Abdelrahman Hassanein

World News

/

Democracy Never Truly Died in Africa

Understanding democracy in Africa requires placing the democratic movement within its historical framework. One of colonialism’s most profound impacts was the distortion it imposed on Africans’ perception of their history, which is among its most detrimental effects. Despite the postcolonial decline of democratic institutions, it’s essential to acknowledge the enduring resilience of African democracy. Colonialism deprived Africans of their inherent right to self-governance and dismantled Indigenous democratic structures. However, the spirit of democracy never waned, and Africans have continuously strived for self-governance.

Democracy manifests in many African cultural contexts, and it should not be viewed solely as a Western concept. Defining democracy can be challenging, particularly because it remains a contested concept in various African nations and in many regions around the globe. Several critical questions arise: Does democracy always align with how it is understood in the West? Is there a universal paradigm that applies to all countries, irrespective of their customs and cultures? When discussing democracy, it’s essential to recognize that Africans must incorporate elements of their own civilizations into democratic ideas rather than risk imposing democracy in an unmodified, foreign form. Democratization in Africa is most beneficial when adapted to align with African values, ensuring it is appropriately comprehended and embraced by the general populace.

Consider the Oromo people, a significant ethnic group in sub-Saharan Africa, comprising over 45 million people in Ethiopia and Kenya. The Oromo people are particularly renowned for the Gadaa system, an indigenous democratic process that originated in the 16th century. The Oromo have self-organized and governed their communities through the Gadaa system, which encompasses ceremonial, sociopolitical, and economic dimensions. This system continues to be practiced in traditional Oromo societies, such as those of the Borana. The Gadaa system, with its distinctive structure and principles, provides a powerful counter-narrative to the notion that democracy is exclusively a Western concept. It underscores that Africans are not merely recipients of democracy but also contributors to its foundational elements.

UNESCO has recognized the Gadaa system for its exceptional value to humanity in promoting peaceful leadership and good governance. It operates as a power-sharing administration, where the governing party consists of a chairman, officials, and an assembly responsible for military, economic, political, and ritual duties. The Gadaa system is characterized by a rotation of powers and authorities every eight years, ensuring a dynamic and balanced governance structure.

What distinguishes the Gadaa system from other democratic systems is its inclusion of non-human rights, particularly the protection of plants, such as the Oda tree—a symbol of the Oromo people—and animals. The Gadaa system encapsulates three interconnected concepts: the grade in which individuals assume political and ceremonial leadership, the eight-year transitional period in which elected politicians take over from their predecessors, and the intricate checks-and-balances system. As Asmarom Legesse, the Eritrean author of Oromo Democracy: An Indigenous African Political System, elucidates, “What is astonishing about this cultural tradition is how far the Oromo have gone to ensure that power does not fall into the hands of war chiefs and despots.”

The Gadaa system forms the foundation of government structure at three levels—national, cultural, and local. The Caffee Gadaa (Gadaa assemblies or councils), a component of this system, has the authority to evaluate the performance of the Abbaa Gadaas (leaders) and the ruling council. These assemblies can even remove Abbaa Gadaas from office if they fail to uphold the Gadaa constitution (Heera), Gadaa laws (Seera), cultural customs (Aadaa), or moral and ethical standards (Safuu). The Caffee Gadaa, the highest legislative body in traditional Oromo culture, holds the power to declare war or peace, amend or create laws, and modify the Gadaa constitution. This constitution unites self-governing regional Gadaa governments, each maintaining its own Caffee Gadaa, under the broader pan-Oromo Gadaa government, preserving both local autonomy and shared sociopolitical and cultural norms alongside Oromummaa, or the Oromo national identity.

The Gadaa system also emphasizes a balance between genders, fostering a moral and ethical order (Safuu) that underscores the interdependence of men and women. Under the Gadaa institution, women hold significant authority and rights, including the formation of the Siinqee sisterhood, which acts as a checks-and-balances mechanism to challenge male-dominated roles within the system. Siinqee provides Oromo women with a political and social platform to address social justice issues and express their concerns. Through direct engagement, this independent agency helps prevent disputes and violence, enabling women to exercise their rights, participate in social and economic spheres, and support the promotion of peace. Moreover, women play a vital role in raising their children according to societal conventions, values, and beliefs, promoting tolerance and problem-solving communication.

Before colonialism, African cultures like that of the Oromo practiced democracy. The Gadaa system’s longstanding democratic values encompass all aspects of human socio-political activity throughout an individual’s lifetime, extending rights beyond humans to include animals and plants. The continent’s persistent issues with hunger, civil conflict, and tribalism fundamentally shape how postcolonial states are conceptualized. When Western democracy is viewed as the sole example of governance, the broader human narrative of the struggle for and realization of democracy is lost. In this sense, the Gadaa system represents an authentically African form of government with the potential to address some of the current political challenges faced by African nations.