By Masimba Mukichi
I’m as proud as a peacock to be called an African and I’m equally embarrassed and dispirited as a wounded buffalo to be associated with some of the undemocratic ways of ascending to power prevalent in Africa – the continent which is believed to be the origin of mankind. One wonders why a continent so blessed to be the cradle of mankind is always embroiled in endless coups. This might sound as a mischievous article, but the truth must be told so that lessons might be learnt – If I spare the words ignorance and barbarism will prevail.
There is hardly a year which goes by without hearing of a coup or an attempted coup in Africa. It baffles me left, right and centre why this is always so in mother Africa? Is it because some of these leaders involved in these coups don’t think with their heads but rather think and live by the sword? Is it because they trust the bullet more than the ballot? Its high time Africa must take a hard look of itself in the mirror and change for the better – it must learn to think by the heads and hold elections rather than using military coups.
To try and justify my avowal that Africa is the “breadbasket” of coups I will try to cite countries which have been embroiled in coups. The topical issue at the moment is that of South Sudan the newest country in the continent. The warring factions are at each other’s throat – Fighting broke out between rival army factions after Mr Kir accused Mr Machar of trying to unseat him in a coup. History has it that a sizeable number of African states also went the coup route. On March 24, 2013 Central African Republic’s Michel Djotodia overthrows Francois Bozize.
On March 22, 2012, Mali got its fair share of a military coup – Amadou Toumani Toure was dethroned. On April 12, 2012, Guinea Bissau faced a coup. Madagascar, on March 17, 2009, Andry Rajoelina overthrows Marc Ravalomanana. Mauritania in August 2008 succumbed to a coup; Mohamed Ouid Abdel Aziz overthrows Sidi Ouid Cheikh Abdallah. Chad, on December 1, 1990,IdrissDeby overthrows HisseneHabre. In 1997, on October 25 Congo – Brazzaville got its share of a coup. Denis Sossou Nguesso overthrows Pascal Lissouba. Congo- Kinshasa, on May 16, 1997, Laurent Desire Kabila overthrows MabutoSeseSeko.
In Equatorial Guinea in 1979, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago overthrows Francisico Macias Nguema. There was also a coup in Ethiopia in 1991 when Meles Zanawi and the EPRDF overthrow Mengistu Haile Mariam. Gambia, on July 22,1994 Yahya Jammeh overthrows Dawda Jawara. There was also a coup in Ghana in 1981.In December 2006; Fiji also got its share of a coup. Rwanda on July 4, 1994, Paul Kagame and the Rwandan Patriotic Front overthrow Theoneste Baugosura. In 1994,Nigeria,on November 17,1993 San Abacha overthrows Ernest Shoneka. Ivory Coast also faced a coup. Lesotho in 1991 was also not spared from a coup. Liberia in 1990, Prince Johnson overthrows President Samuel K.Doe.On September 9, 1969, Muammar al-Gaddafi overthrows king Idris1 of Libya.
The following are also countries which have experienced coups to date: Sierra Leone 1998, Somalia 1991 and Sudan, Omar Hassan Ahmad al Bashir overthrows Ahmed al-Mirghani. Yoweri Museveni of Uganda overthrows Tito OkelloLutwa in 1986. The list goes on and on and on – there’re some countries I did not mention which have escaped my net. All this boils down to the point that Africa is the “breadbasket” of coups and most of the leaders of the African continent are trigger happy. Unless African leaders learn to think with their heads and embrace democracy through the ballot rather than the bullets the trend of ascending to power through coups will prevail in the African continent and continue to tarnish the image of the continent which is the cradle of mankind.- News Of The South
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