Where is Democracy in Africa?

Sometimes I feel like accepting the draconian leadership most Africans experience in the hands of their so-called leaders as fate. However, love for humankind remains our motivation to keep pushing for the needed change as keeping mute would not bring about any progress. This situation of bad leadership worsens with a steady increase in the number of victims of inhuman treatment by their respective governments as the days go by.

A couple of days ago, we frowned at the unwarranted arrest of nurses by the authorities in Zimbabwe. It was reported that the health workers had through the peaceful protest, requested some amendments to be made in their salaries. That alone, was their 'crime'. It was, however, just one out of many other similar cases in the country.

A couple of hours back, news about another unjust arrest filled the air. This time, it was about Hopewell Chin'ono, a Zimbabwean journalist who recently exposed alleged government corruption involving coronavirus supplies. He was arrested and charged by government authorities with inciting public violence.

Arrested journalist, Hopewell Chin'ono

Zimbabwe is not alone in this mess of leadership in which citizens who get uncomfortable with some 'unreasonable' ideas and policies of the leadership cannot freely express their displeasure.

Yet do we still call this a Democracy?

In most other African countries including Nigeria, the case is not different. Constructively criticizing bad governance is never tolerated. Any attempt to offer a word of advice to the ruling party is an automatic invitation of any of the security agencies that have lost focus of their original mandates, to your house or location.

Democracy which is globally accepted as a government of the people by the people for the people has become a government of a selected few over all others, with nepotism and injustice as the driving force. Mayhem is always unleashed on innocent citizens who make any attempt to complain of bad leadership.

As Moral Digesters, we call on the United Nations to act fast. We find it rather absurd that the UN always seems to delay over such situations. We wish to remind the international peace body, the UN, that once a life is lost, there is no resuscitation. The earlier it acts to stop such ruthless leadership going on in many countries, the better it will be for the entire human race.

• The news about Hopewell Chin'ono's arrest was first published by the BBC
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