African leaders must challenge their colleagues who abuse their mandate to avoid unrest – Ablakwa

A member of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee urged leaders across the continent to denounce other presidents who embark on plans to extend their terms.

According to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, heads of state who revise constitutions to allow themselves to remain in office must be summoned.

“Instead of waiting until late in the day to threaten failing democracies with sanctions, regional and sub-regional blocs such as the AU, ECOWAS, SADC and EAC should be boldly proactive in calling their peers on the wrong way and by demanding good governance which respects the expectations of the masses, in particular of the African youth ”, he declared.

His comment comes after Guinean special forces seized power in a coup, arrested the president and vowed to change the country’s political makeup.

Now ousted President Alpha Conde, in October 2020, won a controversial third term, but only after pushing through a new constitution in March 2020 that allowed him to bypass the country’s two-term limit.

The 82-year-old’s candidacy for a third term had been condemned by the opposition and described as an abuse of power.

But his inauguration was honored by eminent personalities from around the world, including presidents of the African continent.

Other recent military takeovers in Mali, Chad and Sudan followed prior to the takeover of Guinea.

But the Member of Parliament from North Tongu believes that the practice of African leaders engaging in gestures such as the inauguration ceremony of these perpetrators emboldens them.

“African leaders can start by condemning their colleagues who amend their constitutions to allow them to run for a third term, isolating offending politicians and refusing to attend their coronation ceremonies instead of unscrupulous support …”

This situation, he suggested, infuriates citizens, which in turn leads to unrest and the possibility of coups.

“If the AU and ECOWAS had not conveniently hidden behind non-interference in domestic politics and shown courage in stopping President Condé’s third term program a few years ago, the this weekend’s explosion would have been avoided, ”he said.

While urging the safe release of the Guinean president, Ablakwa called on African regional intergovernmental organizations “to learn the lessons of the EU which has been loud and clear in its criticisms of two member countries; Hungary and Poland for rule of law issues.

Read the full statement here:

The deja vu of Guinea and the Jinx coup of the exorcism of Africa

The worrying developments in Guinea that come after recent similar unwanted military interventions in Mali, Chad and Sudan should remind African leaders that the era of coups from the 1960s to the 1980s could sadly return if unwarranted thirst for third-termism, corruption, unemployment, poverty, manipulation of constitutions, debauchery of the ruling elite and blatant impunity are not repressed.

Instead of waiting until late in the day to threaten failing democracies with sanctions, regional and sub-regional blocs such as the AU, ECOWAS, SADC and EAC should be boldly proactive in calling their peers down the wrong path. and by demanding good governance that meets the expectations of the masses, in particular African youth.

African leaders can start by condemning their colleagues amending their constitutions to allow them to run for a third term, isolating offending politicians and refusing to attend their coronation ceremonies instead of unscrupulous support for Côte d’Ivoire, in Burundi, Uganda, Guinea, Comoros, Djibouti, Togo, Chad, Congo and Cameroon in flagrant violation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. If the AU and ECOWAS had not conveniently hidden behind non-interference in domestic politics and shown courage in stopping President Condé’s third term program a few years ago, the explosion of this weekend would have been avoided.

African regional intergovernmental organizations would do well to learn from the EU, which has been loud and clear in its criticisms of two member countries: Hungary and Poland on rule of law issues.

Another tragic but unsurprising episode in the contemporary African story.

As we pray that Guinea will return to stability and hope for the safe release of Alpha Condé, may we all be remembered and be dedicated again to the unfinished African reconstruction project.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
[MP, North Tongu
Ranking Member, Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs]