African Democracy

Gardner Thompson

Description

The concepts of democracy and good governance have been at the centre of criticism of governments all over the world. What democracy entails, however, has never been agreed, most notably on the African continent. African politicians who have been criticised for reigning over 'undemocratic' regimes have insisted that the West judges them by criteria that don't apply to African circumstances. Is there such a thing as African democracy? Informed and intrigued by two events that happened in different eras, in different countries, Gardner Thompson has written an in-depth historical examination of the nature of 'imported' democracy as practised in the East African countries of Uganda, where he worked as a young History teacher in the 70s, Kenya and Tanzania. The events were the 1971 Amin capture of power from Milton Obote in Uganda, and the post-election violence that rocked Kenya in 2007/2008, pitting then incumbent Mwai Kibaki against his erstwhile colleague Raila Odinga, along what many read to be tribal lines. Dividing the book into three sections, Thompson treats democracy in the three former colonies from the perspectives of pre-independence (colonialism), the transition to independence, and governance since independence. Reflecting indigenous history, the colonial past and evolving culture, flawed but functioning forms of government have emerged in the three states.

Acknowledgements

Preface

SECTION I

1. Introduction: Democracy with African Characteristics

2. Reflections on Democracy, Good Government and

Constitutions

SECTION II

3. Colonial Rule: Uganda to 1958

4. Colonial Rule: Kenya to 1957

SECTION III

5. Transition to Independence: Uganda to 1962

6. Transition to Independence: Kenya to 1963

7. Decolonisation of East Africa: Overview

SECTION IV

8. Democracy in Independent Uganda

Obote – Amin – Obote

Museveni

9. Democracy in Independent Kenya

Kenyatta

Moi and After

10. Democracy in Independent Tanganyika/Tanzania

Nyerere and African Socialism

After Nyerere

SECTION V

11. The West and the Wider World: Aid, Trade, Tax, and China

12. Back to Africa: Conclusion

Postscript: South Sudan

Appendix I

Appendix II

Sources

Index

Sujets

• Colonisation
• Political Ideologies
• Political Science
• African
• Postcolonialism
• African people
• Neocolonialism
• History of Africa
• World
• Democracy

Informations

• Publié par: Fountain Publishers
• Date de parution: 29 décembre 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789970196760
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

African Democracy Its Origins and Development in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania

Gardner hompson

FOUNTAINPUBLISHERS www.fountainpublishers.co.ug

Fountain PublisHers P.O. Box 488 Kampala, Uganda E-mail: [e-mail]  [e-mail] Website: www.fountainpublisHers.co.ug

Distributed in Europe and CommonwealtH countries outside Africa by: African Books Collective Ltd, P.O. Box 721, Oxford OX1 9EN, UK. Tel/Fax: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail] Website: www.africanbookscollective.com

©Gardner hompson 2015 First publisHed 2015

All rigHts reserved. No part of tHis publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmied in any form or by any means, electronic, mecHanical, pHotocopying, recording or otHerwise, witHout prior wrien permission from tHe publisHers.

ISBN: 978-9970-25-311-1

he persîstence o te past îs one o tose tragî-comîc bessîngs wîc eac new age denîes, comîng cock-sure onto te stage to mout îts caîm to a perect novety. Jon Gasworty,1922.he Forsyte Saga,ondon. p. x

Dedîcatîon

To te memory o Erîc Stokes, Smuts Proessor o te Hîstory o te Brîtîs Commonweat, Cambrîdge Unîversîty, wo întroduced me to te îstory o Arîca

Contents

Acknowledgements .............................................................................. vîî Preace .............................................................................................. vîîî

SECTION I ..........................................................................................1 1. Introduction: Democracy witH African CHaracteristics ......... 3 2. Relections on Democracy, Good Government and Constitutions ...................................................................... 20

SECTION II.......................................................................................45 3. Coonia Rue: Uganda to 1958........................................... 47 4. Coonia Rue: Kenya to 1957 ............................................. 62

SECTION III .....................................................................................81 5. Transition to Independence: Uganda to 1962 ..................... 83 6. Transition to Independence: Kenya to 1963...................... 104 7. Decoonisation of East Africa: Overview ........................... 125

