The Director at the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Prof. Kwesi Aning, says the treats to democracy in the West African sub-region goes beyond military takeover of democratically elected governments.
According to him, when African leaders talk about unconstitutionality, it is not only about when the military picks up arms but also about when democratically elected presidents play games or fiddle with constitutions.
Prof. Aning, indicated that unconstitutionality is also about preventing the media from playing its free role, preventing opposition parties from working and are unable to translate a democratic dividends into jobs, education, health, housing and allow corruption to grow.”
The Security Expert speaking on Newsfile on Saturday insisted that unconstitutionality is also when the democratic experiments fails to deliver public welfares needs.
On coups that has bedeviled the African Sub-region recently, Prof Aning noted “For example, when ECOWAS Heads of State meet, what is the quality of intelligence assessment that are placed before them? So that whiles they are focusing on Mali, they would have known that Burkina Faso is boiling, that Guinea Bissau also has problems.”
“There lies the publics apparent support for the military incursion. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that most people prefer a democratic dispensation but we are speaking with two voices. We are pulling in two directions in which there is a tiny political, economic, social elite that has increasingly become oblivious to the pain, suffering and frustration of ordinary people,” he added.
His comments come after an attempted military takeover in Guinea Bissau on Tuesday, February 1 whiles ECOWAS works to restore Mali and Burkina Faso back to constitutional rule.
President Umaro Sissoco Embalo managed to foil the attempts of the military unlike his colleagues in Mali and Burkina Faso.
The ECOWAS has called on the military leaders in Burkina Faso and Mali to return the countries back to constitutional rule.
Source: Kofi Yirenkyi
