DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NIGERIA AND KENYA

Abstract

This paper examines democracy and development in Africa with particular reference to
Nigeria and Kenya. Using a descriptive analysis, this study takes a critical look at the
issues of democracy and development in the two countries. The study finds that
corruption, poverty, and unemployment are not only high in Nigeria and Kenya but they
permeate all the facets of public and private sectors. The paper augues that apart
colonialism, dependency and globalization are responsible for the present pathetic state
of development in Africa but also argued that African leaders through the instruments of
inept leadership, corruption, authoritarianism, endless political crisis, electoral
malpractices and ethnicity have contributed more than any other factor to the causes of
underdevelopment in Africa. On that note, the paper concludes that the two countries
needs a committed, transparent and purposeful leadership that is determined to provide
and ideal democracy based on good governance, rule of law, etc so as to provide
happiness to the larger population. The paper recommends amongst others that stiffer
punishment be meted out on leaders who are engages in corrupt act such as life
imprisonment or death as practised in China, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.