Abstract
The resurgence of unconstitutional changes in government stands as a major impediment to fostering democratisation, good governance, peace and security, and political stability on the African continent. In response to the threat, the African Union, with the help of its regional economic groups, has implemented a zero-tolerance policy toward unconstitutional changes in government. Despite significant improvements in the AU’s normative framework and intervention approaches, African member states continue to experience coups, some of which are characterised by subtle methods of gaining and maintaining power. This necessitates an investigation into the factors that motivate these crimes. As a result, as limited as they may be, studies looking into the factors that motivate the inconsistent implementation of the AU policy mechanisms against unconstitutional changes in government will aid in understanding the factors that have been overlooked. The study examines how continental institutions respond to military coups, popular uprisings, and constitutional manipulations through various lenses, with a focus on the OAU and the AU. By focusing on previous and contemporary instances of this phenomenon, it is possible to track adherence to continental policies (that is, the OAU Charter, Lomé Declaration, Constitutive Act, and ACDEG) and practices (interventions), which have resulted in varying outcomes and thus having varying implications on the state of governance and political stability.
In the future, the African Union and Regional Economic Community must work to improve and strengthen the existing legal and institutional framework against unconstitutional changes in government in order to promote a more comprehensive and coordinated African-led response to these events on the African continent.
KEY TERMS: Unconstitutional governments, democracy, governance, military regime, autocracy, democratic governance, dictatorship, coup d’état.