Ignoring this question will not restore democracy. It will only deepen the crisis.

The answer lies partly in the limits of democracy as it has been practiced on the continent.

For many Africans, democracy has not delivered what it promised. Elections are frequently marred by fraud, corruption, and elite manipulation. Poverty remains widespread. Insecurity continues to spread. Economic development and prosperity remain elusive for the majority. In this context, democratic governance has struggled to produce security, dignity, and opportunity.

This failure has also generated frustration within African militaries, particularly among younger officers who see their countries overwhelmed by insurgency, terrorism, and external exploitation. In many cases, defence budgets are inadequate, armies are poorly equipped, and soldiers are sent to confront complex security threats without the necessary political or material support.

At the same time, Africa’s strategic minerals and natural resources continue to be extracted, often by external actors, while states remain powerless to protect their people or assert full sovereignty. For some within the military, the coup becomes not a pursuit of dictatorship, but a desperate attempt to regain control, over territory, resources, and national security.

What distinguishes the current wave of coups from those of the past is intent, at least as declared. Unlike earlier military takeovers associated with personal rule and systemic looting, today’s juntas often frame their actions as corrective and nationalist. In countries such as Burkina Faso, military-led governments are investing in critical infrastructure, strengthening security forces, confronting insurgent groups, and asserting greater control over natural resources.

Yet despite these efforts, coup-led states remain excluded from the African Union, sanctioned diplomatically, and isolated from continental decision-making.

This raises a profound dilemma for Africa.

Should the African Union continue to defend a model of democracy that, in practice, has often coexisted with insecurity, division, and economic stagnation? Or should it develop a more objective, context-sensitive framework, one that prioritises security, sovereignty, and development alongside democratic norms?

The continent urgently needs a new governance and security architecture, one that recognises Africa’s realities, restores public trust, protects resources, and delivers stability.

“This is not about endorsing coups. Rather, it is a call for critical thinking.”