Securing a path to security and peace: Building a people's trust in the military

Abstract

Africa's promise is immense, but there are pockets where security and peace are elusive. The building blocks to a nation's security must include its military. This chapter's strategies for security that influence the military are threefold: accountability of soldiers; legal advisors for commanders; and soldier professionalization. Accountability is the lynchpin to a military that serves its people. The military must know how and when to hold soldiers accountable. Justice, however, is only as strong as the military leaders who are in charge. The legal advice commanders receive about what the law mandates is critical for the commander to make a lawful decision. This adherence to the law sets a positive tone that ensures soldiers follow the rule of law. This commitment to the rule of law is part of the military's ethos; the ethos is the bedrock of a soldier's professionalism. The State must inculcate soldiers in the lawful, ethical, and moral use of force. These three strategies are not exclusive but they are the required lynchpins to building the people's trust in the military. With trust comes security; with security comes peace.