In a continent floating on a sea of gold, diamonds, and oil, its children live in abject poverty. This is not a paradox but the result of a vicious cycle of military coups that have turned democratic dreams into nightmares of dictatorship. In just five years, Africa has witnessed 10 military coups, the latest in Guinea-Bissau, confirming that tanks still determine the continent's destiny.
The Coup Mechanism: A System for Personal Gain
Military coups are no longer mere changes of power but have transformed into sophisticated machines serving the interests of a small elite in military uniforms. From Mali to Niger, Sudan to Burkina Faso, the same scene repeats itself:
In Mali: Colonel Assimi Goïta led two successive coups (2020 and 2021). Instead of honoring electoral promises, he enacted laws granting himself a 5-year presidential term, renewable without elections.
In Guinea: After overthrowing President Alpha Condé in 2021, coup leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya now presents himself as an electoral candidate, cementing military dominance over political life.
In Burkina Faso: Following two consecutive coups in 2022, the military council granted Captain Ibrahim Traoré an additional 5 years in a country ravaged by violence and poverty.
Systematic Exploitation: How the Military Steals from the People
Coup regimes follow similar strategies in plundering national wealth:
Exploiting Security Crises: The military uses threats from "jihadists" and armed violence as justification to extend their power and cancel democratic processes.
False Electoral Promises: They offer hollow promises of elections as a tactic to gain international legitimacy, only to postpone them indefinitely.
Diverting Wealth to Private Accounts: While populations search for breadcrumbs, military elites empty state coffers into their foreign bank accounts.
Awakening Conscience: People's Power Stronger Than Tanks
African people are not weak—they need only remember their true sources of power:
Breaking the Wall of Fear: Tyrants have used fear to tame populations, but history proves that giants collapse when voices unite.
Strength in Unity: This isn't a battle between people and army, but between people and a corrupt elite. When all components of society understand their interest lies in building a nation for all, the oppressor's power breaks.
Education as the Weapon of Change: A people aware of their rights and knowledgeable about their country's wealth cannot be deceived by military statements or false promises.
Conclusion: Toward a Future Where Wealth Returns to Its Rightful Owners
Africa's future cannot be built with tanks, but through the will of its people yearning for freedom and dignity. Solutions won't come from more coups, but through:
Building strong democratic institutions capable of holding rulers accountable.
Strengthening civil society and free press.
Demanding transparency in managing natural resources.
The time has come for the people's will to become the supreme constitution, and for Africa's wealth to transform from a curse and source of conflict into a blessing and means of prosperity. Dignity for the African people, and decision-making power for its populations—not the roar of tanks.