Zimbabweans will go the polls this Saturday but the outlook for the opposition is bleak in spite of the fact that the country has been in a total economic meltdown for several years.

Incumbent Robert Mugabe has been in power for 28 years since the country’s independence and has violently suppressed opposition to his rule.

Many independent international observers groups have been barred from the country. The elections will only be observed by election monitors from China, Libya Sudan and Iran and Russia.

International media organisations such as the BBC have also been barred from covering the election. The opposition alleges that millions of surplus ballot papers have been printed in advance by the government to rig the poll.

The government has warned that any attempt to protest against the eventual outcome of the election will be put down by the security services.

Unfortunately this scenario has been repeated several times in Africa. With a few exceptions leaders are unwilling to give up their grip on power.

The electoral process is manipulated, the losing party cries foul, violence ensues, international observers state their views and eventually the country goes back to business as usual.

That leads us to the question Can Western Style Democracy or any kind of Democracy Work in Africa?

Earlier this year an editorial in the official Chinese paper the People’s Daily argued that Western Democracy or any kind of Democracy was unsuitable for Africa and was “tyrannically imposed” by colonial rulers who ignored traditional forms of governance.


http://worldhaveyoursay./2008/03/28/african-democracy/#comment-12966

it took centuries for the US to refine it's democratic system. so it's not a shock that african countries are going through growing pains. the old guards of nigerians raised under british rule would probably have to die off for a true nigerian identity to be created

Earlier this year an editorial in the official Chinese paper the People’s Daily argued that Western Democracy or any kind of Democracy was unsuitable for Africa and was “tyrannically imposed” by colonial rulers who ignored traditional forms of governance.

who expected the communist party of china to support elections

@ poster, why not! it's just a mstter of time.

This is not just Nigeria to be considered here but other african countries and the many african cultures out there that are being or have been introduced to this idea of democracy and considering the current situation with these countries compared to situation before the introduction of democracy. There are many, and when I say many, I mean many out there, all across africa who still have the colonialist victim mentality that assume that democracy is the west's way to impose more control on them and their cultures. This discussion was on the BBC today and I was suprised to hear african contributors go on and on about how democracy is of the west and hence to be resisted in Africa. here are some of the comments for you to consider,

2 Brian
March 28, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I’ve lived on the continent and I’ve never met an ordinary African who thought that torture was an African value, that extrajudicial killing was an African value, that theft was an African value. The phrases ‘African democracy’ and ‘African values’ (and Asian as well) are almost always used not by the ordinary people but by dictators and their lackies to smokescreen the indefensible. (ex: The China People’s Daily).

So define ‘African democracy,’ what it means and how it would be different from the systems now in place. Any comments are really pointless until we agree on a common frame of reference.

3 Syed Hasan Turab
March 28, 2008 at 3:36 pm
West & US are rewriting an old timer Greek “Arastodal’s” theory of Democracy as end of the world, without knowing endangement of practical nature Democracy may not be prescribed to each & every nation of the world.
Democracy might work in small countries of Europe like England, France, Netherland & Germany where multiculture society is unmentionable otherwise Democracy create an human desaster like India.
This system of Govt eat out minorities rights, which create sick & welfare pride society in socalled developed Democratic societies of the world.
Without assesmant of a country, nation and group of peoples this system of govt may not be introduced & implimenated as a fashion.

4 kipsang Kerich Theophilus
March 28, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Leadership crisis in Africa has forced societies to bear the pain of dysfunctional governments. WESTERN TYPE democracy cannot help either since solutions to local problems must incorporate traditional systems.

For zimbabweans, voting is a useless process, at least for now.
Kipsang in Bomet, Kenya.

5 Togo - KAMPALA
March 28, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Its quite obvious that western imposed democracy is not suitable for Africa,especially when Sovereign states are made to follow the hegemonic tendencies of the colonial past. Zimbabwe is what it is today,just because it disobeyed the machinations that are suitable to the OCCIDENT.The term “Western Style Democracy” should not be used to generalise situations in all countries.

Togo - KAMPALA

6 Koray by email
March 28, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Yes it can, perhaps I have been brainwashed too much by the machine, but the only way for the future is democracy, perhaps western style democracy is not the hypocritical example we need, but we are in the search of a more perfect union of government structure and society.
there should be a clear seperation of church and state, and voting rights should be protected. this is 2008 why have the extremists and the corrupt still have power. we are the techno generation, we will enlighten and wake up the world

7 VictorK
March 28, 2008 at 4:21 pm
“That leads us to the question Can Western Style Democracy Work in Africa?”

Wrong question. Why should it work? After all, Africa isn’t the West. Besides which the hard evidence of more than a generation of post-independence mismangement, corruption and collapse might suggest that ‘democracy’ is a machine that Africans haven’t the inclination or aptitude to maintain in working order.

