Emma Emeozor, [email protected]
The gruesome killing of nine anti-presidential tenure elongation campaigners by Guinea’s police raises concerns over the correctness of democratic practice in Africa.
The epidemic of tenure elongation has continued to plague the continent even as the leaders sing the mantras of democracy and respect for human rights. The nine protesters, including a 14-year-old boy, were killed within one week of protests against President Alpha Conde’s order to review the constitution for the purpose of giving the president the opportunity to seek a third term in office. His second and last term expires in 2020 in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
While eight of the dead were under the age of 30, the 14-year-old was a schoolboy. Also, 38 people were wounded. Overzealous policemen had fired live ammunition and tear gas at the protesters. Curiously, the government in its initial reaction used foul language to describe the protesters who were exercising their right to freedom of speech and the defence of the constitution.
While a cabinet minister, Gen Bourema Conde, described the protesters as “unpatriotic,” the armed forces chief of staff called them “irresponsible.” The statements of the two officials were published in the Guinean news website: Mediaguinée.
After a week of dilly-dallying, the government publicly acknowledged the loss of the nine protesters but in couched language. The minister of territorial administration, General Bourema Conde, said in a statement: “The government deeply regrets, and also strongly condemns the incidents…and has instructed the relevant authorities to shed light on the facts in order to pull together all the evidence.”
President Conde, who is now 81 years old, is eyeing another five years in office. The penchant for power by octogenarians and other sit-tight African leaders has done more damage than good to the democratic and development process of the continent. The political instability in many African countries is as a result of the violation of the constitution by leaders who believe they have been ordained by God to rule even when they have performed badly.
Guinea is a member of the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Over two weeks after the nine protesters were killed, the two bodies have not reacted. The Directorate of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) of ECOWAS and the Political Affairs Department of the AU cannot say they are not aware of the current political crisis brewing in Guinea.
The killings have further exposed the failure of reforms that were carried out in the country. For reasons of lust for power, African leaders don’t promote reforms with commitment to full implementation. Rather, ambiguity clouds the scripting of the reforms to enable them manipulate the process and to achieve their hidden agenda. Yet, the word ‘reform’ is a political mantra the politicians use to woo the electorate during the period of campaign and election.
The inability of the AU and ECOWAS to sanction member states over violation of human rights and the non respect of the constitution is worrisome. The rules and regulations of the two bodies are nothing but mere window dressing used to make them appear as functional and serious regional bodies. As long as the AU, ECOWAS and South Africa Development Community (SDAC) remain bulldogs without teeth to bite, political instability will continue to plague Sub-Sahara Africa.
The problem with AU, ECOWAS and SADC is not that of human capacity, rather it is that of weak institutions deliberately put in place by the leaders. In other words, the various organs or departments of the regional bodies cannot satisfactorily without having the power to call to order (through sanctions) members.
Thus, persuasion instead of sanction has remained the major tool of Commissions and Secretariats use in their effort to address conflicts in member states. Interestingly, the governments and political leaders do not yield to cajole easily, especially when their action(s) is being questioned. It is difficult to predict how soon the tide will change for erring member states or political leaders to be held accountable (of course promptly) for their unwholesome deeds during and after they had left office.
It is the failure of the AU and the sub-regional bodies to call to question the maladministration of political leaders that has made the continent a fertile ground for mediocres to be in the corridor of power. Ironically, majority of African leaders are averse to the check and balance role the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague is through the prosecution of politicians arraigned before it.
Back home, political leaders frustrate the court(s) approved by the regional bodies, for example the ECOWAS Court of justice. Since coming into being, the ECOWAS Court of justice had always lamented the failure of the governments of member states to respect its ruling(s). Yet, no political or ex-military leader has had the audacity to disrespect the ICC.
If Africa must overcome the challenge of political instability and underdevelopment, it must begin to address the problem of weak institutions. The people must be empowered to be active in the process of governance at all levels, democracy must be allowed to deepen, the constitution must be respected and the ballot box must remain the means of electing and sacking leaders.
Guinea became an independent country in 1958. 61 years after, it is still staggering, unable to achieve political stability and economic development and growth. The problem is not with the people, rather the leaders are to blame.
Guinea’s first leader, Ahmed Sékou Touré ruled for 26 years without uplifting the country to the expectation of the people and the international community. Rather, he turned country to his personal ‘garden.’
Lansana Conté who sacked Touré in a military coup cannot be said to have fared better as he too became a tyrant because of the allure of power. It took the country 52 years to hold election adjudged free and fair. And that was in 2010 when Conde was elected. The political actors however failed to consolidate the gains of the moment, a development that has made the country to drift back to the era of political crisis, corruption and human rights violation.
Even then, Conde succeeded winning a second term in office in 2015. At the time, the thinking was that he would return to the drawing board and address the problems facing the country with a view to leaving an enduring legacy. One of the expectations was that the president would ensure that the constitution is sustained and not violated or subjected to manipulation, considering the fact that he was a strong voice against Conte’s misrule.
As it is now, Conde has betrayed the trust the people reposed on him. Amnesty International reportedly said more than 100 people have died during protests over the past decade. But why would Conde at 81 wants to remain in power when there are many qualified young persons to succeed him? Touré ruled for 26 years and Conte for 24 years. Apparently, Conde wants to achieve the same record, but this time as life president which will be an unbeatable one compared to that of his predecessors.
It is an absurd argument and indeed out right abuse of position for Conde to chose to manipulate the constitution for the purpose of extending his tenure. The people must be encouraged to resist him though it must be done peacefully.
The police in Africa had always used brute force to halt anti-government protests. Apparently, the practice is a continuation of the colonial system when the colonial authorities used the police to silence genuine agitation for development, observance of human rights and total liberation of the continent.
Today, Africans ruled by their own leaders are still subjected to the brutality of policemen. The rule of law is often jettisoned. Because they dance to the tune of the authorities, police officers go unpunished for violating the rights of the people even when they hold peaceful protests. This is unacceptable and must be checked by way of bringing to justice the policemen found culpable for the death of the nine protesters in Guinea.
The government must be seen to be honest in its investigation. It must go beyond pulling “together all the evidence” to transparently putting on trial those arrested. The government has already raised fears that the killers of the nine protesters may not face trial as required by the law when it described the protesters as “unpatriotic” and “irresponsible.” It is hoped the government is not saying the people cannot question its decision(s).
Activism is a veritable means of calling the authorities to order and must not be frustrated by power hungry leaders and their supporters including security agents. The AU and ECOWAS must show concern over the recent happenings in Guinea and ensure that the rule of law is observed by both the government and the opposition.
Nobody should be above the law. The AU and ECOWA must always bear in mind that as regional bodies, they owe the people the obligation of ensuring that their leaders do not ‘rape’ them under any disguise. The current volatile atmosphere in Guinea is a clear signal that violence will trail the 2020 general elections except appropriate measures is put in place now to stem the tide.