Top 5 Worst “Democratically Elected Presidents” In Africa

For many, democracy is the most suitable – if not the best political system for Africa. But a more serious analyses shows that this political system, regarded as the “best” has done more harm than good to “ordinary Africans” – simply because it is an imported one. Not when it [democracy] means civil war, tribal conflict, lie, steal etc. Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Libya, Senegal, the two Sudans, Nigeria...are all evidence to attest to this assertion.

Africa should look for a political system in harmony with indigenous African values and practices and institutions that will better work for the populace especially the poor who are worst hit by the crimes of the “terrorist leaders”. Not a single African country has been able to achieve greater heights of economic freedom and prosperity of her population under the current western style democratic jurisdictions.

1. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan – Nigeria (scores 30%)
The current Nigerian Government led by Goodluck Jonathan appears to be more than incompetent, in fact non-existent. The future of the country and its youth-dominated population has been put into jeopardy by careless leaders. Corruption and economic crimes have assumed an unimaginable larger than life dimension since Jonathan's assumption of office (though corruption has existed all this while in Nigeria, the difference is that it's becoming the order of the day) and the statutory institutions created to combat these hydra-headed monsters of economic crimes (EFCC and ICPC) have lost their way giving political office-holders like governors and ministers the opportunity to feast on public funds kept in their care.

President Jonathan's daughter recently received over 80 unjustifiable luxury cars for her traditional wedding ceremony: this is a well calculated corruption in daylight. The consequence is that basic infrastructure such as roads and electricity have become comatose, resulting in unemployment because factories and operators in the real manufacturing sector are closing shops.

Bomb blasts are regular as Boko Haram, the much talked about Islamic sect intensifies deadly attacks on daily basis – with an unprecedented one being the abduction of more than 200 female students in Chibock, Borno State. And bizarrely, Mr. Jonathan has remained highly insensitive to the plight of many Nigerians on the issue to extent that he paradoxically admits Boko Haram form part of his government.

2. Uruhu Kenyatta – Kenya (scores 35%)
Kenya's case for democracy is a more than an interesting one. Its political leaders have endangered the country's destiny in the name of western style democracy in a bid to actually satisfy their parochial interest.

Politicians like Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odinga, William Wruto and Uruhu Kenyatta are all selfish leaders who threw the country into havoc – and some continue to do so. Kibaki and Odinga were responsible for the death of more than 1 000 people and the displacement of nearly half a million others. Today Uruhu Kenyatta and William Ruto are president and vice president respectively and they have not been able to be up to expectations. Under their watch, the populace feel more and more uncertain and hopeless about the future as insecurity, tribalism...cripple down the economy.

3. John Dramani Mahama – Ghana (scores 35%)
President Mahatma's term in office has been characterised by increasing hardships and hopelessness of the populace in the economy. Mahama is leading a country considered as the “gateway” to West Africa, regarded as “true model” of democracy in Africa and whose economy has all these years been described as vibrant. But beyond the surface of these descriptions, there are darker sides: constant increase in price of petroleum products, mismanagement of public funds, corrupt activities, incompetence and immaturity on the side of his ministers to provide solutions to some of the country's basic problems and implement policies in the interest of the larger population are among challenges facing the country under his leadership.

Some public schools do not have chalks, school feeding programs are stuck because they are in arrears, the county is currently in the state of power shortages resulting in electricity cut-outs practically on daily bases, graduate unemployment is on the rise, the educational sector is constrained with huge challenges; in the midst of all these problems Mr. Mahama solicited a $156 million World Bank loan facility of which a colossal amount will be used for the distribution of free sanitary pads to school girls.

Demonstrations, strikes and popular protest are some of the legacies he would have left at the end of his tenure.

4. Jacob Zumah – South Africa (scores 40%)
President Zuma's government has lurched from one scandal to the next over the years and the country's economy is failing to grow despite the never-ending promises of the president. In South Africa like in many other African countries, the justice system is being manipulated to favour and protect those at the very top. Corruption is at its highest echelon, with the president most certainly leading from the front. The education system being so fragile cannot get some of the most basic things right. Industrial strikes, nepotism and tribalism are becoming the orders of the day as the political system gets more and more convoluted. One palpable example is the nomination of Zuma's daughter aged 25 in a top ministerial position.

5. Allassane Dramane Ouattara – Côte d'Ivoire (scores 40%)

Mr. Ouattara is sitting on a “throne of blood”. He could not have assumed the office of the presidency without a strong backing of western powers to mention France in this regard. The French military forces together with United Nations' helped to overthrow Laurent Gbagbo, former Ivorian president accused of being a dictator following his refusal to concede defeat when he was alleged to have lost the November 2010 presidential election to then opposition leader and now president of Ivory Coast Allassane Dramane Ouattara. During this period about 3,000 people were killed in fights opposing the loyalist forces of the then two presidential rivals, Mr. Ouattara and Mr. Gbagbo and over 50 women were raped.

After his assumption of the presidency, President Ouattara was expected to use his presidential power to influence the reconciliation process and that unity and peace be brought back in the country – it is surprisingly the opposite. He is using the victor's justice to protect allies and loyalists. The world largest producer of cocoa has basic infrastructural challenges; and the living condition of the hardworking farmers remains very undesirable.

Isidore Kpotufe is a blogger and web journalist.

Follow him on twitter (@isidorelopez)