Africanews
After winning an election during which he dismissed the electoral commission, Nigerian President General Bare Mainasara who took power in a military coup early this year claims he has restored democracy to the country.But this is hardly so. |
Events in the West African country of Niger paint a poor picture of democracy. In January, Nigerien President Mahamane Ousmane was overthrown by General Bare Mainassara. Soon after the coup, Franceuthe former colonial power froze aid and the US demanded the release of Mr Ousmane. He was freed and the military leader promised to hold elections to hand over power to civilians.
The election was held on July 7, but after hours of chaotic voting, Gen Mainassara replaced the electoral commission with his appointees. The new commission declared him the winner with 52.22 per cent of votes cast.
After the poll, Gen Mainassara placed his opponentsuMr Mahamane who came second with 19.75 per cent; Mr Mahamadou Tandja (15.65 per cent); Mr Mamadou Issoufou (7.6 per cent); and Mr Moumouni Djermakoye Amadou (4.77 per cent) in detention.
He banned all meetings and placed party offices under police guard. Said law student Omar Cisse; "things were bad before the coup, but we can't even speak freely." Ironically, students had welcomed the coup.
France voiced the concern at the conduct of the election saying: "The events of the last 48 hours, especially the dissolution of the independent electoral Commission during the count raises questions."Gen Mainassara freed his opponents on July 22 after the Supreme Court confirmed his victory. He said: "Finally the lesson was understood. He added, "we must not miss this turning point because we have lost a lot of time, wasted a lot of energy. I will strive for my part to place myself above the fray, and as my independent candidacy demands, I have the duty to reward merit, banish exclusion and work for national unity."
The election outcome was welcomed by Tuareg rebels who signed a peace accord in April 1995 and blamed the former government when its implementation fell behind schedule. They have signed a new accord with Gen Mainassara.
This picture has been repeated in many West African countries since 1991 when national conferences stripped Presidents in Congo, Zaire, Togo and Benin of power.
In Niger, the national conference met for three months and stripped the then President Ali Saibou off all powers. Led by conference chairman Ali Saibou, the council performed the duties of provisional national assembly and had control over the executive until elections were held in February 1993.
In Zaire, President Mobutu Sese Seko had running battles with the national conference led by Catholic Archbishop Mosengwo Pasinya. Mobutu was saved by the military command which refused to recognise the interim government that was to prepare elections. On February 1993, soldiers scaled off a meeting venue of the transitional parliament-the High Council of the Republic as a power struggle between President Mobutu and reformist premier Etienne Tshisekedi ensued. Numerous decrees by Mobutu from his palace in Gbadolite, 800 kilometres from Kinshasa for Mr Tshisekedi to step down were ignored by the parliament.
Finally, Mr Tshisekedi was ousted after months of bloodshed during which soldiers rioted and foreigners were evacuated from Kinshasa. Current Zairean Premier Kengo wa Dondo is more moderate. Zaire plans presidential and parliamentary elections next year.
In Congo, the then President Dennis Sassou Nguesso was stripped of his powers by the national conference. He was defeated in a poll in August 1992 and even recommended the election of current Presidential Pascal Lissouba. Titled "Nguesso's trick," Nairobi's Daily Nation told of how President Nguesso befriended Mr Lissouba to avoid humiliation. This meant Lissouba would give Nguesso and his cronies immunity.
Congo has retained its multi-party reforms under the guidance of President Lissouba who was the first Congolese to receive a doctorate in Science, but was more famous in the early sixties for his Marxist policies during a brief stint as Premier.
In Benin, the President who was stripped of power in 1991 and consequently defeated in elections uMathieu Kerekou returned to power in April this year after defeating incumbent President Nicephore Soglo in a free poll. He won 52.4 per cent against Mr Soglo's 49 per cent.
Described as a wiseman, Mr Kerekou pledged to foster tolerance and reconciliation in the West African country. He said on resuming power: "I repeat my desire to be the president of all the people of Benin to work throughout my mandate for reconciliation and to establish a climate of tolerance in our nation.
In Togo, President Gnassingbe Eyadema succeeded through army-led violence to win the elections held in August 1993. The election was boycotted by opposition candidates.
So far so good for Congo and Benin, but not so good for Togo. In the case of Niger, we can just expect more bloodshed in the future unless General Mianassara takes lesson in democracy. For Zaire, the test is in the elections planned next year. This will be a major event as President Mobutu has never faced any serious challenge having silenced all opponents. How Mobutu conducts this election will be a major gauge for democracy in the region.
| CONTENTS | AFRICANEWS HOMEPAGE |
AFRICANEWS - Koinonia Media Centre, P.O. Box 8034, Nairobi, Kenya
tel/fax: 254.2.560385 - e-mail: afrinews@freeworld.it
AFRICANEWS on line is by Enrico Marcandalli