African leadership has become a ‘boys’ club’ of former liberation movements that want to stay in power at all costs. The locations change, but the story is the same in all cases. Liberation movements that use violence and oppression to hold on to power, regardless of the will of the people.
In a week in which the world was intensely focused on the US presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, political unrest has increased on our own continent and is being picked up under the chairmanship of Cyril Ramaphosa of the African Union (AU).
It seems that every week we as Africans are forced to see democracy undone and undermined on our continent. The locations change, but still the story is similar in all cases. Liberation movements that use violence and oppression to maintain power, regardless of the will of the people.
This past week, the Ivory Coast was the latest issue in this unfolding story when the country held its presidential election.
The election was damaged by violence, killings and an eventual boycott by opposition voters. More than thirty civilians were killed in protests. But that’s not where the case ends. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for …