The politics of Africa's 'coup belt' and what's behind the instability

Gabon has become the latest African nation to see its leadership overthrown in a coup d’etat in recent years. 

Minutes after the ailing President Ali Bongo claimed victory in a disputed election last week, military leaders took to national television to announce that the nation was under new management. 

This is the eighth coup on the African continent since 2020, and comes just weeks after Niger’s government fell in similar circumstances, while military conflict is ongoing in Sudan. 

So why does the continent remain unstable, and is there any way to stop more countries going down the same road? And as these incidents damaging the reputation of a rapidly growing and developing African continent? 

Today on The Front Page, Professor of Political Science and lecturer on African Politics at Victoria University of Wellington, Stephen Levine, joins Damien to give us an insight into why military might so often topple leaders.  

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Damien Ventuto
Producer: Paddy Fox and Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

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