Transitional Military Governments In The Sahel : Difficult Visibility

For nearly half a decade, the African continent has witnessed a wave of coups d’états with the Sahel Region out-pacing the other Regions after registering five military coups. From Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Conakry to Niger, democratically elected governments were toppled by their various militaries. Many motives and circumstances have been cited for these coups, as putschists accused the ruling regimes of corruption, economic mismanagement, and failure to confront armed separatist and jihadi movements that constitute a serious challenge to the Region’s States. In 2020 and 2021, Mali had two coups led by Colonel Assimi Goïta. Burkina Faso, also followed with two coups. First in January 2022 with Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and another coup by 34-year-old Captain Ibrahim Traore. Guinea, in turn, had a coup on September 5, 2021, led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya and Niger followed with General Abdourahamane Tchiani months later to conclude the series for now. 
Since the coming to power of these military governments and despite the numerous promises made to the population, less is being felt. Apart from not respecting the transitional calendars announced during which they were supposed to hold elections at the councils and parliamentary levels, the two years they did announce have come and gone without handing over power to a civilian government. In some cases, they have instead modified the time table and draft constitution to suit their ambitions. For a hitch-free rule, they have suspended all activities by political parties, arrested and imprisoned any political or civil society leader who challenges their authority. 
The security aspect which has been the motive behind the coups is not given enough priority despite cries from the population especially those at the frontiers under consta...