Why is Democracy Crumbling in Africa? An insight from West Africa

Abstract

Despite assurances by the African leaders that military coups have come and gone forever in the continent, Africa continues to experience military coups more than any other continent in the world. Between August 2020 and January 2022, Africa has witnessed six coups: Mali in August 2020, Chad in April 2021, Mali again in May 2021, Guinea in September 2021, Sudan in October 2021, and Burkina Faso in January 2022. Except for Sudan, five of these coups occurred in the West African Sub-region. Assuming that democracy is the most acceptable system of governance that guarantees security, welfare, and fundamental freedom, there is a need to interrogate why the system is crumbling in the West African sub-region. Relying on secondary sources and expert interview with 35 key informants selected purposively, this article uses elite theory as a theoretical guide and a thematic method of data analysis to investigate the rising wave of military coups across West Africa. The findings of the article reveal that democracy has been manipulated by the West African political elites to serve personal interests leaving the general populace in poverty, perpetual insecurity, and despair. Consequently, there is rising support for military takeovers across the sub-region and a belief that the military coups will eventually give birth to genuine democracy. As a solution, the article recommends that West African democracy must be reformed to promote human rights, security, and the welfare of the majority.

Keywords: Democracy; Military Regimes; Military Coup; West Africa