In Nigeria, under the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, president Muhammadu Buhari at the end of his tenure in May 29, 2019 will vacate the office allowing a newly elected president to take over if he could not secure a return for another tenure of four (4)years.
The above is the case in a democratic setting of government where people are allowed to occasionally elect who to govern them. This is what is obtainable in most part of the modern world. However, regardless of the spread of democracy to most part of the world, we still have countries where individuals rule for many years as against what democracy advocates.
In the present century, one would continue to belief that countries of the world are all subjected to the yearnings of democracy except some popular few like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Russia, Iran etc. contrary to the general belief, there are indeed many countries where the leaders have been democratically elected and have continuously remain in power for as long as they still breathe. This write-up will be limited to Africa as a case study.
In Africa, there are countries where individuals have been in the office for more than three (3) decades with no intention of vacating anytime soon. This however has contributed greatly to the development of these countries. Although there is continuity and consistency in government, the political, economical and social development will continue to flow in one direction.
These individuals see themselves as revolutionists, messiahs and leaders of a stronghold against local rebels (mostly opposition parties demanding for a change of government) as well as the western powers.
It is pertinent to note that these individuals are not royalty and they are not necessarily the most powerful during their timespan. They have probably held more than one leadership position ranging from president, acting president, prime minister, finance minister, head of military council, revolution leaders etc.
They put in place policies that allow them to cling on to power by way of constitutional amendments, placing restrictions on some political activities and thereby ultimately restricting political opposition.
We have witnessed revolts in the North African countries especially Tunisia, Egypt and Libya (popularly referred to as the Arab Revolution) where citizens have summon courage to protest against these long serving non-royal rulers. In the wake of 2011, a Civil War broke out in Libya when anti-Gaddafi forces formed National Transitional Council to form interim government in rebel-controlled areas which resulted in bloodshed. Subsequently, on 27 June 2011, an arrest warrant was issued against Gaddafi and his entourage by the International Criminal Court (ICC). To protect civilians from the atrocities of the government, a multinational Task Force led by NATO intervened and was able to oust Gaddafi from power after capturing cities under pro-Gaddafi’s control and followed by his killing. Libya was declared “liberated’” on 23 October 2011 ending the 42 years Non-Royal rule in Libya.
Recently in Burkina Faso, thousands took to the streets in Ouagadougou in 30 October, 2014 in protest against the government of President Blaise Compaore who planned to extend his 27-year rule destroying parliament building and state television offices. He was forced to abandon the presidential palace and flee for safety. In a statement issued by Compaore on 31, October, 2014 he said: “In order to preserve the democratic gains as well as social peace,….I declare a vacancy of power with a view to allowing a transition that should finish with free and transparent elections in a maximum period of 90 days.” On 29 November 2015, general elections were held in Burkina Faso which saw Roch Marc Christian Kabore of People’s Movement of Progress (PMP) returned in the presidential election.
Since the Arab revolution of 2011, Africa has experienced not less than six(6) coups and attempted coups. With ever-growing awareness in political arena, we now see people standing out for their fundamental rights; from demanding to participate in running the affairs of their nations to demanding accountability and transparency from government. Below is the list of some long serving Non-Royal African Leaders:
1. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Equatorial guinea – 37 YEARS
He assumed office on 3 August 1979 after ousting his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema in 1979 military coup. He is currently the longest serving president not only in Africa but also in the world and he was just handed another seven-year term in office in the 24th April 2016 polls which was scheduled for November but was brought forward by 7 months. President Obiang won the 2016 election with 93% of the votes against six oppositions. He is accused of leading one of the world’s most corrupt and repressive governments. He was declared the country’s god and had all powers over men and things and that he is in permanent contact with the Almighty.
2. Jose Edaurdo Dos Santos, Angola – 36 YEARS
Assumed office 21 September 1979. He led the party which won independence from Portugal in 1975. After the Angolan civil war which saw the country’s economy privatized, Angolan Parliament made it illegal for the president to have financial holdings in companies. To bypass this, the president arranged for his daughter to receive financial kickbacks and assets from the companies. His daughter Isabel Jose Dos Santos is considered by Forbes to be the richest woman in the whole of Africa with the worth of $3.5Billion. President Dos Santos on Friday 22nd 2016 stated “I took decision to quit active political activity in 2018” without stating reason for his action.3. Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe – 35 YEARS
Assumed office as president in 22 December 1987 and has been the prime minister since 1980 after winning the general elections in 1980. In 2008 he was defeated by Morgan Tsvangirai in first round of the presidential election but subsequently won the re-run election. In 2013 he defeated Tsvangirai in the presidential election when he was declared winner with 63% of the votes by the election commission.
