DILEMMAS OF MILITARY DISENGAGEMENT AND DEMOCRATIZATION IN AFRICA

This article contends that one of the first tasks of new African democracies is to bring military establishments under democratic control. Although it might seem armies are now in retreat from politics, this has been 'demilitarization by default', resulting from economic and fiscal retrenchment and massive cuts in external military assistance, rather than from considered policy choices. Those attempting to tame the armed forces permanently face a series of dilemmas: for instance how to discourage reinstitutionalization of repressive governance behind 'democratic' forms; how to implement cuts, without further damaging the morale and effectiveness of the armed forces; and how to demobilize troops without worsening unemployment or proliferating private armies beyond the control of the state.