Another One in Burkina Faso

President Roch Christian Kabore of Burkina Fasso has joined Presidents Alpha Conde of Guinea and Ebrahim Abubakar (now deceased) of Mali as West African leaders who have lost their presidential seats and leadership of their countries.

Unfortunately, their removals were not done according to the Constitutions of their respective countries, but through illegal means.

Coups are illegally overthrown mostly by elected governments by the security agencies.

Coups can also be used to overthrow illegal governments like the overthrow of General Kutu Acheampong by General Afrifa. The palace coup.

A coup is also the illegal termination of the country’s constitution.

A Constitution is the supreme law of a country.

It defines the relationship between or among the principal organs of the State or Government such as the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.

When a coup is achieved, it is the Executive and the Legislature that suffer, as it happened in all the three countries of the West Africa sub-region.

Interestingly, the Judiciary is allowed to perform its job of settlement of disputes and the interpretation of the laws.

Coups had or have never been solutions to the challenges of Democracy.

Constitutions and other laws of the countries have established procedures to punish governments and leaders, who infringe on the laws of the country.

Overthrowing governments through this archaic method is backward and ancient.

CAUSES OF COUPS

The following could be considered as the causes of coups.

Corruption on the part of the leaders and their cronies,

Mismanagement of resources entrusted to the leaders

In fighting within the Executive or with other arms of the state,

Autocratic posture on the part of the Executive,

Acting unconstitutionally,

Inability on the part of the government to resolve some teething problems facing the country or the people Economic situations facing the people, etc.

It is wrong on the part of the military to steal the rights of the citizens who spend their time and energies to elect their leaders.

The military is expected to protect the nation – land, sea, and air. It has no business in the governance affairs of the country.

It is therefore not appropriate for these coupists to be recognized both within their nations and on the international landscape /scene.

The United Nations, Africa Union, and the Economic Community of West African States should sanction these miscreants and deviants for their backwardness.

West Africa sub-region is becoming a fortress for such idiots.

 Effects of Coups

Insecurity,

Economic challenges,

It creates unnecessary tension in the country,

Employment is affected,

Education is affected,

Abuses of rights of individuals,

Developments stagnant.

Our leaders should denounce all the negativities and serve the people.

They should not give these deviants any opportunity to disturb the peace.

Coups are not the solution to poor leadership.

Enough of this intended status quo.

By Ahmed Osumanu Halid.

Nima 441