In the 1960’s previous colonies in Africa began to become their own independent states. However, this didn’t lead to widespread democracies, with almost all African leaders at one point or another be deposed with violence.  Today most Sub-Saharan countries practice democracy in theory, even if they don’t always adhere to it in principle. In Rwanda, the president Paul Kagame is well known for intimidating the competition and threatening those who oppose him. However, other countries in Africa are more respectful of the democratic process. Rupiah Banda, a contender for a presidential election in Zambia gracefully stepped down after losing the presidency, a position that his party had held for 20 years. It’s acts like these that help legitimize many of these state governments, by practicing democracy not only in words, but also in action.  There are some notable exceptions, like Ethiopia, that still choose to refrain from elections. There are countries which are known as “failed states.”The most prominent example of a “failed state” in Africa is The Republic of Congo, a country that has an ineffective and weak central government and where multiple rebellions have sprung up and continue to do so. Somalia is another example. Since the 1990’s the country has been torn apart by violence and warfare and is now divided up between warlords and militias