By Paul Ejime

IF any confirmation was needed about the regression of democracy in Africa, the unravelling events in Mali are more than enough.

The military putsch of 2012 in Mali was rehashed in August 2020 and  on the 24th of this month (May), there was a “coup within a coup.”

Mali remains in uncertainty, and so is neigbouring Niger, which witnessed an attempted coup in March on the eve of the inauguration of newly elected President Mohamed Basoum.

Meanwhile, on 20th of April, President Idriss Deby of Chad was assassinated, reportedly while fighting rebels. The Chadian military immediately took power and installed Deby’s son, Mahamat  Kaka, a Lt.-Gen. as  his late father’s successor.

The army takeover in Mali was condemned by the international community with sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, while the situation in Chad was explained away.

Doubtless, any inconsistency or double standards in response or the handling these military incursions is against the universal “zero-tolerance” for acenssion to power through unconstitutional means.

Such a trend portends danger and could send the wrong signals to the military.

Also worrisome is the quality of contemporary  elections in Africa; the conduct of the political leaders who are altering their national constitutions for  tenure elongation or ruling with authoritarian tendencies in the name of democracy.

Corruption, cronyism, political and religious intoletance are on the increase, plus poverty, unemployment, criminality and widespread insecurity.

Equally troubling is the seeming incapacity, lack of political will or resolve by the Africa’s foremost political organisation, the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to use their conflict prevention, management and resolution mechanisms, which served the continent well in the past?

– May 29, 2021 @ 4:41 GMT |