President Mahama has renewed calls for stronger democratic governance across Africa, urging leaders to respect the separation of powers and restrain executive authority.
At the launch of the 2026 Judicial Year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Arusha, Tanzania, he warned that unchecked executive power weakens democracy and undermines the rule of law.
“Judiciaries are no longer independent, and executive overreach is weakening legislative authority,” he stated.
He stressed the need for strong institutional oversight to ensure that African states remain committed to democratic principles and human rights obligations.
“We need that kind of oversight, so that we remain observant and respectful of the rights and duties enumerated in the articles of the Banjul Charter, to which all the continent’s nations are signatories,” he said, referencing the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
President Mahama further called for greater empowerment of the African Court, describing it as a critical guardian of justice and accountability across the continent.
“We must empower the court to be the institution that stands as God over these ideals, protecting and preserving our greatest inheritance,” he noted.
Reflecting on Africa’s past, he argued that a strong continental judicial body could have altered the course of history.
“If the court had existed earlier, it would have secured justice against apartheid criminals and oppressive dictators,” he added.
The event brought together judges, diplomats, legal experts and political leaders from across Africa, underscoring renewed attention on the role of continental institutions in safeguarding democracy, human rights and the rule of law.