Generals and democracy do not and should not mix. Yet, many fractious, diverse and struggling developing countries often mistakenly insist on ‘strong’ leadership – more often than not meaning a military man - ostensibly to hold these nations together. In many African countries, generals are often given power or take power through coups – although, thankfully, such methods are no longer the order of the day. Leaders are often generous to the generals, because they are such a potential source of instability. In these instances large amounts of scarce resources are spent on military toys, rather than on bread.
Furthermore, in other places, the military often keep undemocratic regimes in power by their direct or covert support, as is the case in Zimbabwe, where its dictatorial leader Robert Mugabe holds on to power with the support of the country’s security forces – the military, police and intelligence services. Political leadership is more of a premium in developing countries than for fully industrialized nations. The right of kind of leader can help unleash a nation’s productive energies. A bad one can be terribly destructive.
In developing countries bad leaders – worst of all the military ones - are very difficult to get rid of, and remain a drain on the system for a long time. In developed countries, where power is more dispersed across society, the system can better tolerate bad leaders. If not, they can always be voted out. But in developing countries, whose democratic institutions and political climates are often fragile, so-called “strong leaders” can actually be holding back democracy, growth and development.
A case in point is Nigeria, where a succession of military leaders have grabbed the leadership of the country, including the former president Olesegun Obasanjo, because some believed that as a military man, he had the credentials to provide strong leadership. Yet, it is not how strong the leader is that matters most, but how effective and caring they are. It is about the ability to rally a country behind an inclusive and unifying vision. The example of former South African president Nelson Mandela is a case in point.
Military, security or police domination of a country’s politics is an obstacle to building a quality democratic state. Unless these functions have civilian oversight, building a strong democracy will remain a distant dream. The military’s stranglehold on power has stilted development and has prevented democracy from taking root in many African countries.
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