Longest serving African leaders still going strong

Whiles in some African countries, democratic transitions are expected every now and then; in other countries it has more to do with maintaining the status quo with some leaders who have ruled for over three decades motivated enough to carry on.

Last week, the Republic of Congo swore-in long serving President Denis Sassou Nguesso for a new five year term after polls that are still being contested by a section of the opposition. Before Nguesso Yoweri Museveni of Uganda extended his three decades rule.

On Sunday April 24, Equatorial Guineans go to the polls to elect a new president, and Africa’s longest serving president – Monsieur Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo – with 36 years in charge is not just contesting but expected to win the polls.

Africa as at 2015 has about 6 leaders who have been in power for three decades or more, The six leaders as at 2015 had amassed a combined tenure of 201 years in power.

#Africa-s longest serving leaders: Some recently re-elected #Museveni #Sassou some seeking re-election #Deby #Obiang pic.twitter.com/SFCpS91Igz

— Jamie Hitchen (@jchitchen) April 8, 2016

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea

He took power in a coup in August 1979, till date he has been in charge of the Central African country for 36 years, the election which he is widely expected to win would extend his mandate for a further seven years till the next elections in 2022.

Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola

He assumed the presidency after the death of the country’s first president in September 1979, four years after Angola’s independence.

Whiles he has often earned praise for revolutionalizing the country’s most important natural resource, oil; it is widely believed that the proceeds of the corruption are not reflecting on the life of the ordinary Angolan. He recently announced that after 36 years as President he would step down in 2017.

Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe

The 91-year-old won the country’s independence elections in April 1980 and has since served as president of the country which is now suffering from econmic squeze after years of isolation by international lenders.

The veteran leader has in the past shared power with the opposition but his grip on the top post has never waned. Despite health concerns due to ageing Mugabe has said in different fora that he will carry on as President.

With the unflinching support of the ruling ZANU-PF party, the influential war veterans and the army, Mugabe’s only potential replacement seems to be his wife Grace Mugabe.

Grace is quoted to have said that, “I know that President Robert Mugabe is 91 years old, but he is the best leader we have, I am going to be learning from him.”

35 years and still counting Zimbabwe goes to the polls in 2018 and Mugabe is expected to seek reelection all things being equal.

Paul Biya of Cameroon

Biya before becoming president served as Prime Minister under Ahmadou Ahidjo. He like Dos Santos took over after resignation of the country’s first president in November 1982.

There were calls by party members during the 31st anniversary of ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement demanding that Biya should be the ruling party’s candidate when next Cameroon goes to the polls despite his 33 year in charge.

He has remained in power through political reforms like a single-party system in the 80s (which he abolished under pressure in the 90s), high-margin election victories (which have consistently been suspected as fraudulent) and has maintained a close relationship with France, the former colonial master.

Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo

He was installed by the military in October 1979, but had a five year period out f power between August 1992 and October 1997 before staging a comeback to take over the reigns of political authority.

Sassou in 2015 introduced a referendum that allowed him to extend his stay in power, the opposition descibed the heated referendum voting as a constitutional coup.

Sassou recently won contested polls of March 20, a poll that was more famed for the communication blackout that characterized it and also the pockets of violence that erupted after the announcement of results. With five years on his 31 year rule, Sassou will clock 36 years in power before the 2021 polls.

Yoweri Museveni of Uganda

He became president after his rebel group took power in January 1986 and for the next three decades he has been in charge of Uganda.

He recently won the country’s very heated poll to extend his 30 years for a further five years before the next elections in 2021.

Arab Spring and how it ousted long serving rulers up north

It is instructive to note that the long serving rulers in north Africa became victims of the Arab Spring which spread through the maghreb region in 2012/2011.

Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, Tunisian leader Zine al Abideen Ben Ali and Muammar al Gaddafi of libya, long time rulers were deposed after 23, 29 and 42 years in power respectively.

Other African leaders who have passed the two decade in power mark are Sudan’s Omar al Bashir, Chad’s Idriss deby Itno, who won a reelection recently, Eritrea’s Isaias Afwerki and Gambia’s Yaya Jammeh.