Africa need a women's revolution

By Mambokadzi wekwaMasarira

10 January 2022

There is no democracy without women. It is time we thoroughly interrogate whether or not democracy exists in Africa. Democracy is just not about ruling parties and opposition parties. Democracy is all about inclusion of women, youth, minority groups, etc. Meaningful political participation of women is crucial in the quest to consolidate a flourishing democracy in Africa.

President Hassan from Tanzania ascended to power after the death of President Magufuli. Africa is still decades backwards in terms of electing women Presidents. Africa has only had 3 women elected as Presidents with the first one being Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is who served two consecutive terms after winning the 2005 and 2011 Presidential elections in Liberia. She had initially run for Presidential office in 1997 against Charles Taylor, but she lost. During her tenure she was also elected Chair of the Economic Community of West African States in June of 2016.

The other two duly elected female Presidents on the continent were Ameenah Gurib-Fakim the first female President of Mauritius from 2015 to 2018. She was selected to be a Presidential candidate in 2014 following the resignation of then President Kailash Purryag. She was unanimously elected President by the National Assembly.

Sahle-Work Zewde is the first elected female President of Ethiopia and currently the only elected female President out of the 55 Presidents in Africa. She took office on October 25, 2018 after being unanimously elected by members of the National Parliamentary Assembly.

The history of women heads of state is generally an untold story as the first female President in Africa was Slyvie Kiningi. She was the Prime Minister of Burundi from February 10, 1993 to October 7, 1994. During this period, she served as the acting President of the country from October 27, 1993 to February 5, 1994 when the incumbent President Melchior Ndadaye was shot together with 6 of his officials. After his death, Kiningi gathered 15 ministers to continue to govern the country. Thus, technically making her the first female president on the continent.

From 1993 to date Africa has only had 10 women head of state with only 3 duly elected which shows how patriarchal dominance is till heavily entrenched in Africa's political economy. 

The contribution of women to what Africa is today is unquestionable. However, the recovery from the disruptive and brutal colonization and slave trade has been very slow. Most African leaders mostly male who mismanaged, abused and continue to abuse their power since the end of colonization equally share the blame for disempowering African women whose contribution is unequivocally needed to build a more prosperous, just and peaceful Africa.

As long as us women do not organize ourselves for a women's revolution across Africa, it is a mammoth task to have female Presidents across the continent. The power to transform and lead lies with us the women of Africa. 

Against all the odds, we still work hard as we seek shatter the glass ceiling limiting women's full potential to become heads of state and all barriers that inhibit women participation in politics.