Youth dissatisfaction with democracy growing in Africa -Afrobarometer report reveals
A new Afrobarometer report on Democratic Trends in Africa has found widespread dissatisfaction with democratic governance among the continent’s youth.
The survey, covering 39 African countries, highlights a troubling trend of disillusionment with democracy, with many young people increasingly viewing military rule as a temporary solution to the shortcomings of civilian leaders.
Factors contributing to this discontent include high unemployment, pervasive corruption, and a lack of government accountability. Boniface Dulani, Director of Surveys at Afrobarometer, shared these findings during the report’s launch in Accra on Wednesday, expressing concern over the youth’s growing inclination towards military rule.
Dulani emphasized that many young Africans have never experienced military rule and may not be aware of its dangers.
“Most of the youth have never experienced military rule, so they might be looking at it as something to try because democracy is failing. But if you’ve lived through a military regime, you might know that as bad as democracy is, it’s certainly better than that kind of government,” he explained.
The report reveals that about 53% of Africans believe the military should intervene if governments fail or abuse their office, though many still reject the idea of military rule, albeit in declining numbers. Dulani noted that military rule is often seen as a temporary fix rather than a permanent solution.
He urged governments to seriously address the concerns of their citizens. “Governments should never take people for granted, because although there was an excitement for democracy in the 1990s, what we’re seeing now is that people are not happy with democracy and asking themselves what democracy is really offering them and trying to find other alternatives,” he added.
