In Africa, elections have become too inconvenient for leaders

Across Africa, elections are becoming an inconvenience for leaders seeking to prolong their rule, often through constitutional manipulation. Angola's José Eduardo dos Santos, who led the country for 31 years after succeeding the MPLA's founding president in 1979, found a solution to his perceived lack of popularity in 2010. He oversaw the approval of a new constitution that abolished the direct election of the president, instead making the leader of the majority party in parliament the automatic head of state. This effectively extended his unelected tenure until 2012 and removed the people's right to choose their leader.

Neighboring the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Joseph Kabila took note. After being elected to a second term in 2011, Kabila employed various strategies to stay in power, manipulating the system to his advantage. When his term expired in December 2016, he contrived to grant himself an unelected two-year extension. The country eventually forced him to relinquish power in 2019, ending his 18-year rule.

In Togo, Faure Gnassingbe has been in power for 21 years, succeeding his father. Facing term limits in May 2024, Gnassingbe abolished the executive presidency and the right of citizens to elect their president. A new constitution established two presidential offices, with the newly created President of the Council of Ministers holding all executive powers. This move effectively ended speculation about term limits and allowed Gnassingbe to continue his grip on power, bypassing the democratic will of the Togolese people.