Africa’s Democracy on Fire: Youth vs the Old Guard

Cameroon's President Paul Biya

What will it take to truly transform how we relate to politics and hold those in power accountable across Africa? From Antananarivo to Yaoundé, the continent’s youth are signaling that complacency is no longer an option. 

In Madagascar, we witnessed a wave of youth-led protests that ultimately ushered in a change of guard — a new president now sits at the helm, propelled by the demand for transparency and renewal. Meanwhile, in Cameroon, the story unfolds differently. 

A 92-year-old incumbent was declared the winner of what many describe as a sham election, one largely boycotted by young voters disillusioned with a stagnant political order. Frustration has boiled over into the streets, where young people have taken to protests, some resorting to torching politicians’ homes to make their anger and disillusionment impossible to ignore.

And in Tanzania, President Samia Suluhu Hassan is running virtually unopposed after jailing key opposition figures and disqualifying others ahead of tomorrow’s election. Amnesty International warns of a “wave of terror” marked by enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and even extrajudicial killings. With Chadema and ACT-Wazalendo barred from the ballot, Tanzanians face a vote that critics say will deepen authoritarianism rather than advance democracy.

Tanzania's President President Samia Suluhu Hassan

These contrasting scenes capture a broader continental reckoning: Africa’s youth, the majority demographic, are no longer content to be passive spectators in the political theatre. They are demanding institutions that serve people, not power.
These contrasting scenes capture a broader continental reckoning: Africa’s youth, the majority demographic, are no longer content to be passive spectators in the political theatre. They are demanding institutions that serve people, not power. 

But real transformation will require more than outrage, it calls for sustained civic engagement, credible electoral reforms, inclusive leadership, and a shared commitment to accountability that transcends ethnicity, region, and party loyalty. Only then can the continent’s promise be matched by its politics.

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