NIGER’S bloody coup raises serious questions about the African Union’s credibility in promoting constitutional democracy for the good of the African continent and its inhabitants. Top AU diplomats were vocal in recent days as they unanimously condemned the military takeover of government and the subsequent detention of the constitutionally elected President Mamadou Tandja by Major Salou Djibo. I think this is where they always miss the point. It is pointless to address the symptoms of a disease while neglecting the causes.
Tandja amended Niger’s constitution in August of 2009 so as to extend his expired mandate and the AU were so loud in their silence. That Tandja succeeded in subverting the constitution with AU’s blessing at the expense of the people is an understatement. Bad governance has always been the cause and effect of most coups in Africa and the continent seems to be totally clueless as to how to promote sustainable democracy.
Which Niger constitution is the AU referring to when it calls for the return to constitutional rule? If it is to remain relevant in the continent’s politics, the African Union should discard the cousinhood of dictators’ approach to issues of democracy and good governance. There is need for an objective paradigm shift from Africa’s leaders to protect the constitution and the rights of the people who elect them into office.
The greatest threat to the development of the continent is its reactionary leadership which does not want to democratise Africa but seek to Africanise democracy in a manner that suits their insatiable appetite for power.
As long as the AU is not prepared to walk the talk of constitutionalism by promoting it and safeguarding it where and when it’s threatened, we will continue to have unconstitutional takeovers of government as in Niger and Madagascar among others.
The African solution to African problems in the manner of negotiated settlements as in Kenya, Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe’s fragile farcical power-sharing agreement is a route that should not be allowed to persist if Africa is to progress in the collective family of nations.

Joachim Garikai
Midlands State University
Gweru.

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