𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?

Military leaders in West and Central Africa are using disillusionment with democracy and worsening economic conditions to seize power. There have been ten attempted coups since 2020, most of them in West and Central Africa. These coups have swiftly undone democratic systems. People have come to the streets in several nations to celebrate the breakdown of democracy. Supporters of the military government in Niger have crowded stadiums following the July 26 coup, while in 2021, inhabitants of Conakry celebrated the removal of President Alpha Conde of Guinea, who had prolonged his term in office despite widespread public disapproval. This pattern of optimism in the face of military takeovers reflects a widespread dissatisfaction with Africa’s civilian leaders. There are still election disputes across the continent, which the military described as one of the reasons for the coup. Upon hearing that President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe had won the country’s presidential election, news of the coup in Gabon broke. Opposition groups in Nigeria are contesting the results of the February election in court, citing widespread irregularities and violence.

Only 44% of Africans in a 2022 Afrobarometer survey agreed that elections give citizens the power to oust unpopular governments. Bongos have ruled Gabon, Uganda, Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon for over twenty years each. This illustrates the complexity of democracy in Africa, where it appears to be when a leader can be autocratic and stay in power for years so long as they hold some kind of election every few years.

The people of Africa are struggling under the weight of rising prices, spiraling inflation, and intensifying attacks by terrorist organizations. The World Bank predicts that Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP growth would slow to 3.1% by the end of this year, down from 3.1% in 2022. Despite the leaders’ and the international community’s preoccupation on democratic governance, they are losing popularity among their constituents. Coups have become commonplace in formerly French colonies in the previous five years, with Paris being considered as partly responsible for this. The interests of many citizens in these countries are not at the core of democracy, so blaming foreigners is risky.

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