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From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Tue Aug 17 2010 - 10:56:22 EDT
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/08/17/africa.democracy.leaders/index.html?section=cnn_latest
Can
democracy thrive in Africa?
By *Catriona Davies*, for CNN
August 17, 2010 10:08 a.m. EDT
*Editor's note:* This year 17 African nations mark 50 years of independence
from their former colonial rulers. Eight of those countries celebrate their
anniversary in August, they include Benin, Ivory Coast and Gabon. CNN.com is
marking this major milestone with special coverage in August analysing the
continent's past, present and future.
*(CNN)* -- When African countries gained independence from 1960 onwards,
they faced the challenge of building their structures from scratch.
Their former European masters had mostly not encouraged the idea of
accountability and any pre-colonial institutions had been destroyed,
according to most historians.
In addition, many countries' boundaries had been arbitrarily drawn by
colonial powers, leaving independent nations with no common identity, John
Campbell, Ralph Bunche Fellow for Africa Policy Studies at the Council on
Foreign Relations in New York, and former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria told
CNN.
In many cases, the activists who took power were dictators who ruled their
countries without democracy or regard to the freedom of their people.
Half a century later, almost all African countries have some form of
democracy, though in many cases there is little realistic opportunity for
opposition parties to gain power because of bias towards those in power in
electioneering.
Thomas Cargill, assistant head of the Africa program at the London-based
international think-tank, Chatham House, said: "They have the form - but not
the substance - of Western-style democracy. They go through the motions of
elections but those in power do everything they can to make sure the
opposition are not in a position to win."
*Long-serving African leaders*
--Omar Bongo led Gabon for 42 years until his death last year, when he was
succeeded by his son Ali Ben Bongo
--Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya has been in power for 41 years.
--Obiang Nguema has been president of Equatorial Guinea for 31 years
--Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe for 30 years.
--President Museveni of Uganda has been in power for 24 years
Campbell said that an African cultural convention for reaching consensus
meant the Western view of democracy did not always fit.
"If you have a disagreement in the West, you vote on it. In Africa you talk,
talk and talk some more until you reach a consensus. That's why there are so
many one-party or dominant party states in Africa. Sometimes that ruling
party is able to provide a forum for real discussion."
The Foundation for Democracy in Africa, a Washington-based organization,
argues that education is the key to getting ordinary people engaged in
African politics.
Tony Okonmah, its executive director, told CNN: "Democracy has often been
misinterpreted in Africa as something that only has to do with politics and
the ruling elite.
"We are tying to redefine it to show democracy is about people
participating, everybody contributing their know-how to make sure the
environment is what they want it to be.
"This has to be achieved through education. Illiteracy has contributed to
the problem, so we're against anybody helping to enslave children instead of
sending them to school. If everybody is educated they will see the need for
good governance."
They have the form - but not the substance - of Western-style democracy.
--Thomas Cargill, Chatham House
There are, of course, democratic success stories where power has transferred
peacefully to an opposition party. Cargill points to Ghana and Sierra Leone
who have had opposition election wins in recent years.
South Africa is also considered a beacon of democracy, since shaking off the
shadow of apartheid. Campbell said: "I don't think 25 years ago many of us
would have predicted the outcome in South Africa would be as good as it is.
Its success is particularly remarkable because it is such as large country
and so divided racially and economically."
However South Africa also has its shortcomings; no party but the ANC has had
power since 1994 and President Jacob Zuma has faced persistent allegations
of corruption.
Campbell added that there had been a worrying return to military coups
elsewhere on the continent. Niger, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar have
all had army generals seize power in the last two years.
"Even though they have taken place in relatively small African countries,
it's worrisome because coups can be infectious," said Campbell.
Cargill argued that Africa reached its peak in Western-style democracy
between the late 1990s and mid 2000s, but had slipped into greater
authoritarianism in the last three or four years, as leaders forged
partnerships with new powers such as China and India and became less reliant
on Western approval.
He said a wave of "new African leaders" including Yoweri Museveni of Uganda
and Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia became the "darlings" of Western democracy in
the 1990s.
They promised a fundamental change in African politics towards Western-style
democracy and found favor with President Clinton's administration in the
U.S.
"President Museveni came to power in 1986 saying African leaders stayed in
power too long and wrote into Uganda's constitution that presidents should
only serve two terms," said Cargill.
"However, in 2005 he changed the constitution to allow him to serve a third
term and will probably stay for a fourth term in 2011."
The late 1990s peak was also brought about in part by an insistence from
Western donor countries on their own interpretation of democracy, according
to Cargill.
He said: "This influence has waned as African governments choose their
international partnerships with new powers such as China and India, making
them less dependent on the West.
"This is not all bad news, as although formal democracy is shrinking in many
African countries, there's more focus on accountability of government
officials. The media and ordinary people are gaining more power to question
and remove corrupt officials."
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