DEMOCRACY: It’s time to have an honest conversation
By Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya
Zambia has for many years been a good example of democracy in Africa. The country has successfully voted for 7 different presidents in its 60 years of independence. Whether or not the leaders chosen have satisfied the electorate is a different story, but the bottom line has been that these people choose who must lead them.
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Much of Zambia’s stability can be attributed to its ability to respect democracy. Scholars have observed that leaders in this Southern African country remain checked and largely steer clear of totalitarian styles of leadership because democracy stands in their way. Leaders who show signs oppression are voted out, reinforcing political and civil stability in the country.
This in itself is perhaps the greatest attribute of what democracy is. After all, democracy is the one system that allows the general population the power to choose how they’re led and by whom. It is undeniable that democracy is a noble way of leading people and that’s perhaps why even dictatorial leaders want to present the pseudo impression of democracy.
While democracy remains highly popular in Africa, the popularity has dropped by about 7%. The Afrobarometer in their latest findings report that Africans are largely in favour of democracy, but are equally frustrated by the consistency with which their leaders are corrupt and sometimes simply incompetent.
The poor leadership across the continent is an indictment on the integrity of democracy and leads some people into losing confidence in the system. They feel that their voice is wasted as they end up with poor leadership nonetheless.
Charlotte Salivaji, an activist and Executive Director of Mzenga Lives Foundation, believes the continent must strengthen accountability and only democracy can do that.
“Democracy can only work if there is accountability. People are losing trust in their governance systems, not because they’re allowed to elect their leaders, but because the leaders they elect do not honour their end of the bargain”, she says.
“Democracy goes two ways. You promise to develop your country and people promise to vote for you. When the people keep their promise, you must keep yours.”
The failure by African leaders is a complete let down on the people, but in no way a demonstration of what democracy is.
This very dynamic is perhaps what can be regarded as democracy’s greatest strength.
Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, who has received widespread criticism for his very long stay in office (24 years), argues that democracy must be in the context of each country and basically that it is okay for leaders to serve such long terms in office.
While this may sound like a great argument, there’s several reasons for why it may fail. First of all, such a long stay in office in itself allows the leader to curate a system that suits them and creates an individual cantered government.
A democracy allows people the opportunity to get rid of leaders they’re not pleased with. The very corruption by their leaders that frustrates many Africans should be why they uphold democracy. It provides people the power to remove corrupt leaders who would otherwise latch onto power despite the people’s rejection.
Zambia has done this since 1991 and there’s clearly no stopping. The 2024 elections in South Africa and the UK are also testament to the power of democracy to remind political leaders that true power lies in the hands of the people.
The people of Zambia must in fact take pride in their alertness. A strong and effective civil society and media have always raised alarm when things don’t look right. The famous ‘third term bid’ by President Frederick Chiluba was strongly rejected by civil society and published by the media.
This is perhaps why it is no surprise that over 85% (Afrobarometer) of Zambians are in support of democracy because it clearly works to uphold the will of the people. One could argue that democracy has actually united the people on more occasions than one.
Citizens First party President Harry Kalaba points out that the support of the people is always the most important component of leadership.
“The reason why even dictators first seek approval [of sorts] from the people is because support and buy-in of the people make leadership effective. That is why you need democracy. It informs what you must do for the people because that is what they actually want or need.”
There’s pretty much nothing to envy about military and autocratic rule. Think of Nigeria’s military dictatorship under General Sani Abacha (1993-1998). His regime was marked by human rights violations, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to economic decline and social instability. Similarly, the autocratic rule of Idi Amin in Uganda (1971-1979) resulted in widespread human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and forced disappearances, ultimately leading to economic collapse and social chaos.
The lack of democracy will often prioritize the interests of the ruling elite over those of the general population and while this is possible in a democracy too, the difference is that in a democracy, you can do something about it and quickly too.
The autocratic rule of Omar al-Bashir in Sudan (1989-2019) led to multiple conflicts, including the Darfur genocide, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of displaced people.
Remember, these undemocratic regimes have often relied on repression and violence to maintain power, leading to cycles of violence and instability.
For now, Africa must assess the present state of democracy and enhance public discourse on the topic.
Kalemba August 14, 2024