Former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan has cautioned
leaders who claim to govern by democratic principles yet manipulate the
system, to stop subverting legal and democratic framework and conduct
credible elections.
“If political rivals and their supporters do not believe the electoral
process to be free and fair, then they will ultimately resort to less
peaceful methods to change political direction,” he warned.
The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate made the statement on Thursday, June 23, 2015 in a speech delivered
at an annual lecture organised by the Ghana Center for Democratic
Development in Accra under the theme: Credible and Peaceful Elections: A
Prerequisite for Africa’s Progress.
If political rivals and their supporters do not believe the electoral process to be free and fair, then they will ultimately resort to less peaceful methods to change political direction.
“Regimes have developed a multitude of methods, some more subtle than
others, to ensure that level playing fields are limited to sports
competitions only. This may work in the short run, but it is a dangerous
strategy in the long run, for democracies without credible elections
are no democracies at all,” he said.
Kofi Annan highlighted the role of elections and then five challenges
that must be overcome to ensure them including strengthening the rule of
law, professional and independent election bodies, stronger
institutions, political equality and prevention of vote buying and
bribery of candidates.
He maintained that elections are mechanisms for the arbitration of
political rivalries, and peaceful and democratic rotation of leadership,
ruling out authoritative leadership as a solution to Africa’s problems
which he believes “can be a slippery slope towards authoritarian
leadership”.
“When you entrust all power to one person, and he or she proves not to
be as enlightened as you had hoped, can you hold that leader to account,
or get him/her out of office?” he questioned and then quotes Lord
Acton: “Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
“Many of our own African leaders are tempted to revert to the bad old
ways of Big Man rule. So let me be very clear about this: democracy is
crucial for Africa’s progress,” he added.
Kofi Annan said Africa has come a long way and democracy is not fully
achieved but always a work in progress. He advised the youth to work
towards deepening and sustaining democracy so as to live as free men and
women.
As the AU mediator in Kenya’s post-election crisis of 2007-08, Mr Annan
on Tuesday accused the Kenyan government of using state resources to
undermine the ICC during the case related to violence after the disputed elections in 2007.
He also praised
the recent conviction of Hissene Habre, the former president of Chad,
who was tried and sentenced to life in prison for war crimes and crimes
against humanity during his rule.
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