By Janet A. Sesay
Former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission in Africa, His Excellency Ernest Bai Koroma, in an exclusive interview done by Sheriff Mahmoud Ishmail, spoke on his involvement in election issues as a former president and elder statesman.
Former President Koroma said he has undertaken seven election observation missions at the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Elders Forum, adding that the most recent is being part of the ECOWAS Observation Mission in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said democracy currently faces challenges globally, including in Africa with the pandemic having disrupted previous gains.
The former President added that reputable regional and international organisations that monitor trends agree that over the last decade or two, democracy has declined globally, adding that among the reasons are the rise in authoritarian rule evident in the rise of unconstitutional changes of government (UCGs), disinformation and misinformation through ‘new’ media (fake news, social media and propaganda) and the perception of corruption at all levels of state governance.
He said manipulation of new media is causing mistrust between incumbents and main political parties and this disputed election results leading to violence.
He said all these issues are linked in one way or another to the democratic governance deficit, as was the case in Zambia, Togo, Benin and Kenya before their recent elections.
He furthered that this is definitely a worrying trend that should be one of the utmost concern to anyone who professes to be a democrat.
He continue that however, while the current picture of Africa’s democracy trajectory looks somewhat gloomy, it is far better than what occurred twenty to thirty years ago, adding that most African countries experienced rampant political instability, civil wars, irregular, restrictive (not free) and unfair conduct of elections, lack of political pluralism, among other issues.
The former President stated that while Africa’s democracy trajectory looks somewhat gloomy, it is far better than in the past, adding that for instance, holding regular elections based on constitutionally stipulated intervals is no longer disputed.
He said even more reassuring is that the decline in African democracy has become the preoccupation of many associations, institutions and like-minded leaders and more citizens are now engaged in governance and democratic processes evidenced by the plethora of local, national and regional civil society organisations.
He stated that continental organisations such as ECOWAS and the AU have developed normative frameworks and principles to deepen democratic governance and ensure Africa’s peace, security and stability.
He added that despite the challenges posed by state sovereignty these organisations are no longer indifferent to what happens in African member states.
‘Thus, I see the continent’s democracy journey as neither lineal nor smooth but, in view of concerted national, regional and continental efforts for reforms, there is room for democratic optimism,’ he stated.
Former President Koroma was asked what he saw as the main drivers of election-related violence and how can issues be addressed.
Responding he said while electoral violence has recurred in some African states, the phenomenon is declining, particularly in scale and consequences. He said the root causes remain the steady accumulation of discontent over economic hardship, and deepening social divisions along ethno-regional, religious and class systems compounded by the marginalisation of the continent’s youth and women.
He continued that the eruption of electoral violence in some African countries may be seen largely as a manifestation of much deeper democracy deficit issues, adding that these include weaknesses in the governance of elections, the practice of “winner takes all”, and non-adherence to the rules of orderly political competition.
He furthered that the Africa Union has developed mechanisms and strategies to prevent and mitigate outbreaks of electoral violence in its member states and these measures include regional and continental early warning systems, appointing eminent personalities such as the Panel of the Wise to mediate disputes, and integrating preventive diplomacy with traditional election observation missions.
He furthered that in Nigeria, the mission started consultations and preparations approximately six months prior to the elections and engaged various stakeholders including political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, and the judiciary, capacitating these actors to be free and fair in their conduct of elections and now with the conclusion of the vote, they will continue to emphasise to all stakeholders the imperativeness of an acceptable outcome and a smooth peaceful transition.
He said the eruption of electoral violence may be a manifestation of much deeper democracy deficit issues and these moves have to some extent hampered electoral violence, notably AU preventive diplomacy in Zambia and The Gambia in 2021, Kenya in 2022, and now in Nigeria in 2023.
The former president said, however, they do not necessarily address the causes nor are they aligned with the electoral cycle but believe that sound security engagement, effective electoral governance, greater civic engagement, demands for accountability, fostering political pluralism (or pluralistic society) and political tolerance hold the most promise for preventing election violence in Africa.
In another question he was asked what lessons were learnt from his involvement in preventive diplomacy.
He responded that each mission and country is different, but one commonality is the considerable mistrust between incumbents and opposition parties.
He said this has made political contestation extremely adversarial and the driver of such animosity is a lack of tolerance for dissent and poor election management and it manifests through the quest for a second term or endeavours supporting preferred successors of outgoing leaders.
He said failure to engender consensus on changes to electoral laws, especially when they are made late in the electoral cycle, will also created deep suspicion and resistance, adding that transparency or the lack of it in voter registration and processes leading to the final voter register are key sticking points.
Former President Koroma added that mistrust and antagonism are usually heightened by the use of state security to harass, intimidate, arrest and even detain opposition leaders and supporters and by the same token, institutions such as the judiciary and Parliament tend to aid and abet rather than check executive overzealousness, thereby contributing significantly to stakeholder disharmony with electoral processes.
He said this bellicose posture by incumbents often results in their resistance to relinquishing power for fear of reprisals.
He said preventive diplomacy helps a great deal when parties are engaged in good time, away from the public glare and ultimately, it is instructive not to wait until disagreements deteriorate into conflict.
He furthered that pre-election missions by regional economic communities (REC’s) and the AU tend to restrain especially key players and amplify the voices and strength of local actors and Nigeria is a case in point.
He was asked again what lessons he could share as a former president to help the AU and RECs manage governance deficits that could be a major driver of insecurity in Africa.
He said organisations such as the AU and RECs can address the primary challenges by turning down the rhetoric and increasing pragmatic discussion with member states on the values of democracy, for instance, through active preventive diplomacy.
He added that focusing on the supply side of democratic governance (that is, ensuring democratic dividend). This will increase popular confidence in the meaning and merits of democratic governance.
He also said engendering political pluralism, competition, tolerance and peace among diverse political actors in member states, for instance, through the development or creation of national, regional and continental platforms for political parties and related institutions.
He also added that increasing efforts to manage diversity on the continent and minimising the political exploitation of ethnic and regional differences among citizens and focusing on building or strengthening the effectiveness of governance institutions and minimising personalisation of politics.
The Former President was also asked about his key message to African leaders to create a more secure, stable and prosperous Africa.
He responded that this ideal depends on all working in unity, adding that there is a very good life after the presidency but it depends on how well you served your people.
‘I would not have had this platform had I not governed democratically, respected my country’s laws on term limit and served my country to the appreciation of most of my compatriots,’ he stated.
He continued that a key responsibility for every leader is to ensure peace prevails in his or her country and that requires maintaining a work relationship with the main opposition, civil society and the media, respecting their views and giving them space to operate and participate in democracy.
He said deliberate efforts to suppress opposition parties and independent voices are a recipe for political confrontation and tension, adding that national institutions such as the police, the army, the judiciary, Parliament and election management bodies must be allowed to function independently and this will engender public trust and encourage the private sector to flourish, which, in turn, will boost economic growth.
He said no country grows amid chaos and political instability, adding that working for national peace, stability and prosperity brings individual peace.
He continued that the AU Peace and Security Council should manage rising food insecurity as a peace and security issue, adding that African women bear the brunt of climate change.