Conference attendees and speakers
A survey conducted in 36 countries by Afrobarometer reveals that, declining satisfaction threatens African democracy.
In these countries, the report disclosed that, two-thirds (66 per cent) of Africans prefer democracy over any other form of government.
It also stated that, large majorities reject one-man rule (80 per cent), one-party rule (78 per cent), and military rule (67 per cent). But only 38 per cent express satisfaction with the way democracy functions in their countries.
“Satisfaction with the way democracy is working has declined across Africa, undermining citizens’ confidence in democratic governance,” the Afrobarometer CEO, Joseph Asunka, disclosed on Monday at the Africa Drive for Democracy Conference – Elders Retreat in Arusha, Tanzania.
The conference gathered former heads of state and key elders, creating a platform to discuss the state of democracy in Africa and harness their collective wisdom and imagination in building pathways for renewed and sustained democracy on the continent.
Asunka cited non-compliance with presidential term limits, rising crime and insecurity, and corruption as factors that may be contributing to popular dissatisfaction with democratic rule.
“The data shows that Africans’ commitment to democracy remains strong, however, governments and elected leaders have failed to meet these popular democratic aspirations,” he stated.
“This has led to a decline in popular confidence in democratic governance and an increasing attraction to military rule and intervention,” he lamented.
Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, stated that “Unless and until African governments address the deficiencies in democratic governance and deliver essential public services to their people, democracy will remain an aspiration never to be meaningfully realised.”
Addressing the conference theme, “Securing Africa’s democratic future through learning and engaging,” Ernest Bai Koroma, former president of Sierra Leone, said confronting these challenges demands collective action to preserve and strengthen democratic norms and institutions.
“No doubt democracy is not without obstacles, but together we must confront the challenges that threaten its foundations: poor leadership, ineffective citizenship, corruption, poverty, political polarisation, rogue elections, and all the attendant ramifications of social unrest and political instability,” he urged.
By Nafisatu Abdul Razak