Describe Presidentialism in Africa

The African political map has a distinct feature, i.e. the emergence and predominance
of a type of presidency which is imperial in character. Unlike the medieval monarchs
in Europe, the African presidents do not claim any divine right to rule (H.W.O Okoth
Ogendo 1990:14). Okoth Ogendo outlines the following characteristics of the African
Presidency:

The office of the presidency was supreme over all organs of the government. The presidency
influences legislature through the ruling political party. He/she influences the judiciary through judges and Attorney general whom he appoints. In country’s like Kenya ,Ghana and South
Africa, new constitutional reforms have created judicial service commissions and other relevant
commissions that conduct appointment of Chief justice and other constitutional office holders
and only leaves the presidency with the ceremonial position of making appointments from
candidates that have been vetted by the judicial Service Commission and other relevant
parliamentary committees. This in the long run will completely reduce the power of the office
of the presidency The office of the presidency is immune from legal process. It has immunity from criminal and civil proceedings. This immunity is intended to protect the dignity of the office not necessarily the occupant of the office. The immunity is to protect the occupant of this office from slander, abuse and other forms of disparagements.

The president was automatically eligible for re-election in all general elections. It is argued
that political and economic stability requires continuity in leadership at the top.
The presidency is a final redress to all problems. He/she is accorded divine, godly, mystic
power. This was a common feature in the period 1960s to 1980s. There is a change in the
manner in which citizens perceive the presidency in the 21 st century. The reforms in the
constitutions of African countries in the 1990s and early 21 st century have reduced the power of the presidency. The president now operates within the terms of reference as defined in the
constitution. Any moment he usurps power civil society organizations and opposition political
parties expose such unconstitutional use of power. In Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana and
South Africa the civil society movement and political parties have kept the excessive use of
power by the president. The godly and mystic aspects of the presidency are gradually fading
away. However, the president in Uganda, Senegal, and Ethiopia just to name a few examples
still monopolizes political power and operates within the concept of presidentialism as it
existed in Africa prior to the second liberation struggle in the 1990s.

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Titany answered the question on October 28, 2021 at 12:27