The dilemma of Leadership and Democracy in Africa

The Burundian leadership system was grossly hampered from pre-colonial era when the coloniser, who was more interested in self-enrichment than developing the local citizens, hijacked and extinguished the monarch of “Ganwa”. The African leaders who took over leadership after the independence unfortunately adopted the coloniser’s egotistic leadership style. The situation was further exacerbated by excessive hunger for and desire to stay in power of post-colonial African leaders. The long- lived divine appointment to leadership was forgotten; new local leaders instead impatiently adopted a self-appointment system. This gave birth to the systems of coup d’état that was replaced by democratisation of 1990. The study showed that even in a so-called democratic regime, the authoritarian African perpetrate election manipulation using violence to seize or remain in power against the will of electorates. The use of arms becomes the only tool to install successful candidates in office.