Four years ago, in August 2020, a group of Malian soldiers stormed a military base near Bamako, Mali’s capital, arrested their leaders, and seized weapons. Shortly after, they moved into Bamako, detaining then-President Aboubakar Keita amid cheers from many Malians. People were protesting against Keita, accusing his government of corruption and failing to stop a violent rebellion in the north linked to groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS. The military promised quick action against these fighters.
This coup ended eight years of political calm in Mali, where military takeovers were once common. It also seemed to set off a chain reaction in West Africa, where several other governments have since been overthrown by the military.
Dan Eizenga from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies said, “Before this, we were seeing more civilian governments in Africa, but Mali’s coup was a turning point.” Since then, there have been multiple coups, reminiscent of the unrest seen in Africa in the 1980s and 1990s.
After Mali, several countries in West and Central Africa experienced coups:
- Guinea: In September 2021, President Alpha Conde was overthrown by Captain Mamady Doumbouya, who led a military unit. Conde had changed the constitution to extend his rule, sparking anger and protests. Doumbouya’s takeover was partly celebrated by Guineans who were tired of Conde’s government.
- Burkina Faso: Faced with rising violence from armed groups, Burkina Faso’s government under President Roch Marc Christian Kabore was overthrown in January 2022 by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba. However, the security situation only worsened, and by September 2022, Damiba himself was ousted by Captain Ibrahim Traore. Traore has since postponed elections until 2029.
- Niger: In July 2023, President Mohamed Bazoum was detained by military leaders. The takeover was led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani. The coup happened shortly after Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu took charge of ECOWAS, a regional group trying to prevent such takeovers. ECOWAS responded strongly, threatening military action, but tensions eased without conflict.
- Gabon: In August 2023, just after President Ali Bongo Ondimba was announced the winner of a controversial election, the military took over, ending his family’s 56-year rule. Brigadier General Brice Oligui Nguema, Bongo’s cousin, became the leader, promising elections in 2025.
There were also failed coups in Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone, showing just how unstable the region has become.
These coups have also led to changing international alliances. Many of the new military governments have pushed out French and American forces, who were helping fight armed groups, and have turned to Russia for support. Russian mercenaries, like the Wagner Group (now rebranded as Africa Corps), are active in countries like Mali and Burkina Faso, but their presence has not improved security. In fact, violence in the region has worsened, with a significant increase in deaths and attacks.
Human rights groups have raised concerns about abuses by both the new military governments and Russian mercenaries. They report that these forces often target civilians, causing more people to join rebel groups out of fear and anger.
The regional group ECOWAS has struggled to deal with the coups. Some experts believe that ECOWAS’s weak response to the first coup in Mali encouraged other military leaders to act. The group has not consistently punished leaders who seek to extend their rule or break democratic norms, leading to what some call a “coup belt” in West Africa.
Source: Ghana Web
