By Mohamed KaiKai
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio warned on Monday that constitutional democracy in West Africa is under increasing strain, citing coups, declining public trust and political instability as major threats to governance in the region.
Speaking at the University of Oxford during the Oxford Postgraduate Distinguished Lecture Series, Bio urged African leaders and institutions to strengthen democratic systems and resist both military takeovers and internal erosion of constitutional order.
“Across our region, constitutional democracy is under pressure,” Bio said, pointing to a wave of military coups since 2020 in countries including Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger.
The president, who also serves as chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, said the threat to democracy extends beyond military interventions.
“The greatest threat to constitutional democracy… is not only the soldier who suspends the Constitution,” he said. “It is also the slow erosion of public trust that makes citizens begin to doubt whether constitutional systems can still protect them.”
Bio said weakening accountability, economic hardship and insecurity risk undermining confidence in democratic institutions, creating conditions that could be exploited by unconstitutional actors.
Reflecting on his own political journey, Bio noted that he first came to power through military rule before later being elected president.
“I learned that the hardest act of leadership is not taking power. It is limiting it,” he said.
He reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to constitutional governance, highlighting efforts such as electoral reforms and the Tripartite Steering Committee aimed at strengthening public trust.
Bio also cautioned that while military coups are unacceptable, elected governments must govern responsibly to prevent democratic backsliding.
“Military coups are wrong,” he said. “But if constitutional governments fail to govern responsibly, the potential for unconstitutional intervention increases.”
The president called on regional bodies to intensify preventive diplomacy and uphold governance standards, while urging citizens and institutions to defend democratic principles.
“Constitutions do not enforce themselves. Institutions do not defend themselves. People do,” he said.
Bio concluded by warning against a future in which younger generations lose faith in democracy, stressing that constitutional rule remains the only sustainable path to peace and stability in Africa.
