Democratic Governance and the Challenge for security in Africa: Lessons from Kenya

In the last two decades, democratic politics and practices have taken a significant leap in Africa. Many countries have enthroned competitive multiparty democracy, and the political space has been gradually liberalised with political parties and civil society organizations receiving a new lease of life. Ethno-regional diversities have also been given political expression and accommodation. Marginalised groups of women, youth, children and the disabled are progressively getting their views on the policy agenda. Electoral institutions are gaining, albeit slowly, more credibility and legitimacy with the move to relatively free and fair elections in a number of countries. The trend: a new social pact, with the institutions of the state and the processes of governance is gradually being reconstructed to promote democracy and good governance. There is increasingly more effort towards consolidation of democratic governance through the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). They have defined new parameters for governance and provided benchmarks for a new governance culture in Africa. Emerging structures and processes such as the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), if properly designed and implemented, can improve governance in many African countries. The African Union’s Commission on Peace, Security and Stability may also promote peace essential to political and economic development in Africa. However, there are multiple challenges to political governance in many African countries, which threaten to reverse the gains achieved so far.