Dr.

Agatha Ukata

WRI-102

29th March, 2022.

Coups in Africa – An Indication of the Lack of Good Political Structures and

Leaders?
Coups in Africa – An Indication of the Lack of Good Political Structures and Leaders?

Introduction

Coups happen in many different ways and forms, triggered by peculiar circumstances and

situations. This is why there exist very different attempts to effectively define a coup. One of the

most comprehensive definitions states that a coup, known as a Coup d'état in full, is the total

takeover of executive function through the use of force or threat (Marinov and Goemans 799-

825). In most circumstances, a coup happens as a result of the failure or lack of confidence in the

executive by elites within or outside the ruling bloc and/or the armed forces (the military and

police). The role of the military in coups has been studied extensively and it has shown that the

composition of the military in terms of ethnic diversity and the ideological training of the

military officers plays a key role in their participation in a country’s political space and their

desire to seize power (Decalo105-127).

Another important factor that plays an important role in the happening coups is the existence of

ethnic tensions boiled by inequality, injustice or discrimination. Christian and Cristina found

that socio-economic inequalities and disparities often lead to lopsided resource distribution and

control in heterogenous societies and this often makes such societies susceptible to coups as

evident in most countries of sub-Saharan Africa (Gutteridge 78-89).

Coups have happened beyond the shores of Africa in Asia, the Middle East and even in South

America. However, the prevalence of coups in Africa and their recurring nature has made it

almost completely endemic to the continent in recent times. This is truly worrisome as it has

undermined democracy in the African continent and deprived the countries of the continent of

political stability. Hence, the basis of this paper will, through an existing literature review,
attempt to identify the root causes of coups in Africa, their consequences, and the way forward.

Coups in Africa

In the last decade, there have been 48 coups in different countries of the African continent –

mostly in sub-Saharan and West Africa and a total of more than 300 successful and attempted

coups in sub-Saharan Africa. In most of the cases, there were counter coups and consecutively
recurring coups. This shows that there are no good political structures and leaders on the

continent.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Coups

The need for a coup itself indicates that there is a malfunction in the political fabric of a country.

However, some historians argue that some coups have advantages as they have propelled once

backward nations into stable democracies and functioning economies. For instance, the fall of

Hosni Mubarak of Egypt has been cited as the end of autocracy in the country and the beginning

of a relatively stable democracy (Marinov and Goemans 799-825).

While coups do have the potential to end autocracy and replace incapable leaders, there is a

consequence that comes with it. The consequence associated with coups, especially in a
heterogenic country often outweighs the advantages. In Nigeria for instance, which is a highly

diverse and multicultural country, the deadly coup of January 1996 was followed by a more

brutal coup six months later that eventually set a chain of events that saw the country spiral into

a civil war (Ejiogu 99-132). This is a classic example of the disadvantages of a coup, especially

in multi-ethnic countries.

Why is Coup a Problem?

Coups generally undermine democracy and the rule of law. Additionally, the justification for

any coup itself is often due to bad governance. Thus, the recurring coups in Africa is an

indication of the near-collapse nature of the political structures of the countries of the continent.

Furthermore, coups have the tendencies to escalate into full-scale civil war and plunge millions

of people into conflict. This causes economic stagnation and backwardness in the affected

countries.

How to Prevent Coups and the Way Forward?

Coups can be effectively prevented by deepening and adhering to the tenets of democracy and

the rule of law. Another important way to prevent coups is to ensure equitable distribution of all

national resources among all the ethnic groups in a heterogenic country. These will ensure good

leadership and a feeling of belonging among all ethnic groups in a country.

Other important ways to deter coup plotters is the strengthening of multinational bodies such as

the African Union (AU). Although the AU has been commendably proactive in condemning the

recent coups in countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso, they have not been able to make

significant impacts (DW News). The global community must strongly and actively condemn
coups in the African continent. This could go a long way in deterring coups plotters as a result

of the daring consequence associated with the coup.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe that coups are bad for the African continent. This is because it has led to

the dwindling of democracy and the rule of law in Sub-Saharan African countries. There is an

urgent need for decisive action by bodies such as the AU and other relevant actors in the global

community to salve the continent from the menace of coups and counter-coups. I also think that

coup d’état created a lot of problems in Nigeria such as rise in poverty, corruption and also child

abuse due to the instability caused by the policies. It can controlled or prevented by having good

political leaders and also ensuring political stability.

 Works Cited

African Union Condemns ′wave′ of Military Coups | News | DW | 06.02.2022.

https://www.dw.com/en/african-union-condemns-wave-of-military-coups/a-60678794.

Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

Decalo, Samuel. “Military Coups and Military Régimes in Africa.” The Journal of Modern African

Studies, vol. 11, no. 1, 1973, pp. 105–27, doi:10.1017/S0022278X00008107.

Ejiogu, E. C. “Colonial Army Recruitment Patterns and Post-Colonial Military Coups D’État in

Africa: The Case of Nigeria, 1966-1993.” Scientia Militaria - South African Journal of Military

Studies, vol. 35, no. 1, 2011, pp. 99–132, doi:10.5787/35-1-31.

Gutteridge, William. “Undoing Military Coups in Africa.” Third World Quarterly, vol. 7, no. 1,

1985, pp. 78–89, doi:10.1080/01436598508419825.

Marawako, Jonah, et al. An Analysis of the Recurrence of Military Coups in Africa . A Probe into the

Experiences of Central African Republic in the 21 St Century An Analysis of the Recurrence of

Military Coups in Africa . A Probe into the Experiences of Central African Republic. no.

February, 2022, doi:10.20431/2349-0381.0902008.

Marinov, Nikolay, and Hein Goemans. “Coups and Democracy.” British Journal of Political Science,

vol. 44, no. 4, 2013, pp. 799–825, doi:10.1017/S0007123413000264.