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A coup d\u2019etat is defined as an illegal and overt attempt by a military group or other officials to overthrow the sitting leadership.<\/p>\n
Just under 500 have been attempted globally since 1952 \u2013 when the independence movement undid pre-war colonial norms \u2013 of which 214 occurred in Africa, the largest share of all.<\/p>\n
A study carried out by Jonathan Powell of the University of Central Florida and Clayton Thyne of the University of Kentucky found that 106 of these had been successful, and 108 unsuccessful.<\/p>\n
With coups having taken place in at least 45 of the 54 African nations, the continent averaged four a year between 1960 and 2000, before subsiding in the early 21st century.<\/p>\n
In 2021 there were six attempts, in 2022 five, and now two this year as of August.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Transparency International\u2019s Africa Regional Advisor Samuel Kaninda warned people across the continent were facing \u201cdifficulties from every direction\u201d including food shortages, rising living costs and flaring conflict.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, most governments had neglected anti-corruption measures that could stamp out the root causes of these issues, he said, fuelling the risk of violent uprisings.<\/p>\n
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron denounced what he called an \u201cepidemic\u201d of coups in recent years in French-speaking Africa, from Mali and Burkina Faso to Guinea and Niger.<\/p>\n
France\u2019s military presence has been scaled back in recent years, thought to have emboldened local armed factions.<\/p>\n
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Don’t miss… <\/strong> In July 2023, Niger\u2019s President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown by the military and detained in his palace. The junta explained that \u201cdeteriorating security and bad governance\u201d were behind their takeover. In the days that followed, Abdourahamane Tiani, the former head of the presidential guard, was declared to be the country\u2019s new leader.<\/p>\n In November 2022, Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada of the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe off Africa\u2019s Atlantic coast declared a band of 12 soldiers from the officially disbanded South African group Buffalo Battalion had attempted to seize power, but had been thwarted by government forces.<\/p>\n In January 2022, Burkina Faso\u2019s President Roch Kabore was ousted by the army for alleged failures in suppressing violence by Islamist militants.<\/p>\n Coup leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba failed to restore order in the ensuing months, and was himself deposed by Captain Ibrahim Traore in September.<\/p>\n In October 2021, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan led a military takeover in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, dissolving the council in which civilians and the army had shared power. Civilian Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok refused to support the move and was placed under house arrest.<\/p>\n In September 2021, Guinean President Alpha Conde was ousted by special forces commander Mamady Doumbouya, a year after he had pushed through constitutional changes that would have allowed him to serve a third term, leading to mass uprisings. The military colonel promised a transition back to democratic elections within three years, but external observers claim little progress has been made.<\/p>\n In April 2021, Chad\u2019s President Idriss Deby was killed while visiting troops fighting rebels in the north of the country. The army installed his son as interim president in a violation of constitutional law that led to rioting in the capital.<\/p>\n In August 2020, Mali\u2019s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was removed by a group of army colonels led by Assimi Goita, following anti-government protests over a worsening security situation, contested elections and corruption allegations. A civilian-led interim government was established.<\/p>\n In May 2021 retired colonel Bah Ndaw engineered a second coup, elevating Mr Goita to the presidency.<\/p>\n In November 2017, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe\u2019s 37-year rule was ended by the military, who denied it was a coup, and was replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa.<\/p>\n
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S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Burkina Faso<\/h3>\n
Sudan<\/h3>\n
Guinea<\/h3>\n
Chad<\/h3>\n
Mali<\/h3>\n
Zimbabwe<\/h3>\n