Politics

Rwanda’s Paul Kagame announces plan to contest for third term. See other African leaders who broke the law

Published

2 years ago

July 9, 2022

Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, has announced his intention to contest for the third term which could see him remain in office until 2034.

Even though the Rwandan constitution limits the tenure to two seven-year terms, Kagame’s announcement that he would extend his rule beyond 2027, would require amending the constitution to suit his desire.

The move which has been roundly criticized by civil society groups in the country has been subtly promoted by calls on state-controlled media for Kagame to be allowed to stay on for a third.

Kagame, a former Colonel in the Rwandan army who came to power in 2000 after leading the Rwandan Patriotic Front to overthrow the extremist Hutu government behind the 1994 genocide, transformed himself into a civilian president when he contested and won the presidental elections in 2003 and again in 2010 with overwhelming majorities.

This is not the first time Kagame will go against the Rwandan constitution on the tenure of the president. In December 2015, in a nationwide address, Kagame had announced that he would run for a third term because the people wanted him to continue.

“You asked me to continue to lead this country after 2017. Given its importance to you, I can only accept,” he had said.

But Kagame will not be the first African leader to go beyond his tenure and extend his stay in office.

Examples abound all around the continent as many presidents have had to amend their country constitutions to favour their quest to remain in power.

He will be joining the elite class of Africa’s sit-tight leaders who circumvented their country’s constitution and manipulated the processes to perpetuate themselves in power.

He will be in league with the likes of Cameroonian President Paul Biya, who has been in power since 1982, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea who has ruled the tiny oil-rich nation for over 38 years and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni who changed the country’s constitution over five times to keep himself in power.

Other sit-tight African presidents include the now late Jose Eduardo dos Santos who perpetuated himself as Angola’s president for over 40 years, late Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe who was arguably the world’s oldest president at 93 and had been president for 40 years.

Others in this esteem list include late Chadian president, Idriss Deby, Sudan’
Omar Al-Bashir, Isaias Afewerki of Eritrea, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Republic of Congo, Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi and Togo’s Faure Gnassingbe who made sure he was succeeded by his son.

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.