What are the emerging root causes of unconstitutional changes of government through military coups in Africa? 
 

Authors:

L Mushoriwa
 

Summary: 

This article provides an up-to-date analysis of the root causes of unconstitutional change of government (UCG) in Africa through military coups. The root causes include corruption, economic decline, failure to institute democratic governance, and dissatisfaction with election outcomes. The article traces the phenomenon of coups back to the first wave of military takeovers in the 1960s and 1970s when, during the Cold War, African states were asserting their newly attained independence. Here, the focus is on the example of Kwame Nkrumah's ouster in Ghana. The article also highlights the root causes of the second wave of coups between 1990 and 2001, using Sierra Leone as a case study. It then examines the third wave of coups that began in 2020, and focuses on the ones in Mali, Guinea and Gabon. The analysis provides a basis for interrogating the efficacy of the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sanctions regime as a mechanism to respond to UCG. The contention is that sanctions often have the unintended consequence of causing hardships for ordinary people rather than the targeted military leaders. The article concludes that what is needed to end the scourge of military coups in Africa is a proactive rather than reactive approach – one which is combined with the political will among African leaders to implement policies advancing good governance and democracy.


Link to Journal Article