5 LONGEST PRESIDENTS IN POWER-AFRICA

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema

On 31 July we saw Hon:Robert Gabriel Mugabe wins election by 61%  to secure his 7th term at the age of 89.


We take a quick look on the 5 Presidents in Africa who have the longest period in power.

No 5: PRESIDENT YOWERI MUSEVENI of UGANDA
25 YEARS An ex-army officer Yoweri Museveni led his National Resistance Army into Kampala in January 1986 to seize power. Since then He managed to win 4 elections on his own terms of democracy. Despite,oppositions disputed the results and recently he clamped down on demonstrators that are not happy because of corruption on his government and high living costs in country.

No 4: PRESIDENT PAUL BIYA of CAMEROON

29 YEARS In November 1982, Cameroon's first post-independence leader, Ahmadou Ahidjo,formally resigned due to ill-health, and handed the presidency to his Prime Minister, Paul Biya. Cameroon’s president, Paul Biya, described as running government finances “like a petty cash fund”,booked himself and his entourage a $1.2m three week holiday by chartered jet to the French resortof La Baule. They took 43 rooms in two luxury hotels costing $60,000 a night, went on shopping sprees and splashed cash on casino nights. ” reported the US embassy in Cameroon. “When Biya traveled to the United Nations general assembl in September 2008, a member of his entourage was caught as he tried to escape from Biya’s Geneva  hotel with a bag filled with 3.4m Swiss francs (about $6.8 million)in cash.”

No 3: PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE of ZIMBABWE

31 YEARS The world cheered when, after leading a long guerrilla war, Robert Mugabe led his Zanu party to victory at the elections in February 1980, after Zimbabwe had won its independence from Britain. But he is no longer a global favorite and the opposition accuses him of destroying his country in a bid to stay in power. The Mugabe administration has been criticized around the world for corruption, suppression of political opposition, mishandling of land reform , economic mismanagement, and the deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe He is now sharing power - but remains president.

No 2: PRESIDENT JOSE EDUARDO DOS SANTOS of ANGOLA

32 YEARS He's nick name "quite dictator" came to power in September 1979, one month after the longest serving President in Africa came into power.  President Jose Eduardo dos Santos assumed power on the death of Angola's first president, Agostinho Neto, But for much of the time after that, he ruled onlyover half the country, as his MPLA fought a civil war against Unita. Now, with the war over, and Unita crushed at parliamentary two years ago elections, he is being called on to hold an election for the presidency. No firm date has yet been set. Since then he has been manipulate the weak opposition.

No 1: President TEODORO OBIANG NGUEMA of EQUATORIAL GUINEA

NEARLY 32 YEARS He's now the longest serving President in Africa. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema came to power in August 3, 1979 he deposed his uncle in a violent coup d'état, supported by 600 mercenaries licensed from Hassan II of Morocco, Macias Nguema(uncle), who fled but was later captured and executed. Despite its new-found oil wealth, 60% of the people of Equatorial Guinea live on less than a dollar a day. But they clearly all love President Nguema, as he won 97% of the vote at the last election in 2002.