Constitutionalism and Democratic Governance in Africa: - PULP

Introduction to and overview of constitutionalism and democratic governance in Africa 11
2.3 Perspectives on democratic governance in Africa
The third and final part of this book embodies four chapters that focus on
democratic governance in Africa. The four chapters define the crucial
nexus between democratic governance and constitutionalism in Africa.
In chapter 10, Horace Adjolohoun focuses on the period after 1990 in
Benin, and analyses the main constitutional challenges faced by the
country in that period. Against the background of a trend towards
presidentialism, he examines the ongoing debate about constitutional
amendment. The chapter discusses the main advantages and
disadvantages of a constitutional amendment and looks at the role of civil
society in the process.
In chapter 11, Christopher Mbazira investigates the challenges
hampering the effective implementation of multi-party democracy in
Uganda. These challenges are investigated from a historical perspective by
briefly exploring the history of multi-party politics in the country, while
highlighting the hurdles which the system has historically faced. Mbazira
argues that, since independence, the culture of freely and fairly competing
for political power has eluded the country. This has occurred at a number
of levels, extending from inter-party competition to individual internal
party organisation and competition. Indeed, Uganda’s political history is
largely characterised by dictatorship and one-party leadership only
punctuated by short periods of pseudo multi-party politics. In Mbazira’s
chapter, the days of the movement system and its impact on multi-party
democracy on the country is discussed, as well as the hurdles parties are
facing after the 2005 reversion to the multi-party system.
In chapter 12, Dejo Olowu gives an excursion of ‘constitutional
governance, democratisation and military legacies in post-independence
Nigeria’. The author proceeds from the premise that Nigeria provides a
fertile terrain for exploring the relationship between constitutional design
and actual constitutionalism in Africa. To him, the issues that have
predominantly been significant, at least in the Nigerian context, include
the effect of intermittent attempts at establishing a constitutional state; the
capacity or otherwise of federalism in stemming the tide of divisive politics
and in offering space for ethno-religious pluralism and social
fragmentation; the marked successes and failures of experimented forms of
government to promote national harmony; and, more importantly, the
indelible footprints of incessant military incursions on the overall national
experience at democratisation.
Olowu traces the interwoven relationship among these core issues and
how they have affected, and will most probably influence the future of,
constitutional governance and democratisation in Africa’s most populous
country. Apart from the general appraisal of constitutional theory, his
chapter raises critical questions about the place of democratisation,