Increasing military interventions in Africa, danger to democracy, press freedom – CAJ

The president, Congress of African Journalists (CAJ), on Friday decried

the spate of military take-overs in Africa, saying it portended danger to democracy and press freedom in the continent.

CAJ president Chief Chris Isiguzo raised the alarm in a statement, stressing that the development could threaten the gains being made in the march towards stability and progress on the continent.

“Democracy remains the best form of government and we urge African leaders to promote meaningful dialogue, people –oriented programs, respect for the will of the people and the building of strong electoral systems that guarantee peaceful transitions. We call for calm and dialogue between the parties involved to return the two countries to the path of democracy and the rule of law.

“We also call on the African Union and the international community to launch intervention processes that promote peaceful settlement of disputes rather than actions that may aggravate the delicate situations in the two countries,” he said.