Lumumba, Touray, Jonathan Preach About Good Governance Democracy

Lumumba, Touray, Jonathan Preach About Good Governance democracy

Lumumba, who is a founding trustee of the African Institute for Leaders and Leadership, stated this in a keynote address he delivered at the second edition of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue Series held at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board Tower Hall in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The former director of the defunct Kenyan Anti-corruption Commission pointed out that trust was one majority element lacking in African governments and democracies, adding that the time had come for Africa to examine what constituted democracy.

Lumumba, while commending the GJF for organising the democracy dialogue, said, “We are assembled here to remind ourselves that the reason why we lament about Africa is that it appears that the systems of governance that we inherited, and that we have been deploying for our benefit continue to put us at the foot of the ladder.

We do not complain because there have been no changes or improvements in our circumstances.

Speaking at the forum, the President of ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, described the theme as “most appropriate and timely” as the dialogue took place at a time when the avowed goal of entrenching democracy and sustainable peace in West Africa was being put to a stern test.

Unconstitutional change of government, which involves military coups d’etat and unconstitutional maintenance of power by incumbents, have been on the rise in the recent past in Africa

Generally, and in West Africa, in particular, military coups have heightened insecurity, stagnated growth, increased poverty, inequality and limited popular participation in governance.

In the near years, democracy in the continent has gone through a period of crises, characterized by social tension, insecurity and poor management of election which itself is a threat to democracy in Africa.