The Afro -pessimistic see in the current Ivorian crisis further evidence of the failure of Africa to accept democracy. However, the proliferation of free elections in several African countries suggests that people have already taken the road.
Democracy Is not Africa? News Elections in Côte d'Ivoire revives those scenarios in which tumultuous elections often come to an end on the Dark Continent: defeated the incumbent president is trying to extend his term through an electoral hold-up. While the Independent National Commission (INEC), supported by all international observers have declared the loser after a consultation postponed six times in five years, Laurent Gbagbo refuses to bow to the dismay of the international community who requests him to her apron. The candidate of the ruling Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) declared the winner by the State Council headed by one of his relatives was even sworn in on Saturday afternoon, shortly after appointing a new prime minister. For his part, away from the presidential palace, his opponent, Alassane Ouattara, appointed champion of the competition by Ceni has done the same, so that for the same country, we now has two presidents and two prime ministers.
Laurent Gbagbo appears to have chosen to walk in the footsteps of Robert Mugabe and Kenya's Mwai Kibaki. In 2008, the first, ostracized by the international community, which overwhelmed his country of sanctions had largely lost the first round of the presidential election. But "Comrade Bob" had decided to stay in place, boosting multifaceted crises that shook his country already. A similar scenario had sanctioned the presidential election was held in Kenya in late December 2007, where all post-election polls gave the outgoing president, Mwai Kibaki defeated. In Harare such as Nairobi, the leavers had waged a war of attrition with no thank you to their respective rivals, Morgan Tsvangirai and Raila Odinga, against a background of social crisis. They had finally agreed to deal with them in a unity government in the name of social peace.
Benin and Mali precursors respect the verdict of the polls
Laurent Gbagbo will succeed as he peers from Zimbabwe and Kenya to quell the desire for alternation of its citizens? Examples of the three men in any case give grist to the Afro-pessimists who, as was once said former President French President Jacques Chirac, believe that "democracy is a luxury for Africa." However, the efficiency of the democratic game is mixed on the continent. The number of countries formerly governed by authoritarian who settle permanently in the process of alternating characteristic of the great democracies continues to grow. What is not without a major feeding hope.
Consider the case of Benin, formerly known as "sick child of Africa" because of repeated coups. In two decades, countries in West Africa is in its fourth election Presidential whose characters just and democratic have been recognized by all. Three successive presidents since there are in power in an atmosphere of respect for democratic rules significantly. The first to comply with this law of free choice of leader by the people was Kerekou, became head of state for the first time through a coup in 1972. In 1991, following a national conference which had forced him, a year earlier, her freedom-loving people, he acknowledged his defeat in the presidential election, and resigned his seat in stride Nicephore Soglo the opponent. Returned in opposition Kerekou was elected democratically five years later, in 1996, the people who sanctioned the management of Nicephore Soglo. In 2001, Kerekou prevailed again, in an election validated by the international community. Four years ago, Kerekou and Soglo have agreed not to solicit the votes of their fellow citizens. The first was prevented by the restriction to two terms as head of state, while the second, older than 70 years, could no longer candidates. Two constitutional provisions that they have scrupulously respected, paving the way for the election of Boni Yayi, the current head of state. To show that there is life after the honors of the palace, Nicephore Soglo even became mayor of Cotonou, the capital, a position he held since 2002. The same scenario
alternation characterizes the devolution of power to neighboring Mali since the overthrow of the dictator in violence Moussa Traore in 1991. After managing the transition and organized a national conference as he had promised, Army Gen. Amadou Toumani Toure (ATT) merely preside over the transition. After the elections General 1992, he transferred power to a civilian, Alpha Oumar Konare. And if ATT is since 2002 President of his country, he became so by the ballot box, after leaving the army and won two consecutive elections. He recently announced he will not be present, the Basic Law Malian limiting to two the number of presidential term.
In Ghana, democracy also seems to take root permanently. This English-speaking country has yet had its sequence of coups. It is through this that the former President Jerry Rawlings took power. However, it has undertaken reforms modernization recognized by the international community and has voluntarily left his office. Since then, it is the Ghanaian voters choose their president, as they did for the winner of the presidential election last year, John Atta-Mils. Recently, U.S. President, Barack Obama, praised the strength of democracy in this country.
Reality increasingly continental
Three other recent examples confirm this trend towards recognition of the legitimacy of the vote as a means of achieving power. Five years ago, Liberia, English-speaking country devastated by a long war Civil elected Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to the presidency and made it the first female head of state in Africa. Further east, Botswana, the succession of heads of state is in a very serene atmosphere. So that, without attempting to evict the Bushmen from their ancestral lands of the Kalahari Desert by former President Festus Mogae during his last term which ended in 2008, relatively prosperous country but little media would not have appeared in newspapers used to broadcast the bad news from Africa. Finally, despite protests that marred the election, Guinea that plight of the long dictatorship of President Lansana Conte was able to choose a leader through the ballot box, after two years of military transition chaotic.
It is therefore not inevitable. Even if she trudges to and fro and knowledge of resistance, democracy gets a foothold on the African continent. That may be the sense of history: the great democracies of today had their period of doubt, instability and regression. Only through struggle and sacrifices that people have acquired the right to choose those they wish to preside their destinies. Rene
DASSIE AFRIK.
COM This article is enlightening in this time of unrest in Cote d'Ivoire Sr. Eliane
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