A Brief History of Military Coups in Africa since 2020
Below is a list of coups and coup attempts that have taken place since 2020 in Africa in chronological order.
Mohamed Toumba (3rd R) one of the leading figures of the National Council for the Protection of the Fatherland attends the demonstration of coup supporters and greets them at a stadium in the capital city of Niger, Niamey on August 6, 2023. Photo by Anadolu Images.
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ince 2020, a trend has emerged in African politics which has seen nearly a dozen military coups or attempts take place. While some have failed, most have succeeded. Those who staged the coups claim they are freeing their countries from Western influence, namely France and the United States. Other coup leaders have referred to domestic politics and the worsening economic situation in their countries as the factors behind their coups. Most notably, there is an increasing sign of solidarity among the military regimes being formed after these coups.
For instance, the Burkina Faso and Chad military regimes threated to send armies to Niger in case of foreign intervention. Below is a list of coups and coup attempts that have taken place since 2020 in Africa in chronological order.
Mali (August 2020)
This takeover involved a group of mutinous soldiers who took control of the government. The epicenter of the coup was the the Sundiata Keita military base in Kati, a town 15 km from the capital Bamako. During the coup, key government officials, including President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, were arrested, ultimately leading to Keïta’s resignation and the dissolution of the government.
The coup was triggered by widespread protests against Keïta’s government, which had been plagued by allegations of corruption, poor governance, and an inability to tackle the country’s security problems. The protests were ongoing since June 2020 and had gradually increased in size and fervor, paving the way for the eventual coup.
The consequences of the coup were far-reaching, unsettling Mali’s stability and exacerbating its ongoing security challenges. The Malian armed forces were severely weakened by the coup.
Chad (April 2021)
A cohort of military officers, led by Mahamat Idriss Déby, the scion of the late president Idriss Déby Itno, launched a military coup. This was triggered by the death of President Déby on April 19, 2021 who was killed while fighting rebels in the northern region of the country. The rebel group, known as the “Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT),” had launched an offensive against the government in the weeks leading up to Déby’s death.
Following Déby’s death, the military formally announced the dissolution of the government and the suspension of the constitution. Subsequently, Mahamat Déby was appointed interim president and took over the leadership of a 15-member military council.
The reverberations of this coup have caused a state of upheaval in Chad, As Chad navigates an uncertain path forward, it faces several challenges that must be resolved to pave the way for the restoration of democratic governance.
Guinea (September 2021)
Guinea’s government takeover was orchestrated by a contingent of specialized forces led by Mamady Doumbouya who seized the presidential palace in the capital, Conakry. President Alpha Condé was arrested, released, and placed under house arrest. The coup was sparked by widespread dissatisfaction with Condé’s government, due to allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and human rights abuses. The coup was also fueled by Condé’s controversial decision to amend the constitution to allow him to seek a third term in office.
A transitional government was set up in October 2021, with Doumbouya assuming the role of interim president. This government promised to organize elections within 36 months, a timetable that was met with skepticism due to the prevailing uncertainties.
The aftermath of the coup has had a destabilizing effect on Guinea.
Sudan (October 2021)
General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), seized the country’s government during a period of transitional government. The coup was triggered by internal conflicts within this government, pitting military and civilian leaders against each other. The military faction expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the transition to democracy and argued for a greater retention of power. The civilian leaders, on the other hand, wanted a rapid transition to civilian rule.
The coup was met with widespread protests in the capital, Khartoum, which were quickly put down. The coup leaders arrested several civilian leaders, including Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, and dissolved the existing transitional government. Looking ahead,
The Gambia (December 2021)
An attempted coup d’état was led by a contingent of soldiers who stormed the State House in the capital Banjul. Although President Adama Barrow escaped unharmed, he was subsequently placed under house arrest; however, the coup failed as Barrow effectively regained power with the support of the Gambian armed forces. The leaders responsible for the coup were arrested and charged with treason.
The motivations behind the coup were complex and stemmed from factors such as the country’s ongoing political instability and the vulnerability of its military structure. The Gambia has experienced several coups and attempted coups in recent years, exposing divisions and lack of discipline within the military ranks. The coup highlighted the country’s vulnerability to political instability. The Gambia, characterized by its compact size, has a history of political turbulence, and the coup attempt served as a stark reminder of the fragility of the country’s democratic systems.
These challenges include the need to address political instability, strengthen the military, and tackle corruption.
Burkina Faso (January 2022)
A group of insurgent soldiers, on January 23, 2022, stormed the capital, Ouagadougou. In February 2022, a transitional government was formed, with Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba assuming the role of interim president.
The aftermath of the coup has had a destabilizing effect on Burkina Faso, exacerbating the country’s existing security problems. As Burkina Faso moves forward, it faces a range of challenges that must be resolved to pave the way for democracy.
