Paris, Nov 4 (AFP\/APP): Cameroon President Paul Biya, who on Sunday marks 40 years in power, is Africa’s second longest-serving leader after Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.<\/p>\n
But they are far from alone among leaders on the continent who have clocked up decades in office.
\nHere’s a snapshot of Africa’s ageing rulers:<\/p>\n
– Biya: Four decades –
\nCameroon has lived through 40 years of largely unchallenged and hardline rule under Biya.<\/p>\n
The 89-year-old runs the country through a very small circle of aides, whom he appoints and banishes as he sees fit.<\/p>\n
Openly talking about succession is taboo even for his closest supporters, and Biya has overseen a ruthless crackdown on dissent since his highly contested re-election in 2018.<\/p>\n
– Obiang: Longest-serving –
\nObiang, who came to power in an August 3, 1979 coup, is Africa’s longest-serving leader, with 43 years at the helm. Next month, at the age of 80, he will run for a sixth term lasting seven years.<\/p>\n
– Nguesso: 38 years –
\nIn Congo-Brazzaville, Denis Sassou Nguesso, 78, has been in power for 38 years, albeit not uninterruptedly.<\/p>\n
He was president from 1979 to 1992, then returned to office in 1997 after a civil war. He was re-elected in 2016 after the passing of a new constitution, then won a fourth mandate on March 21 this year.<\/p>\n
– Museveni: A sixth term –
\nIn Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, 78, has led his country for 36 years, since January 1986. He was re-elected in January 2021 for a sixth term after a contested campaign.<\/p>\n
A Supreme Court ruling to abolish an age ceiling of 75 allowed him to stand once again and continue serving.<\/p>\n
– King Mswati III: In power at 18 –
\nEswatini (formerly Swaziland), Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy, has been ruled by King Mswati III for 36 years.<\/p>\n
He ascended to the throne in April 1986 aged just 18.<\/p>\n
– Eritrea: 30th anniversary looms –
\nIsaias Afwerki, 76, has ruled the Horn of Africa nation with an iron fist since independence in May 1993.<\/p>\n
– African longevity –
\nOther African leaders in recent history also notched up huge spells in office.<\/p>\n
The record-breaker is Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, who ruled for 44 years before being overthrown in 1974.<\/p>\n
Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi held sway for almost 42 years. He was killed in 2011 as protests against his rule mushroomed into armed conflict.<\/p>\n
Gabon’s Omar Bongo Ondimba had been at the helm for 41 years when he died in June 2009.<\/p>\n
Angolan leader Jose Eduardo dos Santos stepped down in September 2017 after 38 years in charge. Never democratically elected, the former Marxist rebel died in July 2022 aged 79.<\/p>\n
Former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, who died in September 2019 almost two years after being forced to step down, held office for more than 37 years.<\/p>\n
In Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, who came to power in a coup in June 1989, remained in charge for 30 years until the military overthrew him in 2019.<\/p>\n
In Chad, Idriss Deby Itno ruled for 30 years from December 1990 until his death in April 2021. He was succeeded by his son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Paris, Nov 4 (AFP\/APP): Cameroon President Paul Biya, who on Sunday marks 40 years in power, is Africa’s second longest-serving leader after Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. But they are far from alone among leaders on the continent who have clocked up decades in […]<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":61923,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6222],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features"],"yoast_head":"\n