CONSTITUTIONAL CRISES AND MILITARY INTERVENTION: PATTERNS ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Abstract

Constitutional crises and military interventions have re-emerged as defining features of political instability in Sub-Saharan Africa, challenging decades of constitutional reforms and democratic consolidation. This article examines the structural and proximate factors linking constitutional breakdowns to renewed military intervention across the region. It argues that military takeovers are rarely sudden aberrations; rather, they are embedded in recurring patterns of executive overreach, constitutional manipulation, electoral malpractice, and institutional decay. Drawing on civil–military relations theory, constitutionalism, and state fragility frameworks, the study adopts a comparative qualitative approach, integrating cross-national analysis with selected case studies from West, Central, East, and Southern Africa. The article identifies three dominant patterns of military intervention: classic coups following electoral or succession crises; “constitutional” or corrective coups justified as restorations of legality; and military-managed transitional regimes that blur the boundary between civilian and military authority. It further demonstrates how socio-economic grievances, security threats, and declining public trust in civilian institutions create permissive conditions for military involvement in politics. The study also evaluates regional and international responses, particularly the roles of ECOWAS and the African Union, highlighting both normative advances against unconstitutional changes of government and persistent enforcement gaps. By situating contemporary military interventions within broader governance failures, the article contributes to debates on democratic backsliding, civilian supremacy, and constitutional resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa. It concludes that sustainable prevention of military intervention requires not only punitive regional mechanisms but also deeper reforms aimed at strengthening constitutional institutions, electoral integrity, and inclusive governance.