AFROBAROMETER’S recent inaugural flagship report that shows Africans remain strongly committed to democracy but are disillusioned by poor political performance is spot on as young people on the continent ramp up their opposition to failing leaders.
The evidence points to political factors such as rising corruption, poor-quality elections and a lack of presidential accountability that tend to undermine popular faith in democracy.
The report notes that ‘nurturing support for democracy will therefore require strengthening integrity in government and improved official accountability’.
However, going by recent events in Kenya and Uganda, with the restive nature spreading to other parts of the continent, it appears that young Africans are no longer patient with the shortcomings of their leaders.
Kenya’s President William Ruto is dealing with a fallout that he did not anticipate as his erstwhile supporters took to the streets against his policies.
In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni unleashed the country’s security forces against young people who were planning to carry out demonstrations against corruption and mismanagement in their country.
In Nigeria, the country’s police chief warned against young citizens following the example of their counterparts in East Africa.
In Rwanda, President Paul Kagame rules with an iron fist, having recently been re-elected with 99 per cent of the votes.
He is among a number of African presidents who are in the 90 Per Cent Club, such as Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea; Paul Biya of Cameroon; and Egypt’s Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
There are others who have been fluctuating between 50 percent and 90 per cent, such as Museveni; Togo’s Faure Gnassingbe; and Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo Republic.
Given this situation it is not surprising that there is an air of restlessness among Africa’s young people.
Speaking to Africa Briefing from the US, an African academic said: ‘We must keep calling out these African governments.
‘The Kenyan government resorted to hiring thugs on motorcycles with arms to stage counter-pro-government demos to destabilise the peaceful demonstrations.
‘This is a bankrupt Ruto government now opting to unleash police and counter-demonstrators upon unarmed protesters.’
In the case of Uganda, the academic said: ‘The police went ahead to harass, brutalise and arrest the peaceful protestors.
‘After almost 40 years in power, Museveni still hasn’t understood the meaning of democracy.’
On the issue of the 90 Per Cent Club, he told Africa Briefing: ‘It’s scandalous that African leaders don’t call each other out.
‘Instead, they line up to congratulate [Kagame] on a patently fraudulent election.
‘No doubt they sent the usual election observer teams which predictably declared the election free and fair.
‘It’s telling that the African leaders who have congratulated him are all beneficiaries of dubious election results.
‘And they all want to be taken seriously as democratic regimes?’
Commenting on the political landscape in Rwanda, he said: ‘One might speculate that the two opposition parties that are consistently allowed to run against Kagame’s RPF are “tolerated” as token opposition to give the semblance of multiparty democracy precisely because they pose no threat to Kagame’s electoral fortunes, scoring 0.53 per cent and 0.32 percent each.’
He went on: ‘And then there are opposition politicians forced to flee into exile.
‘Under these circumstances, Kagame is, of course, bound to be politically dominant.
‘Now, having visited Rwanda three times, I cannot deny that Kagame has done a lot to uplift that country, given where it was in 1994, and the signs of progress and development are visible everywhere.
‘I do not take that away from him.
‘But Rwanda is also a place where citizens know “their place” and how to behave in the political space.’
The academic added: ‘It may not be a police state, but it is a place where fear is never too deep below the skin.
‘It’s a democratic space where people know how to speak in hushed tones because they can’t trust the taxi driver giving them a ride, or the government guide assigned to chaperone them, or the fellow serving drinks at the bar, or the concierge at the hotel reception.
‘One quickly learns to be careful.
‘Rwanda is no doubt an economic and development success story, but not so much as a political story,’ the academic told Africa Briefing.
He said this ‘may or may not matter to the 90 per cent of Rwandans who voluntarily turn up to vote’.
‘It’s entirely possible that seven years from now, when Kagame will still be relatively young in political terms, we will see a 99.99 per cent electoral win based on a 99.99 per cent voter turnout,’ the academic added.
Desmond Davies is the Editor of Africa Briefing Magazine. You can read the latest edition of the magazine
