This year, several African countries have gone to the polls. A number of them are in the process. A fundamental question raised on these elections in Africa is not about winners, but about electoral integrity. Most of these polls, it is alleged, appear to be nothing more than political drama – aimed at garnering a semblance of legitimacy for leaders to remain in power by crushing opposition, dissent, criminalizing critical media reporting etc. To name a few: Leaders who have managed to stay in power by eliminating term or age limits in a constitutional coup include Presidents of Uganda, Rwanda ,Togo, Egypt etc,
Let us look at some glaring examples of the electoral highhandedness in Africa in 2021.
Circumventing term limits is the prominent feature of many of these African leaders lined up for elections this year. Some of them are Africa’s longest serving heads of state like President YoweriMuseveni of Uganda. Uganda’s January 2021 presidential election process was defined by the blatant use of violence and repression against the opposition by Ugandan police which ensured that the 76-year-old President Yoweri Museveni retained his 35-year hold on power.
The presidential elections of The Republic of the Congo in March this year were also no different. Using political intimidation and repression to retain power, the election was more of a highly orchestrated ceremony, rather than a competitive election. The 77-year-old Denis SassouNguesso, and the ruling Congolese Party of Labor (PCT), claimed victory with an 88% majority marking his 37th year as head of state, and as Africa’s third longest serving leader.
Somalia’s electoral process is another case study. The elections reflect the challenge of merging local clan and regional interests for autonomy within a larger national vision and policy framework. For months, Somalia’s government has been trying to reach an agreement on how to carry out the election with the regional states. Finally this week, amid growing pressure to end political stalemate, the lower house of parliament voted to extend the president’s term for another two years to let the country prepare for direct elections., while the Senate and Opposition parties questioned the decision.
Not to be overlooked, there are a few cases where leaders are stepping down gracefully at the end of their designated terms. These noble examples like the recent Niger elections, uphold the norms of a democracy and deserve attention. President MahamadouIssoufou stepped down following his second 5-year term in office, thereby setting a valuable precedent of upholding term limits and helping to institutionalize this important check on executive power. The country experienced the first democratic transfer of power when the new President Mohamed Bazoum was sworn in a peaceful transfer of power last week.
Africa’s most significant election in 2021, will be when Ethiopians go to the polls in June. Ethiopia’s legacy of authoritarianism and the lack of democratic precedents make the elections a complex exercise which will test the statesmanship of Prime Minister Abiy.
There is a critical need for Africa to separate powers through checks and balances to uphold sovereignty through elections. The biggest threat to Africa’s democracy is the constitutional coups that weakens the term limit restrictions. Africa has to ensure that incumbent leaders are not able to change national constitutions. With AU’s intervention, the constitutions should be -insulated from tampering- term and age limits. Appropriate safety guards against undemocratic practices like introducing hefty registration fees for candidates, interference with freedom of press, use of the army to intimidate opposition etc should be put in place.
Weak institutions and the absence of a democratic culture have facilitated the incumbents to manipulate constitutions. For the constitutional democracy to survive in Africa, the continent needs a politically active public, and political elite dedicated to maintaining constitutional institutions.Let us hope that the level of democratic process improves in Africa.
