The Resurgence of Military Coups and the Crisis of Democratic Governance in Africa: Evidence from Mali and Guinea

Abstract

The resurgence of military coups in Africa has generated renewed debate regarding the quality of democratic governance and civil–military relations across the continent. After nearly three decades of democratic transitions following the end of the Cold War, several African states such as Mali and Guinea have witnessed unconstitutional changes of government, particularly in West Africa. This paper examines the political and institutional factors responsible for the resurgence of military coups in Mali and Guinea. Anchored to the Greed Theory, the study adopts a qualitative research design and relies on secondary sources, including journal articles, policy reports, books, and official documents. The findings reveal that democratic backsliding, constitutional manipulation for tenure elongation, widespread corruption, poor governance, economic mismanagement, insecurity, and deteriorating civil–military relations significantly contributed to the military takeovers in both countries. The study further observes that the public acceptance of these coups reflected widespread dissatisfaction with civilian governments that failed to deliver democratic dividends. Although military intervention was welcomed by many citizens, the study argues that coups do not provide sustainable solutions to governance failures and instead undermine constitutionalism and democratic consolidation. The study concludes that military takesovers result from weak democratic governance. It therefore recommend that Sustainable democracy in Africa requires governments that combine political legitimacy with effective and transparent governance, respect for the rule of law, and responsiveness to citizens' socio-economic needs.