List of African Presidents Who Extended Term Limits

Africa is the second-largest continent in the world after Asia, with 54 countries and their presidents. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Red Sea to the east, and the Indian Ocean.

Several African presidents have extended their term limits, primarily through constitutional amendments and manipulation of the electoral process.

In Africa, there are presidents who have initiated extension of term limits, to clinch a re-election, they include, including Burundi’s Pierre Nkurunziza, Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, and Cameroon’s Paul Biya.

Africa is also home to strongmen and dictators who rule with an iron fist and cling to power for decades, undermining Africa’s democracy and rule of law.

African Presidents Who Extended Term Limits

Guinea’s Alpha Condé

President Alpha Condé was elected for the third term, as opposed to the constitutional two-term limit. However, Guinea’s President Alpha Condé signed a decree calling for legislative elections and a referendum to amend the constitution that allowed him to serve another term.

The 84-year-old on 5 September 2021, Condé was captured and overthrown by the military

Yoweri Museveni (Uganda)

The Ugandan President has been in power since 1986. In 2005, Uganda’s parliament removed presidential term limits from the constitution, allowing Museveni to run for another term in 2006.

Additionally, in 2017, the age limit for presidential candidates (75 years) was also removed, further enabling Museveni to extend his rule. As of 2021, he has continued to hold power.

Paul Biya (Cameroon)

Cameroon President was elected as president in 1982.  In 2008, Cameroon’s parliament abolished presidential term limits, allowing Biya to run for re-election beyond the two-term limit.

Paul Biya has been in power for over 40 years, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in Africa.

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Rwanda’s Paul Kagame

Paul Kagame was first elected as president in 2000.

In 2015, Rwandans voted to extend the constitution’s two-term limit; however, under the new changes, Kagame was given another seven-year term and two five-year terms after that, which will warrant him to remain in power until 2034.

Kagame, who won a third term in 2017, has faced mounting criticism for what human rights groups, independent media houses, from political opposition however, he remains defiant clinging to power.

Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara

Alassane Ouattara was elected in 2010. He insisted on the adoption of a new constitution in 2016 that would allow him to run for a third term in the 2020 presidential race.

However, his third limit was faced with public protests that called for fairness and democracy.

Also Read: List of African Women Who Have Served as Presidents

Burundi’s Pierre Nkurunziza

Pierre Nkurunziza was elected as president in 2005. However, after completing his term limit, he announced in 2015 that he would run for a third term.

A referendum was conducted in 2018 to approve changes that extended the length of presidential terms to seven years.

The changes in the constitution allowed Nkurunziza to serve a further two terms, extending his rule until 2034. The opposition rejected the results, and the United States added their voice by stating that the process had been rigged through voter intimidation.

Congo Republic’s Denis Sassou Nguesso

Denis Sassou Nguesso was elected as president in 1979. The constitution in the Congo Republic was later changed by referendum in 2015, lifting term and age limits that would have excluded Nguesso from running again.

Denis Sassou won a new five-year term in a 2016 election, although the opposition rejected the outcome, terming it as fraud.

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