UP THEIR BID FOR THEIR FREEDOM WHICH HAS BEEN IN WORKS FOR YEARS. BLACK AFRICANS WER E THE ONLY ONES WHO DID NOT SEE THAT TYHE PEOPLE IN IVORY COAST WERE NOT READY FRO FRENCH INETRFERNCE AND WE SAW WHAT THEY PROVIDED WAR TRAUMA DEATH HATE REVENGE AND THE CHAOS THAT USUALLY FOLLOWS WESTERN INETRFERNCE. WHEN THE EGYPTIANS TOOK TO THE STREETS THEY TOLD FRANCE TO STAY WIDE AND THEY SUCCESSFULY OVERTHREW THE AMERICAN LED GOVERNMENT. AFRIC WAS FULL OR IS STILL HALF FULL OF SELECTED PRESIDENTS REPRESENTING WESTERN INETESRT LIKE IN CONGO KABILLA MUSEVENI IN UGANDA AND OTHERS YOU MENTUONED NOT FORGETTING LIBYA UNTIL THEY HOLD ELECTIONS THEY ARE STILL A WESTERN BACKED GOVERNMENT. THE DIFFERNCE WITH LIBYA IS THEY ARE NOT SIGNING ANY DEALS UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT IS ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE BUT WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IS OPPOSE ALL GADDAFI SUPPORTERS WHICH WILL BE VERY HARD AS THE WESTERN LIBYA IS STIL PRO GADAFFI. SOME PLACES ANYWAY. AFRICA IS BECOMMING MORE DEMOCRATIC NOT ACCORDING TO WESTERN DICTATES BUT BECAUSE AS YOU SAY THE PEOPLE DESIRE THIS. THEY WANT VIOSON IN AFRICA NOTCORRUPTION AN THIS WHAT THE WEST BRINGS TO AFRICA. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE WEST TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT BRIBES AND DYSFUNCTION THEY ARE DYSFUNCTIONAL PEOPLE . CORRUPTION IS RIFE IN THE US, EURROPE IS CONSUMED BY CORRUPTION AS WELL. DO NOT FOOL YOURSELF INTO THINKING THAT WHAT THE WEST IS GOING THRU IS NOT CORRUPTION IN A DEVASTATING AN DISHEARTENING WAY THEY LET THEIR OWN SELVES DOWN THEY DECIMATED ECONOMIES ROUND THE WROLD. THEY STOLE CHEATED SWINDLED LIED SCHEMED AND JUST OUT RIGHT ROBBED TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS SO THEIR CRIMES ARE THEIR PAINS. WE MUST STAND FIRM AND DIRECT OUR FUTURE WITH THE PEOPLE AT THE HELM OF GOVERNMENTS WE WILL NOT ELECT STRONG MEN WHO WANT TO HOLD ON TO POWER WE WANT VISIONARY MAN'S WHO WILL BE PROUD OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO AFRICA AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO IMPROVE AND EMPOWER THEIR CITIZENS WHO BELIVED THEY WERE RESPONIBLE VISIONARIES LIKE THE HONOURABLE MBEKI AND GADAFFI THEY WENT ON TO LEAD IN THE AFRICAN UNION TAKING THEIR STRONG VALUES OF FREEDOM TO THE INSTITUTIONS THAT IS ALSO DRIVING AFRICAS UNITY. SURPRISED I SAID GADAFFI HE WAS NOT ACTIVE IN LIBYA FORT YEARS HE WS MORED DETERMIED TO SEE AFRICANS ACHIEVE THEIR FULL MONETARY INDEPENDENCE WAS HIS GOAL .THIS WAS WHAT THE WEST FEARED THE MOST AND INDEPENDENT MONETARY SYSTEM IN WEALTHY AFRICA. THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THE LEVERAGE THEY HAVE IN UNDERMINING AFRICAN CURRENCIES THEY WOULD NTO BE ABLE TO STALL GROWTH IN AFRICA AND THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PEG THEIR CHEAP MONEY TO OUR UNDERVALUED MONIES. HOW COULD WE HAVE THE WEALTHIEST CONTINENT AND BE SO DIRT POOR ONLY UNDER WESTERN TUTELAGE AND CRIMINALITY CAN THESE THINSG BE POSSIBLE.