Right question: what styles of governance are best suited to African states (and isn’t it sensible not to treat Africa as a single country?).

You can’t impose a particular constituional arrangement on a people who aren’t suited to it (Africa isn’t the only place in which Western style democracy hasn’t worked). You can devise a constitution and political arrangements from the actual values, practices and problems of a given people. What African countries require are political arrangements that reflect African circumstances. Ethnic diversity points to ethnic representation (e.g. a tribal senate), rotation of offices, regionalism, multiple centres of power and authority, etc. Habitual electoral corruption - and Africans have shown beyond all doubt that can’t hold fair elections - points to other, non-electoral modes of representation, e.g. hereditary tribal chiefs (who, according to commentator George Ayittey, have never, in any African country, stolen money and deposited it in foreign bank accounts, in sharp contrast to the elected politicians).

Is it any surprise that African polities implode when they attempt to run themselves according to constitutional arrangements devised for ethnically and culturally homogeneous Western peoples with centuries of nationhood behind them? The attempt was so absurd that it deserved to fail.

Part of the problem is that the Western liberals who set the terms of these debates and who constantly try to coerce Africans in the direction of democracy have a similar mindset to Islamic fundamentalists: they want the whole world to look like them and can’t tolerate anything that diverges from their idea of what’s right. Democracy is mere machinery. It’s not an end in itself. If its end of good governance can be achieved through other, non-democratic means, all well and good. We in the West need to stop making a fetish of ‘democracy’ and learn to respect good government regardless of the forms in which it presents itself.

8 mahamed geeljire
March 28, 2008 at 4:38 pm
hello bbc
my name is mahamed geeljire citezen of somalilander not somali.as we know somaliland is a democratic country we have chosen multi system parties.200 and the first election held in somaliland december2001 council election.after five months presedential election held,and we also made parlementary election,somaliland is a small country still seeking indepedence,and at this time is not the part of somalia,we gained firt indepedence 26 june 1960 from great britain and after seven days we united somalia,all in all we regained our indepedence 18 may 1991
thank you bbc
from mahamed geeljire
hargeisa somailand

9 Dolapo Aina
March 28, 2008 at 4:47 pm
The problem most Africans and the larger world have with democracy is this; what kind of democracy does the western world like other governments to practice? This is so because in some countries the west especially the United States has advocated a brand of democracy and in other nations the democracy being practiced there is quite different.
One begins to wonder if the US wants all nations to be democratized in all ramifications. If so, why aren’t they in favour of Taiwan having a full fledged democracy? Why support a military ruler like Musharraf in Pakistan but cant dialogue with Cuba?
Western style democracy might be functional in the West but in Africa we tend to do our things differently.
Dolapo Aina,
Lagos, Nigeria.

10 Selena
March 28, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Democracy is not the be all and the end all, as we have been brainwashed to believe. If countries were permitted to work out the government best suited to their culture we would probably get a different and maybe better style of government everywhere. One size does not fit all

Alas, the West still feels the needs to control! As long as the control type of global government prevails, the question being asked will continue to be moot?

Perhaps the real question is “What exactly is a Western democracy?” Let’s agree on that and then ask how it is working where it exists.

11 Stodart M
March 28, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Western democracy is far different from Africans,you need to first consider the levels of development I don’t think a continent with 80% living in rural areas can have the same democracy as America or Britain.Democracy is all about what you know of your rights,you won’t fight for the rights you don’t know.Take example of Zimbabwe am sure democracy is at it’s best (Am talking of African Democracy) you don’t need to compare it with America to come up with a reasonable conclusion.In such countries Where every educated man wants to lead, are hard to govern because the ratio of leaders to common man is 1:90.To my conclusion African democracy is very much defferent to the western version of (make me happy and use my happiness for your gains).

12 Daniel, KALW
March 28, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Educate the people - teach them what democracy is. If the people want it, the people must get rid of Mugabe and install a leader who speaks for the people. Only then will Zimbabwe have there democracy.

13 Malc Dow
March 28, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Western style democracy doesn’t even work in the west, how can it possibly work in Africa? Or is this yet another example of flogging off redundant technology to the so called ‘third world’?

Malc
Berlin

14 Mark Sandell
March 28, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Tom in Oregon by E-Mail
I think Africans should strive to do better than the west in democracy. Our US democracy has been corrupted by the likes of Bush/Cheney and the American People have been robbed of their wealth and power. So don’t look to us, look to yourselves and do better than us.

15 Mark Sandell
March 28, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Dcamara by e-mail :
The problem with big ideas, huge concepts like freedom ,democracy etc…is people die for them without really know what they mean. You keep repeating in your show “western democracy” Well if it’s “Western” explain it first till everyone even in the remote little village understands what is, then let’s see if it will work for Africa. Is their democracy in the west? Is democracy a one size fits all product? Finally has Africa ever had a political system before “western democracy” arrived, that could be re-examined? Or merged with” western democracy” where we take the best of both systems?

