Rethinking Liberal Democracy in Africa: Introducing an African Indigenous Concept as an Alternative Framework

This article explores the limitations of Western liberal democracy when applied to the African context, emphasising the African philosophies of Ubuntu and Unhu as alternative frameworks for governance. To date, scholarly work applying Western liberal democracy in African settings has not specifically examined the intersection of Ubuntu, Unhu and liberal democracy. This article sought to close that gap in knowledge by analysing how Ubuntu, Unhu, and liberal democracy interrelate within the African governance matrix. A qualitative approach, guided by the liberal democracy philosophy, was used to gather data from published articles, journals, internet sources, and blogs related to Western liberal democracy, Ubuntu, and Unhu. The data gathered was analysed using the thematic method. The article found that the indigenous African concepts of Ubuntu and Unhu offer more inclusive, community-oriented and culturally relevant models for democratic governance than Western liberal ideals, which often fail to address Africa’s unique social, economic and political realities. It concludes that there is a need for a paradigm shift that respects African traditions while fostering a democratic system that reflects indigenous values and social cohesion.