4. Paul Biya, Cameroon – 32 YEARS
Assumed office 6 November 1982. He served as the Secretary-General of the presidency from 1968 to 1975 and thereafter became the Prime Minister of Cameroon from 1975 to 1982. Pursuant to a surprise resignation by President Ahidjo, Biya took over power as the president in 1982. At 83, he looks sharp enough to remain as president for as long as he wants. Biya reviewed the constitution in 2008 to scrap the limits to presidential term that was set out in the 1996 constitution. Many believe that if Biya remains healthy, he will likely run for 2018 election.
5. Yoweri Museveni, Uganda – 30 YEARS
Museveni has been the president of Uganda since 29 January 1986. He ran for fifth term in office when he contested election in the February 2016 presidential election with 61% of the votes casted. Oppositions accused him of age falsification that he is five years older than 71 which the government claims. An allegation that could have prevented him from running for the 2016 election as the country’s age limit is 75. The president said he does not know the exact date of his birth stating “my parents were illiterate and so did not know the exact date” in his autobiography sewing the mustard. He has been accused of his ambition to be the first leader of United East African and grooming his son to succeed him.
6. Umar Al-Bashar, Sudan – 26 YEARS
President Al-Bashar is the sixth longest serving presidents in Africa following president Museveni of Uganda. He took over power in 1989 when the Northern and Southern Sudan were in the middle of a 21-year civil war. In July 2011, after a second Sudanese civil war, South Sudan gained independence following a referendum that passed with 98.83% votes leaving president Al-Bashar with Northern Sudan and president Salva Kiir Mayardit with Southern Sudan. President Al-bashar was quoted by a local media in 2013 to have said “those who are waiting for the Arab spring to come to Sudan will be waiting for a while.” With many of the North African countries being hit by the event of Arab spring, Al-Bashir is yet to be faced with political unrest that calls for his vacation of office.
7. Idris Derby, Chad – 25 YEARS
Idris Derby came into power in December 1990 when took over at the head of rebellion against president Hissene Habre. He has survived several rebellions against his own government. He abolished the time limit from the constitution which enabled him to contest election after two terms of 1996, 2001 in the 2006, 2011 and 2016. He pledged that after winning the April 2016 election, he will reinstate the term limits eliminated in 2005. He was re-elected for a fifth term on 10 April 2016.
8. Isaias Afwerki, Eritrea – 23 YEARS
He led the Eritrean People Liberation Front (EPLF) to victory in 1993 to gain independence from Ethiopia ending the 30-year old liberation struggle. Ever since he took over as president he has been the de facto leader with no opposition. The election scheduled for 2007 never took place and the constitution ratified has not been implemented. He is criticized for not introducing democratic reforms. In January 2016, president Afwerki led-government made it lawful for Eritrean men to marry more than two wives, failure of which will attract life imprisonment with hard labor. The government thus pledged to support men who abide by the said law. This action was prompted by the need to increase men population which has reduced as a result of the succession war with Ethiopia from 1998 to 2000 where more than 150,000 soldiers were lost. The law sprung up interests on social media, thus increasing the popularity of the country.
9. Yahya Jammeh, Gambia – 21 YEARS
President Yahya AbdulAziz Jemus Junkun Jammeh took over power in 1994 military coup as a young Army officer. He was thereafter elected president in 1996 and subsequently in 2001, 2006 and 2011 election. A military coup was reported to have been thwarted against the young president in March 2006 when he traveled to Mauritania. Some military officers were arrested, tried for treason and sentenced to life imprisonment. President Jammeh is a frontrunner of the campaign against homosexuality with the view that those who do so want to put an end to humanity. On 16 June 2015, the state house released a statement that the president should be addressed as “His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh Babili Mansa.” Despite several criticisms from Western countries and humanitarian organizations, his seclusiveness has little or no effect on his grip on power in Gambia.
10. Denis Sassou Nguesso, Republic of Congo – 18 YEARS
President Nguesso was the president of the Republic of Congo from 1979 to 1992 when he was stripped of executive power by the National Conference. He contested as a presidential candidate in the 1992 election but was defeated by president Pascal Lissouba. He remained an opposition leader for five years before ousting president Pascal Lissouba in 2007 after a brief bloody two month old civil war. He won the 2002 presidential election and was subsequently re-elected at the 2009 election. In 2015, a new constitution was passed, which has a provision that enabled him to contest in the 2016 election for another seven-year term. The move was considered a constitutional coup by the opposition party.
In each of the above countries, there have been reports of human right abuses, restriction of social media, suppression of opposition activities, unlawful constitutional alteration and massive diversion of the country’s wealth among others.
One major problem that these countries persistently face is the inability to hold a free and fair election. It is evident that incumbent presidents have continuously found a way to cling on to power by way of rigging elections and unlawful constitutional amendments. To tackle this, the oppositions employ every possible means to topple the incumbent making the election a do or die affair.
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