BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
ence in order to see that their people enjoyed these rights. Africa also
entered into a new era in which military leaders converted themselves
into politicians and legitimized their rule through elections making it
difficult to conduct multi-party politics in such contexts.^44 The factors
that facilitate democratic practice and culture as those described above
were virtually ignored by the African leaders. Indeed, Pobee summarizes
the scene by rightly asserting that,
the first generation of African politicians who set out and did much to be
liberators of their own people from foreign oppressors, have themselves be-
come oppressors, to the extent that freedom of self-expression and human
dignity are frequently denied African citizens by their own nations...In addi-
tion to these dehumanizing human acts, the ‘acts of God’ such as droughts
and floods, have created pockets of in-between- peoples- refugees and peo-
ples in distress.^45
The cry for new liberation and the role of the Church
The quest for political pluralism began in the late 80s and the early 90s.
This coincided with the breakup of the Soviet monolithic and the disin-
tegration of socialism in Eastern Europe. The demand for pluralism in
Africa is said to have been contributed by the failure of democracy by
consensus, the failure of the one-party system, and the failure of the
‘African ‘ conception of human rights.^46 Kobia declares that a multi-
party system which is a movement from one party regime to a political
dispensation in which there is an open, healthy, and disciplined contest
for power and leadership in society are a necessary basis for democratic
governance. He enumerates the advantages for the multi-party system
as:
The general opening up of society as many parties give scope for the major-
ity to begin to take an interest in politics. Multiple parties provide a wider
choice and diversity of political representation, especially if the competing
issues and policies are presented to the electorate in a language they can
understand. Democracy must respect the multiplicity of interests and opin-
(^44) Mugambi, Religion in the Social Transformation of Africa, in Laurent Mages and
Zablon Nthamburi, eds, Democracy and Reconciliation, A Challenge for African
Christianity; Acton Publ., Nairobi; p 81.
(^45) John Pobee, Theological Basis for Liberation and Human Rights, in J.N.K. Mugambi
ed. The Church and the Future in Africa – Problems and Promises,; All Africa Conference
of Churches, Nairobi:1997, p 137.
(^46) Kobia, The Quest for Democracy in Africa, p 32.