President John Dramani Mahama has urged African nations to make the strengthening of democratic institutions a top priority, describing it as the surest path to safeguarding human rights, preserving constitutional order, and securing long-term political stability across the continent.

Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 2026 Judicial Year and the 20th anniversary of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Arusha, Tanzania, Mahama said Africa’s history of coups, constitutional disruptions, and political instability highlights the urgent need for resilient institutions capable of protecting citizens’ freedoms.

He stressed that human rights protection cannot rest on political rhetoric alone, but must be anchored in strong, independent and impartial institutions that operate above partisan influence.

“Our continent’s history teaches us that justice cannot be left to chance,” he said. “Justice must be deliberately constructed, carefully protected, and firmly rooted in institutions that are independent, impartial, and resilient to political interference.”

Drawing on his personal history, President Mahama reflected on how the detention of his father after Ghana’s 1966 military coup shaped his lifelong commitment to justice, due process, and democratic accountability. He described the experience as a defining moment that exposed him early to the fragility of fundamental rights in environments where institutional safeguards are weak.

“I remain the child whose father was detained for serving his country and advising its leader,” he noted, adding that injustice inflicted on one individual often carries wider consequences.

“When injustice is visited upon one person, it does not end with that individual. It reverberates through families, communities, and sometimes across generations,” he said.

President Mahama argued that Africa’s development trajectory is inseparable from the strength of its democratic governance architecture.

He called on governments across the continent to invest in judicial independence, strengthen constitutional courts, and empower continental institutions responsible for monitoring human rights compliance.

He commended the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for its role in holding states accountable and protecting citizens against abuses of power, describing it as a vital mechanism for upholding the principles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, also known as the Banjul Charter.

“For me, this is not an abstract legal discussion,” he said. “It is about ensuring that no African child grows up witnessing injustice without access to remedy or protection under the law.”

The commemorative event drew African heads of state, senior judges, diplomats and human rights advocates, marking two decades of the Court’s contribution to advancing justice and reinforcing democratic governance across the continent.

Observers described Mahama’s address as a strong reaffirmation of Africa’s commitment to institutional accountability and the protection of fundamental rights.