Africa’s history, from Seal to Kgotla, proves that the practice of democracy is indigenous and that reclaiming it is the key to a stronger future.
For too long, young Africans have been told that democracy is imported, borrowed and alien to their identity. But history gives us a completely different truth. Democracy is not an idea introduced from the West. That’s human thinking. And Africa was practicing it long before modern states existed.
Africa’s democratic heritage is older than the colonial borders that tore the continent into pieces. In Seal, Somalia, all people could stand, debate, and vote in open assemblies that decided collective affairs. The Oromo Gadaa system developed rotating leadership and fixed term limits centuries before it became popular in other regions. Igbo communities were ruled through village councils that rejected the king and insisted on consensus. The Ashanti used councils of elders to check the authority of chiefs and remove them if they betrayed their trust. In Botswana, the Tswana Kgotla provided a forum for public debate, where leaders listened more than they spoke. Although these systems did not look like modern democracies, their principles were unmistakable: power must serve the community, and the community must be accountable to power.
The idea of democracy is not limited to any particular civilization. Ancient Athens developed its own form of civil government. Islamic governance emphasized Shura, or consultation. East Asia’s Confucian model established a meritocratic civil service system long before Europe’s. And when modern democracy regained momentum in the 18th century, the United States made a historic contribution not only to establishing it, but to sustaining it through institutions that could weather war, crisis, and political division. Its heritage is real and should never be ignored. But the story of democracy is not a Western one. It’s human. And Africa’s contribution to that is undeniable.
Today, African youth face new challenges. They live in an attention economy, where anger spreads faster than reason and misinformation spreads in seconds. This environment puts tremendous pressure on leaders to react rather than reflect. This rewards strongman sprints, not organizational marathons. But democracy wins in marathons, not sprints. The short-term appeal of authoritarian certainty can never match the long-term stability of responsible institutions. Africa cannot afford short-term dissatisfaction in exchange for long-term freedom.
Modern African society did not start from scratch. Botswana’s democratic resilience, Senegal’s peaceful transfer of power, Ghana’s strengthened institutions, and Kenya’s judicial independence demonstrate that African democracies can adapt, evolve, and correct themselves. At the same time, other countries also face real challenges such as contested elections, corruption, political exclusion, and the weaponization of identity. Honestly naming these issues is not a weakness. That’s how democracy grows.
Reclaiming democracy today must also mean expanding it. In the past, women were often excluded and marginalized from society. Modern African democracy must belong equally to women, youth, minorities, and all those whose voices have been historically silenced. Reclaiming your heritage doesn’t mean going back to the past. It means promoting it with greater justice.
Technology is Africa’s new multiplier. Artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and open learning resources can give African youth something that previous generations did not have: the ability to learn and compete globally without the permission of gatekeepers. Connectivity remains uneven. Infrastructure remains expensive. Policies lag behind innovation. But its potential is undeniable. Every great leap forward in human history has rewarded its adopters: the printing press, steam power, electricity, the Green Revolution, the Internet, and now AI. Africa has a large young population. Early adoption of AI, with strong civic values and clear safeguards, will enable the continent to make leaps forward that no region has achieved before.
Democracy cannot be defended by slogans. It is protected by habit. African youth can strengthen democracy not only in elections but also in everyday practice. Reinstate regional consultative forums. Creation of student council. Conduct community discussions. Challenging misinformation. Defend independent journalism. Building a digital literacy campaign. These small habits create a large culture. And perhaps most importantly, Africans must reject the narrative that democracy belongs to others. Authoritarianism is not unique to Africa. Silence is not an African thing. This continent’s tradition is discussion, dialogue, consensus, accountability and community decision-making. Reclaiming democracy means restoring what Africa has always known: power must be held in trust, not taken by force.
The future belongs to the young. When African youth defend their voices, freedom, diversity, truth and dignity, they will build institutions stronger than any individual. They will build a continent where unity does not eliminate nations and sovereignty does not silence its peoples. A continent where Africa rises as its own, rather than a copy of another model. Democracy is not something Africa has to borrow. It is something that Africa is poised to lead.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.
