Civil Society and Democaracy in Africa

Lecture by Prof. Jerry Gana

Civil Society and Democracy are beneficial and necessary for each other to be successful.

Q: How to translate democracy into development? The links are not automatic.

Q: How to make sure democracy benefits the people?

Contested notion of ”nation state” in Africa (=”alien state”), European imposed borders often truncated traditional kingdoms and empires, led to some failed states.

Necessity of the dev of civil soc to counteract traditional tensions

Nation Building in Africa

1. Idealistic Nationalist leaders – struggle against colonialism, create new independent nation state, often highly educated. This lead to POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE, although some succumbed to ideas of power and authority (personal, pervasive, lifetime) based on ”African chief” concept = BIG MAN. ”African leaders need to learn to raise new leaders”. Leaders ”democratically” elected for life hampers dev of dem.

2. Mid 1960s – era of military govts, often oppressive and authoritarian.3. New age of democracy – civil demonstrations, change in world order, change from

below.

1989-1998 ”saw the greatest expansion of freedom in human history”, led to change in many countries, but dem is often based on unstable or weak pillars.

NEED: ”Growth of CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY” goes hand in hand w dev of civil soc. For ”ordinary” people basic issues are most imp: ”bread and butter”. Democracy is starting to deliver benefits/dev: Ghana, Namibia, Angola, Botswana, Zim (b4), S.A., Nigeria...

CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY

1. Political parties2. Electoral system3. Sys of checks and balances: separation of powers4. Vibrant civil soc5. Free and ind media6. Effective control over military and armed forces

Necessary for functioning DEM

1. Right of people to have free and effective choice – politicians need to respect an election result

2. Right to free association

3. Right to freedom of expression4. Right to the rule of law5. Transparency, due process, accountability

Pillars of DEM

1. Strong, effective, accountable Parlia2. Civil soc – network of civil soc orgs needed3. Free and fair elections4. Properly functioning markets: providing goods and services5. Freedoms...

Role of good governance in DEV

Failures in dem can be traced to failures in leadership.

NEED qual leadership:

Respect integrity Honour – honesty, speak truth Capacity to deliver Mobilise people Vision – must lead Legitimate authority (rigged elections lead to lack of legitimacy)

CONC

1. Create productive national economies for dev, and provision of goods and services2. Promotion of good governance.3. Humane, peaceful and just society.

Dignity

Basic infrastructure Invest in people: ed, health, security Dynamic capital investment

Other points:

Democracy should not SUSTAIN people

Create wealth from below

Development (work) in the West has lost the ”human” touch, too impersonal