Another coup has occurred in Africa. According to a group of army commanders, this time, Omar Bongo and his son Ali’s combined 53-year rule over the Central African nation of Gabon ended.
The putschists claimed they were voiding the election results on Saturday, extending President Ali Bongo’s 14-year rule.
If successful, it will mark the continent’s tenth coup d’état, with the most recent occurring in the Niger Republic.
The longevity of certain African leaders in office has been cited by several commentators as one explanation for the increasingly regular coups on the continent. To be precise, nine African presidents have been in office for more than 20 years.
Below is a report of the seven longest-serving presidents in Africa.
1. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (44 years)
The longest-serving president in Africa has been Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea since 1979. President Obiang’s early years of leadership were marked by his reputation as a cruel autocrat. He was in charge of a regime that executed and tortured political opponents.
Human rights organisations have criticised President Obiang in recent years for continuing to oppress the Equatorial Guinean people.
2. Paul Biya (42 years)
Paul Biya’s rule in Cameroon is not about to end anytime soon.
President Biya has ruled the nation since being installed as president in a coup d’état in 1982. He was a leader noted for being oppressive in the early years of his administration.
In the 1990s, he relinquished national control and permitted multiparty elections. Nonetheless, he has remained in charge ever since.
Human rights organisations have given President Biya plenty of grief for his continuous suppression of the Cameroonian people.
3. Denis Sassou (36 years)
For 36 years, Denis Sassou has ruled the Republic of the Congo. He first took office in 1979 and has subsequently won three more elections. At 80, Sassou is among the senior African leaders of the state.
His over thirty years in power have been criticised, and he has been accused of everything from corruption to lousy leadership and human rights abuses. But to him, that has never been a good enough excuse to give up.
4. King Mswati III (36-year rule)
King Mswati III has ruled Eswatini, Africa’s last surviving absolute monarchy, for 36 years. He was only 18 when he took the throne in April 1986.
5. Yoweri Museveni (35 years)
Yoweri Museveni has ruled Uganda for 35 years. He first took office in 1986 and has since won three more elections. At 79, Museveni is the third-oldest head of state in Africa.
According to his detractors, Museveni has grown more authoritarian over time, silencing criticism and restricting civil freedoms.
Term restrictions have been demanded in Uganda recently, but Museveni has resisted these calls. In 2017, he changed the constitution to abolish the presidential age limit, making him a lifelong president.
6. Isaias Afwerki (30 years)
Isaias Afwerki has been Eritrea’s president for thirty years. He first assumed office in 1993 after spearheading the nation’s Ethiopian independence campaign. Since then, Afwerki has won two more elections.
All of the able-bodied residents of Eritrea are forced to serve in the military, making it one of the most militarised nations in the world. As a result, many Eritreans have left their homeland for safety and opportunities abroad.
7. Paul Kagame (23 years)
Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, is running for reelection in 2024. He has held the position since 2000.
The constitution was altered in 2015, extending his tenure to 2034.
Official results from the previous presidential election, which took place six years ago, revealed that he received 99% of the vote, which many people outside the nation condemned as fraud.
When asked if he would run for office again, Kagame responded, “I will think about it for another 20 years. That is not a problem for me. Elections are about the voters’ choices.
