Africa's press saw last weekend's coup in the Central African Republic as all too predictable.

"The rebellion did not come out of the blue", remarked a paper in neighbouring Cameroon, the daily Mutations.

The deposed president, Ange-Felix Patasse, bore much of the responsibility for his own fall, the paper said.

"If all observers agree today that the CAR has been suffering because of its leaders, then Patasse has largely contributed to this premise."

Though he had come to power in democratic elections in 1993, Mr Patasse had soon squandered the goodwill of his fellow countrymen.

"Quickly distinguishing himself through erratic actions, he failed to contain the economic and social crisis of his country," Mutations said, noting that Patasse's 10-year rule had been marked by military unrest and at least one serious coup attempt.

Poisoned chalice

The press in another CAR neighbour, Chad, took the line that Mr Patasse's departure had been inevitable, but questioned whether the coup leader, General Francois Bozize, would be any more successful in clinging to power.

There are many reasons that lead one to believe that General Bozize's regime will end up in a Congolese scenario Notre Temps (Chad)

L'Observateur noted that General Bozize would now have "to show his real aptitude to unite all Central Africans and prove that the warlord he was can become a true head of state".

External pressures, from both Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo, meant that General Bozize had "inherited a real poisoned chalice", the paper said.

And another Chadian paper, Notre Temps, said there were "many reasons that lead one to believe that General Bozize's regime will end up in a Congolese scenario".

Hint of conspiracy

Several papers in Ivory Coast - itself no stranger to conflict - warned that Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo could easily find himself in the same situation as Mr Patasse.

A couple of pro-government papers even saw the shadowy hand of France, the former colonial power, behind the latest events.

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"From Paris, Bozize overthrows Patasse, Ivorians be warned," a headline in Notre Voie - owned by the ruling Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) - intoned.

"France, despite all the statements of its President Chirac, has just staged a coup," the paper said.

There were many similarities in recent developments in both countries, Notre Voie noted, pointing to "France's omnipresence in the painful events that are tearing apart the nations of Francophone Africa".

"As in Ivory Coast, the putsch leader found himself in France where he was free to carry out his destabilising actions."

Another Ivorian paper close to President Gbagbo, Le National, accused French President Jacques Chirac of resorting to devious means to undermine African regimes that declined to toe the French line.

"Chirac's country is no longer directly involved in coups in his former colonies. He operates via rebels and terrorists. After getting his way over Ange Felix Patasse in CAR, should Gbagbo expect the same scenario?" the paper asked.

France's aim was to "destabilise African nations and overthrow presidents who refused submission", it concluded.

Driven by ambition?

The government-controlled Fraternite Matin also drew parallels between the current events in CAR and General Robert Guei's seizure of power in Ivory Coast in December 1999.

However noble his intentions may be, there are few that would support the mechanisms he employed to achieve his goal. The People (Kenya)

The CAR coup "strangely resembles the Christmas putsch in Ivory Coast by a certain Robert Guei full of ill feelings and overweening ambition", it said.

The paper dismissed CAR's new leader, General Bozize, as "a born putschist", and insisted that "any coup needs to be condemned firmly".

The media elsewhere in Africa took a similar line, noting that however tempting it might be to resort to a coup as a quick way of removing a corrupt government, such methods had to be discouraged.

Kenya's The People said that, to give General Bozize the benefit of doubt, "the man may be a selfless nationalist whose only interest is to see his poverty-stricken 3.5m fellow countrymen leading a better life".

"But, however noble his intentions may be, there are few that would support the mechanisms he employed to achieve his goal."

"Is it not a shame that in this age and time, there are still those among us who view such barbarisms as overthrowing governments as the only way of sorting out problems within their country?" the paper asked.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.