Guinea-Bissau (February 2022)
The coup attempt was staged by a contingent of rebel soldiers who stormed the government palace in the capital, Bissau. Although President Umaro Sissoco Embaló escaped unharmed, several government officials were arrested. Ultimately, the coup failed and Embaló managed to regain control of the government. The leaders behind the coup were subsequently arrested and charged with treason.
The coup attempt was fueled by several factors, including the country’s ongoing political instability and the fragility of the military apparatus. Guinea-Bissau has experienced several coups and attempted coups in recent times, revealing divisions and lack of discipline within the military ranks. The coup also highlighted the country’s vulnerability to drug trafficking. Guinea-Bissau is a key transit point for cocaine from South America to Europe, and drug trafficking is believed to have played a role in instigating the coup attempt.
Many of the nation’s difficulties need to be resolved in order to promote stability and democratic government. These challenges include the need to address the country’s political volatility, strengthen its armed forces, and combat the scourge of drug trafficking.
São Tomé and Príncipe (February 2022)
On February 24 and 25, 2022, an unsuccessful coup took place on the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe. The coup was orchestrated by four individuals, including Delfim Neves, the incumbent president of the National Assembly, and a military officer previously linked to an earlier coup attempt. The coup leaders attempted to seize control of both the military barracks and the government headquarters in the capital, São Tomé. However, their efforts were met with fierce resistance from loyal troops and they were eventually defeated.
The coup leaders were subsequently arrested and charged with treason. The São Tomé and Príncipe government condemned the coup attempt and vowed to ensure that the perpetrators would face legal consequences. The coup attempt marked a setback for democracy in São Tomé and Príncipe, a country known for its long-standing political stability. The country has never experienced a successful coup, with the events of February 2022 marking the first coup attempt since 1995.
The episode also highlighted the complexities facing São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation with a fledgling democracy which faces challenges of poverty, unemployment, vulnerability to corruption, and the specter of political instability. São Tomé and Príncipe’s path remains uncertain, but the nation’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law remains firm. The government has expressed its determination to strengthen the security apparatus and root out corruption. The country is also actively seeking international support to address its economic difficulties.
Burkina Faso (January 2023)
Captain Ibrahim Traoré staged a coup that led to the removal of interim president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. It is worth noting that Damiba himself had seized power in a coup just eight months earlier. The coup, which took place in September 2022, found its impetus in Burkina Faso’s ongoing security challenges. The country has struggled to contain an Islamist insurgency that has tragically claimed scores of lives and displaced millions. The coup leaders have expressed their intention to address this security crisis, although the details of their approach remain uncertain.
Several challenges must be overcome to pave the way for the restoration of democratic governance in Burkina Faso. These obstacles include the continuing threat from terrorist groups, and the need to rebuild both the economy and the trust between the people and the government.
Niger (July 2023)
A group of mutinous soldiers took control of the capital, Niamey on July 26, 2023. resident Mohamed Bazoum was arrested, then released and placed under house arrest.
By August 2023, a transitional government had been established, with Colonel Assimi Goïta assuming the mantle of interim president.
France has 1,500 soldiers in Niger, and there are 1,000 American soldiers. The two countries provide training, finance and arms for the army in Niger, which stopped after the coup.
As Paris insists not to negotiate with any of the coup plotters, Washington is playing with vague strings, especially after the visit of Victoria Nuland of the US State Department to Niger, which showed that geostrategic, military and security interests take priority over the survival of President Mohamed Bazoum. Washington adopts a more flexible position than Paris in general.
Gabon (August 2023)
On August 30, 2023, a faction of Gabonese military officers staged a coup and seized power from President Ali Bongo Ondimba. The takeover came shortly after Ondimba was declared the winner of a disputed presidential election. The architects of the coup, who called themselves the “Committee for Transition and Restoration of Institutions,” stated that their aim was to overturn the election results and end the Bongo family’s 56-year reign over Gabon. The coup was successful, and Bongo was placed under house arrest. At the same time, the coup leaders dissolved the government and parliament, and imposed a nationwide curfew.
The coup leaders have declared their intention to hold new elections within 12 months. However, it remains uncertain whether they will be able to restore stability in Gabon and prevent further upheaval. The coup in Gabon joins a series of military takeovers that have swept across West and Central Africa in recent years.
Recent coups in Africa have been attributed to a variety of factors, including economic adversity, political malfeasance, and the influence of armed factions. They are a stark reminder of the fragility of democracy in the region and underline the urgent need to strengthen institutions to prevent future coups. Each successful coup has seen condemnation from regional and international organizations such as the African Union, the United Nations, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
ECOWAS has placed sanctions on West African countries that have experienced coups and closed their borders, while international bodies have suspended aid to governments affected by coups. The military groups that have staged successful coups have formed transitional governments putting forth promises to hold elections. The promised election dates, however, have been repeatedly postponed.