16 Mark Sandell
March 28, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Arcolina by e-mail

Fela, inventor of Afrobeat from Nigeria, described democracy as demo-crazy, a demonstration of craziness. We know that Western democracy is broken. Our government does not do what we want it to do; it is an instrument of white-supremacist capitalist patriarchy, invented by wealthy white men for wealthy white men. Globally, we need to hear more female voices.
Thank you,
Arcolina Panto
Italian-American Female

17 Scott Millar
March 28, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Malc - Yes Western style democracy often doesn’t work, but what else is there? Should we all just give up? Are there some other viable options that have a better chance at success.

Nothing will ever work perfectly, but some things might have better chances then others.

-Portland, Oregon

18 Mark Sandell
March 28, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Daniel by e-mail

Democracy has only one meaning: The government of the people, made by the people and for the people.
We have to correct this point “Western democrazy” does not exist.

The story of the so called west in the twenties up to the seventies is even worst compare to what Africans are going
through today. I am sure we can all remember that Hitler is not African.

With the situation of things in my country Nigeria today,i believe that democracy is like a seed with time,
it will grow.

If the house of senate can brought back former finance minister and co to give account of how they
spent our money, then democracy is growing. In the old Nigeria, such case will not rise to the senate level.

Africa needs time and tell all the Western bureaucrat to get out of Africa.

Daniel Lawal from China.

19 Mark Sandell
March 28, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Andrew by e-mail :

Sometimes I feel western style democracy doesn’t work that well in the west, so what hope for nations and societies where this concept is anathema

Andrew

Australia

20 Mark Sandell
March 28, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Emilio by e-mail :

What a joke!
“Election monitors from China, Libya, Sudan, Iran and Russia” — these are the people who will certify the election?
This would be a farce … if it weren’t so pathetic.
Are the monitors there to certify the election or to learn new methods of cheating?
Emilio

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

21 Mark Sandell
March 28, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Maurice by e-mail
Zimbabwe is a failed state headed quick to hell in a luxury Mercedes

Maurice

22 Chernor Jalloh
March 28, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Please donot try to fool your African brothers and sisters by saying that Western stye Democracy.Can Western style of democracy ever work in these countries?Chad,Cameroon,Gabon,Zimbabwe,South Africa etc.etc.

23 Jeremiah Chienda
March 28, 2008 at 6:20 pm
I’d like to know what was wrong with the way distinct African Kingdoms governed themselves before colonialism.

What do mean they by "Western Style of democracy?" Democracy is democracy, government by the people with free and frequent elections If Africans cannot practise the simplicity of the above they should stop blaming the West and come up with "African style of Democracy." I wont be surprised if it ends up being totalitarian.

Democracy can not work in Africa but lawfulness can. Africans are too head strong and stubborn, we don't take criticism lightly. An average African has an ego as big as half his body. When Africa learns to accept each other as one and accept constructive criticisms then we can begin to change. Every Africans wants to be a leader not because he has a progressive idea to better the lives of his people but because he wants to oppress them and loot the treasury.

Sweet T:

Democracy can not work in Africa but lawfulness can. Africans are too head strong and stubborn, we don't take criticism lightly. An average African has an ego as big as half his body. When Africa learns to accept each other as one and accept constructive criticisms then we can begin to change. Every Africans wants to be a leader not because he has a progressive idea to better the lives of his people but because he wants to oppress them and loot the treasury.

LMAO!!!

Why not. We need not to be scaredwith thr recent happenings, we will get to that stage very soon, let us just be conscious of the fact that democracy is the best,and work towards it

ademocrat:

Why not. We need not to be scaredwith thr recent happenings, we will get to that stage very soon, let us just be conscious of the fact that democracy is the best,and work towards it

What recent happenings??

As long as there is poverty, voodooism, intolerance, religious extremism which are characteristics of politics in Africa; there won't be anything like democracy.
I still have a feeling that Africans can do so well under disciplined military regimes. Just my thoughts.

nuzo:

As long as there is poverty, voodooism, intolerance, religious extremism which are characteristics of politics in Africa; there won't be anything like democracy.
I still have a feeling that Africans can do so well under disciplined military regimes. Just my thoughts.

those are definitely factors, but lets face it it'll take what?50 years before its kind of eradicated? I can't wait that long, you only get one life.

Really I think the solution is or at least to an extent is,
Homogeneous countries.
Violent revolution, to remove those idiots who feel that they are anointed by "god" to rule. Obviously they won't leave peacefully. Si vis pacem parabellum.
Education and I cannot stress this enough
Non religion, officially secular society.
Better prisons, maybe the enforcement of the death penalty for those engaging in voodoo and human part, to deter the fuckers.
Democratic Socialism.
Redistribution of land and wealth. Obviously from the looters.

