The pest of constitutional amendments is affecting democracy in Africa: presidents are maneuvering to stay in power

Report - Ahmed Salem:

Many countries on the African continent have witnessed constitutional amendments, primarily aimed at extending the presidential term in office. This has been met with popular objection and accusations of dictatorship against the rulers for fulfilling desires related to staying in power.

The political phenomenon has emerged year after year, and state after state has adopted it, until policies have facilitated its spread across borders, leaving a false justification for African rulers to amend their constitutions and extend their terms in office for their countries.

The phenomenon of constitutional amendment and circumventing international law represents a thorn in the side of political groups, due to its connection to political and peaceful mechanisms in managing the struggle for power, the circumstances of which we will clarify in the following report:

Zimbabwe: A New Beginning

Zimbabwe has entered a new political phase after President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed a law extending his term by an additional two years until 2030, a move that has generated widespread interest both inside and outside the country, especially as it coincides with a constitutional amendment that changes the mechanism for selecting the president.

The government spokesperson, Nick Mangwana, announced on Tuesday that the president has officially signed the bill approved by parliament last month, confirming via a post on the X platform that the legislation has been signed, sealed, and delivered, and is now an enforceable law. .

The Zimbabwean Parliament's two houses ratified the bill last month before it was sent to the president for assent, becoming effective upon official publication.

The law not only extends the presidential term but also includes a significant amendment to the presidential election mechanism, stipulating that the president will be chosen by the parliament in the future, instead of direct election through popular vote. This change would reshape the political system and the mechanisms of power transition in the country.

Constitutional Amendments in Africa

Zimbabwe's was the latest constitutional amendment to date, preceded by Guinea, which approved a new constitution in 2020 allowing President Alpha Conde to run for a new term, after it was considered that the new constitution re-calculated the number of terms.

In the same year, Côte d'Ivoire adopted a new constitution, which President Alassane Ouattara considered justification for running for a third term, on the grounds that previous terms do not count under the new constitution.

As for Equatorial Guinea, it amended its constitution in 2011, allowing President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to continue in power, despite the introduction of nominal limits on the number of terms.

Rwanda, too, adopted the same approach and held a constitutional referendum that allowed President Paul Kagame to run for a new term, with transitional arrangements allowing him to remain in power until 2034 if he wins the election.

The train of constitutional amendments did not stop there. The Ugandan parliament abolished the maximum age limit for presidential candidates by virtue of a 2017 amendment, allowing President Yoweri Museveni to continue running. The term limits had previously been abolished in 2005.

In 2018, Chad adopted a new constitution that strengthened the president's powers and extended the presidential term from five to six years, with a recalculation of terms.

In 2019, Togo reintroduced the two-term limit, but without counting the previous terms of President Faure Gnassingbé, which allowed him to remain in power for a longer period.

Constitutional Amendments: Threats and Controversy

Constitutional amendments in a number of African countries, which allow for the extension of presidents' terms in power, are sparking widespread debate about their repercussions on the path of democratic transition, in light of the differing political and economic conditions that are pushing some regimes to adopt these measures.

Political analysts believe that the adherence of some African leaders to power through amending laws and constitutions threatens the path of political recovery that the continent has begun to witness in recent years.

He said that the peoples of Africa have become more aware and are increasingly eager to consolidate the principles of democracy, freedom, justice, development, and human rights, stressing that any regime that ignores the will of the people may face unforeseen political consequences.

In contrast, experts in African affairs believe that the recourse by some presidents to amending constitutions to extend their terms in office represents an evolution compared to previous stages that witnessed the use of force and coups d'état as a means of remaining in power.

They affirmed that amending constitutions, despite criticisms that it represents a regression from the democratic path, remains less costly than the violent means witnessed on the continent in past decades, and reflects a shift towards peaceful political mechanisms in managing the struggle for power.