Civil Society & Constitutional Reforms in Africa

Africa's experience with constitutionalism has not been a happy one in the 50years since most of the Sub-Saharan countries became independent. The great enthusiasm of the early 1960s that greeted new constitutions providing for democracy, the rule of law and guarantees of human rights has in many places been dashed by military coups, emergency decrees, suspension of constitutional guarantees, and autocratic, abusive rule.This timely book offers important contributions by eminent scholars and activists on the importance of involving civil society in the establishment of genuine constitutionalism on the African continent. The book provides some of the principal issues that arise in the establishment of constitutionalism in Africa- Dr. Donald.P. Chimanikire, Chairperson, Dept of Politics and Admin, University of Zimbabwe. This is a really good publication and for me the greatest value lies in the act of recording some of these experiences and, this way, reminding ourselves about the role that civil society have played in identifying and following through on the issues and their implications for us going forward- Mr. Ezra Mbogori, Board Member & Former Executive Director, MWENGO