SECTION IV....................................................................................169 8. Democracy in Independent Uganda.................................. 171 Obote – Amîn – Obote .................................................... 171 Musevenî .......................................................................... 191 9. Democracy in Independent Kenya .................................... 234 Kenyatta ........................................................................... 235 Moî and Ater ................................................................... 258 10. Democracy in Independent Tanganyika/Tanzania............. 295 Nyerere and Arîcan Socîaîsm .......................................... 304 Ater Nyerere .................................................................... 340

v

SECTION V .....................................................................................355 11. he West and tHe Wider Word: Aid, Trade, Tax, and CHina ................................................................................ 357 12. Back to Africa: Concusion................................................ 404 Postscrîpt: Sout Sudan .................................................... 425 Appendîx ï ....................................................................................... 427 Appendîx ïï...................................................................................... 429 Sources ............................................................................................. 431 ïndex ............................................................................................... 446

vi

Acknowedgements

hîs essay takes stock o te state o democracy în East Arîca, 50 years ater îndependence. Wîe wrîtîng ît, ï ave încurred debts to a number o peope: to many, în Engand and Uganda, wo ave dîscussed te subject wît me; and to more wo ave kîndy toerated my obsessîon wît Arîcan Democracy în recent years. ï am grateu to tem a. ï woud îke to tank, în partîcuar, Proessor Rîcard Ratbone or îs acute, wîse and tîmey comments on an eary drat. As ever, Dr. Mîcae Twadde as ofered encouragement and expert advîce. Dr. Eîzabet Wrangam and Edward hompson gave epu eedback on sectîons o te text. Fînay, ï tank Fountaîn Pubîsers and, especîay, James Tumusîîme. He îmmedîatey wecomed my îdea or tîs new book and e as supported te project rom begînnîng to end.

vii

Gardner hompson ondon January 2014

Preace

he îstory o democracy în îndependent East Arîca as broady înto two pases. ïts orîgîns were a by-product o te endîng o Brîtîs coonîa rue. ïts deveopment, rom about tîrty years ago, as argey been a by-product o te endîng o te Cod War. he conceptîon o tîs book owes muc to two dramatîc events – one reatîng to te earîer pase, and one to te ater – wîc demonstrated ow ragîe tîs îmported orm o government as been. ïn January 1971, ïdî Amîn seîzed power rom Mîton Obote în a mîîtarycoupwîcabrupty ended Uganda’s irst, aready tarnîsed, experîment în democracy. he Brîtîs, wo ad bequeated tîs system o government to Uganda ess tan ten years beore, now warmy wecomed Amîn’s (woy unconstîtutîona) actîon. ï was ten a young îstory teacer în Kampaa. hîs îgy carged poîtîca epîsode provîded a esson în îstory – or, rater, a vîvîd experîence o îstorîca cange – ar more dramatîc tan anytîng ï ad known as a student at scoo or at unîversîty. he second event occurred tîrty-ive years ater în Kenya, oowîng te re-întroductîon o mutîparty democracy tere în te eary 1990s. he îmmedîate atermat o te December 2007 presîdentîa eectîon sook te country and socked te word. ‘Dîsputed Vote Punges Kenya înto Boodbat’, crîed a eadîne înhe New York Tîmes, on te ast day o tat year. Wen te resut was announced, tere was wîdespread dîsbeîe, bot în Kenya and overseas. Raîa Odînga însîsted tat te încumbent presîdent, Mwaî Kîbakî, ad stoen te eectîon rom îm. Many Kenyan and oreîgn wîtnesses agreed: so too dîd countess supporters, and weeks o vîoence oowed. he Brîtîs and oter outsîders urged Odînga to negotîate wît Kîbakî. Wen Odînga agreed to do so, te vîoence subsîded. ï was în Engand durîng tîs crîsîs, but oowed te tragedy cosey. By te tîme cam ad been restored, and an înlated coaîtîon government ad been created, te broad scope o tîs book ad taken sape.

viii

Peface ix

Heatîy unctîonîng democracîes are not commony assocîated 1 wît vîoence, especîay state-sponsored vîoence. hîs îs not to împy, owever, tat tese states ave ‘aîed’ or even tat democracy cannot ‘work’ în Uganda, Kenya and Tanzanîa. Around ity years ago, Arîcans înerîted states wîc te Brîtîs beore tem ad ound dîIcut to govern efectîvey. Hîg proie actors în a îg rîsk experîment, te irst generatîon o poîtîca eaders were în turn bound by wat was possîbe, în te caengîng cîrcumstances o a sudden, unexpected, îndependence. heîr record, and teîr successors’, as not acked statesmansîp or substantîa acîevement. Relectîng îndîgenous îstory and evovîng cuture, lawed but unctîonîng orms o government ave emerged. he prîmary purpose o tîs book îs to expaîn ow democracy în st East Arîca was born, reborn, and as come to assume îts 21 century sape. A secondary purpose îs to revîew, în te course o te maîn anaysîs, te varîous roes tat Brîtaîn and te West ave payed în tîs sometîmes troubed and contînuîng narratîve.

1

ïn December 2010, sîx promînent Kenyans, încudîng bot te deputy prîme mînîster and te ead o te cîvî servîce în Kîbakî’s government, were carged wît crîmes agaînst umanîty by te prosecutor o te ïnternatîona Crîmîna Court.