September 1, 2023, News/Comments
EDITORIAL: Gabon, a country of 2. 5m population, rich in timber, manganese and oil, as the 5th largest oil producing nation in Africa, accounting for 50% of its GDP and 80% of export, yet, its citizens are terribly poor, even as its leaders continue to live in affluent especially the dynasty of the umpire, the deposed president Ali Bongo whose late father ruled the country for more than 41 years. Unfortunately, it is a sad commentary that Africa, as a continent with most of its leaders assuming lifetime power at all cost through frivolous and fraudulent elections couple with the indices of failed leadership and economic misfortune on their part.
The deposed President Bongo, as citizens jubilate
Now that Gabon has joined the league of the 21st military junta in Africa, like its counterparts, Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, Mali, and Niger Republic; what is the hope for other African countries watching since democratic Institutions that should protect democracy continue to connive with these failed leaders and then give rooms for military coup.
Yes, it could be debated that, only in some part of Africa that, nothing is done well, if election is conducted, it is either by fire by force or by violence and intimidation to grab power. The truth is that, until desperate African leaders and its benefactors begin to understand and learn the true meaning of democracy, which is the choice to freely choose who govern, including respecting the independency of institutions, then, the continent will never be free from military coup. It is also clear that, most African leaders have behaved despotically poor, govern badly and have caged the collectively resources of the people. Why won’t military strike?.
Gabon just had its election on August 26, 2023 marred with irregularities and fraud as alleged and reported by the international media and observers. Though, the deposed president, Bongo has spent 14 years in power, and had scored 64.27 percent of the vote according to the country’s electoral body while his main rival, Albert Ondo Ossa, won just 30.77 percent of the vote, even as he described the election as “fraud orchestrated by the Bongo’s camp”. Certainly, this is not far from the truth, In fact, it is crystal clear that most of the serving presidents in Africa today came into power through electoral fraud, and rather than sit up and provide leadership, they play politics and impoverish its citizens and have total disregard to the rule of law.
The Gabon’s example is alarming because Ossa had called for the cancellation of the election because of his belief of electoral broad day robbery. The military took the opportunity to annul the election, as they said “all the institutions of the republic” had been dissolved. “We have decided to defend peace by putting an end to the current regime”. One of the soldiers said on TV channel Gabon 24 that he was speaking on behalf of the “Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions.
Continuing, he reiterated: “To this end, the general elections of 26 August 2023 and the truncated results are cancelled. “All the institutions of the republic are dissolved: the government, the Senate, the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court” He also announced the closure of the country’s borders “until further notice”.
The people of Gabon had taken their destiny through a military coup, which we see citizen’s jubilation and support of the coupists, because their expectations have been jammed by Bongo’s government, leaving many of them in abject poverty, which Aljazeera News captured:
“Meanwhile, a third of Gabon’s 2.5 million people live in poverty, and basic social services are also lacking despite it having one of the highest gross domestic products per capita on the continent.“It’s not a very glorious performance,” Mouissi told Al Jazeera of Ali Bongo. “He has only kept 12 percent of his promises. … Quality of life has deteriorated. … Poverty and unemployment have risen by three or four [percentage] points between the previous presidential election and this election, and that’s something I can tell you as an economist.”
Now that, France 24, as reported that General Brice Oligui Nguema, who was named Gabon’s new leader in the hours following a military takeover on Wednesday, served the central African country’s long-time former president Omar Bongo before turning on his son, ousted leader Ali Bongo. Now, will he bring hope, transformation and economic confidence before the citizens, and ensure quick transition of government to a civilian rule, that, is what no one can tentatively assure.
AU, ECOWAS
They must begin to redefine democracy and set agenda towards respecting the rule of law. Democracy strives on this. And of course, no insane individual whether military or civilian will like to engage in planning coup if democracy is working. The duo must begin to address desperation of its members to remain in power, not only on gathering to discuss military coups of countries, as their failed leadership is the root cause of coups. They must begin to think the African agenda of encompassing economic blueprint, create regional employment and opportunities for better welfare of its citizens, while discouraging electorate fradulents perpetuated by most of his members.
