President John Dramani Mahama has called for a bold reset of Africa’s democratic systems, urging leaders and citizens alike to confront the causes of democratic decline and commit to building accountable, people-centered governance.

Speaking at the 2025 Democracy Dialogue, under the theme, 'Why Democracy Dies?', in Accra, President Mahama reminded participants of Ghana’s historic role in Africa’s liberation struggles, noting how the country once served as a launchpad for the continent's independence movement. 

President Mahama traced the continent’s turbulent political history, from the wave of military coups that toppled civilian governments in the post-independence era, to Africa’s eventual return to multiparty constitutional rule in the 1990s. While acknowledging the progress made, he warned that democracy remained fragile.

“Democratic governance guarantees rights and freedoms, which is true,” he said, underlining, “But democracy alone will not bring opportunity and prosperity unless leaders abide by certain principles.”

Citing Afrobarometer surveys ahead of Ghana’s 2024 elections, Mahama expressed concern that many young Africans have voiced their preference for military rule over democracy — a trend he described as deeply alarming.

“That should give us cause for thought,” he said. “We need a reset of our democracy, our economy, and our governments.”

Mahama outlined the core reasons for which democracy was faltering across Africa:

* Weak institutions that fail to protect citizens’ rights.

* Corruption and elite capture eroding public trust.

* Exclusion and inequality that alienate the youth and vulnerable groups.

* Leadership deficits that squander legitimacy.

* External pressures that exploit fragile democratic systems.

To renew democracy, he called for strengthening independent institutions such as courts, parliaments, and electoral commissions; delivering real development in education, health, and jobs; expanding civic and media freedoms; and fostering African solidarity.

Quoting anti-colonial and independence icons Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara, and Václav Havel, Mahama stressed that democracy must be nurtured and defended daily.

“Democracy dies when citizens lose faith, when leaders abandon integrity, and when institutions succumb to capture,” he said.

“But democracy can be redeemed when citizens rise to defend it,” he highlighted.

President John Dramani Mahama concluded with an African proverb: “When the roots of the tree are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind. If the roots of our democracy are deep, it will withstand any storm.”