Lets be realistic though, will a purely peaceful path to democracy get us there? In Africa/Nigeria? Can there be revolution in Nigeria, peaceful or not?

lol, Id say no. So Id say I'll look out for solely my interests in the meantime, since I've mostly given up hope for Africa/Nigeria getting past these issues for a very long time.

All we can do is dream! It is free!

Democracy can work in Africa, only if we stop being cowards, stop bullying each other and stop fighting senseless wars, raping our women and killing innocent children by using them as child soldiers.

In summary, let's start utilising our brain power positively.

The title should now be Can democracy work for Eastern, Western and Southern African States ( Since Northern African States/Arabs now accept that Democracy is what they want).

Democracy cannot work in Africa except for groups that practiced at least some form of democracy prior to Colonialism. I fee that most African states should follow the Chinese Model. Democracy is not meant for everyone. And you do not need a democracy to develop.

^^^ Keep feeling!!! North Africans are laying down their lives today so their children can at least have the freedoms you take for granted today.

Kobojunkie:

^^^ Keep feeling!!! North Africans are laying down their lives today so their children can at least have the freedoms you take for granted today.

You do know the word "democracy" could mean a lot of things in different context. People in the U.K. have a different view of "democracy" from those in the United States. Many Iranians are perfectly fine with their "democracy."

I prefer the Chinese model. Especially in turns of developing. Democracy is not a prerequisite for development.

As i will tell my friends, democracy is precisely wat we need as it cuts across ethnic lines, pinning one fraction against another instead of the disastrous tribe against tribe.

All this country needs is that disciplined, focus, incorruptible leader with an actual vision of what height he wud want the country to attain.

If the president is not bribing senate president with oil-wells, there wud be better checks on the presidency.

If the president is disciplined, he wud sack any officer that err. Be it minister, lecturer etc.

If the president is focused, he wud ensure budgets are implemented.

If the president has an actual vision, be it mass industrialization, tourism or farming, he cud then direct the economy and development to attain it.

MaziUche0:

You do know the word "democracy" could mean a lot of things in different context. People in the U.K. have a different view of "democracy" from those in the United States. Many Iranians are perfectly fine with their "democracy."

I prefer the Chinese model. Especially in turns of developing. Democracy is not a prerequisite for development.

I think you should stick to the issue here. Democracy is Democracy  -- The Chinese model of whatever you want to label it HAS NOTHING to do with Democracy. I think you should probably try to investigate your facts from here on.

Again,  In North Africa today, people are making sacrifices so they can have the right to vote , to speak, to live freely. This is the same Africa you claim democracy cannot work in. In places like Ivory Coast, people are still refusing to stand down for a dictator to take root, and you speak so flimsily of what Africa deserves or does not deserve, according to you?

MaziUche0:

You do know the word "democracy" could mean a lot of things in different context. People in the U.K. have a different view of "democracy" from those in the United States. Many Iranians are perfectly fine with their "democracy."

I prefer the Chinese model. Especially in turns of developing. Democracy is not a prerequisite for development.

abeg no mention chinese model, it cant work in Nigeria. china is a mono-ethnic nation, the hans are almost 92% of the population.

Imagine having such in Nigeria,

what wud be the representation ratio in the governing council ?

of course every tribe wud want a representation, isn't it?

then how wud decisions be made ? voting ? of which the hausa representation wud have the highest and hence wud definitely skew the decisions to favor Northerners and islam first before anything even if it is not economically viable or makes sense.  

back to square one

If democracy is democracy as some contributors who would want us to believe, I say any government of the people, by the people and for the people is democracy. Who the hell is the fool that will tell certain group of people that what they had is not democracy because it probably did not meet the skewed expectations of an onlooker?   


By the way, democracy had worked in certain areas of Africa before the Europeans carved the continent into bits to suit their colonial interests.

Na wa ooo . . . . Isn't it a little too desperate to want to redefine the word DEMOCRACY now?

All Around the world, people know what Democracy is, and what Democracy is not. If it does not meet the definition, it is not democracy. Simple!!! You call it by it's right name, not try to twist it into what it is not. China is not a democracy - the Chinese people will tell you that for a fact. Iran is not a democracy --- Iranians will readily tell you that. And oh, Libya is not a democracy either -- just in case you will attempt to suggest that is what it is. For one, Libyans will readily tell you they do not have a democracy yet. 


Funny if we were to introduce your chinese definition of democracy to Nigeria, and gave the majority group power, I am absolutely sure many of you here trying to redefine democracy will not only cry blood but blame even the hair off your head on the the majority .
[size=13pt]ROFLMAO!![/size]