Meanwhile, Daily trust had given a detailed longest serving African presidents, with or without economic transformation but failed economic policies and insecurity, corruption, poorly governed and lack of vision, even with many years in power. Their report.
Teodoro Obiang (44 years): The longest serving president in Africa as of today, he is the current and second president of Equatorial Guinea, a position he has held since August 1979. He is the longest-serving president not just in Africa but of any country ever. Obiang Teodoro came into power after he ousted his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema, in an August 1979 military coup.
Paul Biya (41 years): Paul Biya has served as the president of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. He is the second-longest-ruling president in Africa and one of the oldest presidents in the world. His regime is supported by France, one of the former colonial powers in Cameroon, which supplies it with weapons, aids and trains its military forces.
Denis Sassou Nguese (39 years): The Republic of the Congo’s President Denis Sassou Nguess has spent 34 years in office, but not in one go. He first served from 1979 to 1992 and returned in 1997 at the end of a civil war. He is the third longest serving president in Africa.
Yoweri Museveni (37 years): Yoweri Museveni has been the president of Uganda since 1986 making him the fourth longest serving African president. He took office in January 1986 after winning the war that toppled Ugandan presidents Milton Obote and Idi Amin.
Records indicate that none of the Ugandan elections have been found to be free and transparent since Museveni took over.
King Mswati III (37 years): Mswati III is the king of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and head of the Swazi royal family.He was crowned as Mswati III, Ingwenyama and King of Swaziland, on 25 April 1986 at the age of 18, making him the world’s youngest king at the time.He co-rules the nation with his mother, Ntfombi Tfwala, who is currently Queen Mother (Ndlovukati).
Isaias Afwerki (30 years): Isaias Afwerki is the first president of Eritrea. The Eritrean leader Isaias Afwerki has been in charge since the country got its independence from Ethiopia in April 1993. He is the sixth longest serving president in Africa.
Letsie III (27 years): Letsie III is the current King of Lesotho and the 7th longest serving ruler in Africa. He succeeded his father, Moshoeshoe II, after he died in a car crash in 1996. His coronation took place in October 1997 at Setsoto Stadium and was attended by current King Charles of England. As a constitutional monarch, most of King Letsie’s duties as monarch of Lesotho are ceremonial.
Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (24 years): Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is the current President of Djibouti. He has been in office since 1999, making him the 8th longest-serving ruler in Africa. Guelleh was first elected as President in 1999 as the handpicked successor to his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, who had ruled Djibouti since independence in 1977. He was re-elected in 2005, 2011 and again in 2016.
Mohammed VI (24 years): Mohammed VI is the King of Morocco. He belongs to the ‘Alawi dynasty and ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999, upon the death of his father, King Hassan II. Mohammed is the 9th longest serving ruler in Africa and is also regarded by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre as the seventh most influential Muslim in the world in 2022.
Paul Kagame (23 years): Paul Kagame who assumed office in 2000 is the fourth and current president of Rwanda, and the 10th longest serving president in Africa. Kagame had been de facto leader since 1994, but focused more on military, foreign affairs and the country’s security than day-to-day governance. He only went after the top job when the then president Bizimungu resigned. Kagame was sworn in as president in April 2000.
Previous long serving presidents– Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie holds the record for the Longest Serving President in Africa. He was ousted in 1974 after ruling for 44 years.
Libya’s Ghadafi ruled for nearly 42 years before he was killed in 2011 after a protest movement turned into an armed conflict sponsored by NATO. Gabon’s Omar Bongo died in June 2009 after more than 41 years in power. Angola’s Jose Eduardo dos Santos stepped down in September 2017; he ruled for 38 years. Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo ruled for 38 years from 1967 to his death in 2005. Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe was forced out in November 2017 after 37 years at the helm. Chad’s Idriss Deby ruled for 31 years before his death on 19 April 2021. He died due to complications from injuries sustained during a terrorist attack. African Union and the Economic Community of West Africa States must be to address the desperation of its member to remain in power, and even change their constitution in their favours.
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