The latest global democracy index by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) highlights concerning trends in governance and democratic values in Kenya, Burundi, and Uganda. Classified as hybrid, authoritarian, and hybrid regimes respectively, these countries have shown little to no improvement over the past three years, eroding trust in their political elites.
Released on Thursday, the Democracy Index 2023 indicates stagnation or regression in governance and democratic ideals in these East African Community partners. Kenya and Burundi maintained their democracy indices at 5.05 and 2.13 respectively, while Uganda’s score saw a marginal increase from 4.48 to 4.49.
The index assesses democracy on a scale of 0 to 10, based on electoral processes, civil liberties, government functionality, political participation, and political culture. Countries are classified as full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes, or authoritarian regimes.
Contrary to Uganda and Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have shown progress in governance and democracy. Tanzania’s index increased to 5.35, Rwanda’s to 3.3, and DRC’s to 1.68.
However, the report notes the prevalence of authoritarian and hybrid regimes in East Africa. Burundi, DRC, and Rwanda are classified as authoritarian, while Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are considered hybrid regimes. These regimes often exhibit substantial irregularities in elections, limited political freedoms, and weak civil societies.
The decline in democracy in sub-Saharan Africa, reflected in a historic low aggregate index score of 4.04 in 2023, is attributed to the rise of military regimes. Twenty-five African states have experienced coups or coup attempts in the past two decades, with military takeovers becoming more commonplace, especially in the Sahel region.
The erosion of trust in democratic institutions, fueled by corruption, lack of transparency, and unaccountable governance, has contributed to the growing approval of military rule in several African countries. This trend underscores a broader crisis of trust in government and political systems across both developed and developing economies.
