A fundamental tenet of modern constitutionalism is that nobody, regardless of his status in
society, is above the law. Constitutional reforms in the 1990s saw the introduction in many
African countries of constitutions which for the first time provide some prospects for
promoting constitutionalism and respect for the rule of law. This article reviews the extent to
which these reforms have addressed the issue of presidential absolutism and the abuses
that go with it. It examines some of the factors that made African presidents to be so powerful …