Three weeks ago, President Paul Biya of Cameroon returned to his home country after weeks abroad amid rumours that his health was failing.
The 91-year-old president of the West African country appeared on television on October 21 at the airport in the capital Yaounde, shaking hands with officials next to his wife, Chantal, and greeted by a cheering crowd of supporters.
Questions about Biya’s health and his whereabouts grew after he was last seen in public in September at the China-Africa summit in Beijing.
Since then, he was not attending gatherings where he had been expected, including the United Nations General Assembly and the International Organization of La Francophonie summit in France.
Biya is Africa’s second-longest-serving leader and Cameroon’s second president since independence in 1960. He has been in power since 1982. He is the only leader many in the country have ever known.
In contrast to Biya’s repressive nature, the announcement of the decision by President Joe Biden of the United States of America to quit the 2024 presidential race for his re-election reverberated around the world and has since become a major talking point globally.
His decision to bring a sudden end to his half-century career in politics attracted not just praise from his fellow Democrats, but also kind words from world leaders.
Biden, 81, is the first sitting president not to seek re-election since 1968 when Lyndon Johnson halted his campaign as his popularity sank during the Vietnam War.
The US President stressed that he ended his re-election campaign in a bid to save democracy in the United States. He also pointed out that he endorsed his deputy, Kamala Harris, to unite fellow Democrats and the country.
“I revere this office. But I love my country more. I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. “There’s a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices and yes, younger voices.
That is the best way to unite our nation,” Biden said.
“African leaders need to understand that the only thing constant in life is change and that everything is constantly changing.”
According to him, “nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.”
Since the announcement was made, the US President has continued to receive praises for his decision to step down from the race in the interest of the American people.
Prior to the decision to step down, he had come under intense and mounting pressure from fellow Democrats after a disastrous debate performance in June with his arch rival, Donald Trump, when he appeared feeble and confused, among other gaffes ahead of the November 5, 2024 polls.
It is instructive to note that Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race offers significant lessons for African leaders, particularly those who have held power for extended periods.
In Africa, some of its leaders find it extremely difficult to embrace democratic culture and sacrifice their ambition for the general progress of the society, as they keep coming up with ways to stay in power. These set of rulers cling to power for decades, either by force, breaking laws or by altering their constitutions even when they are dying.
For instance, the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who is over 80 years old, has ruled the country for 43 years.
In Cameroon, despite his poor health, Paul Biya, who has ruled the country since 1982, is not willing to step down; just as it is in the Republic of the Congo, where Denis Sassou Nguesso has held on to power for 38 years.
In Uganda, the story is not different as Yoweri Museveni, 79, has ruled his country for 37 years since January 1986.
Similarly, Isaias Afwerki, 76, has been Eritrea’s President since the East African country gained independence in 1993, while Ismaïl Omar Guellé, has been ruling as President of Djibouti since 1999, despite his declining health.
In the same manner, the likes of Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s President since 2000; Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of Togo since 2005, Alassane Dramane Ouattara, President of Ivory Coast since 2010, among others, have all found ways around their respective political systems to perpetuate themselves on power, in some instances against the wish of their citizens.
These African sit-tight leaders have continued in this pattern rather than build strong democratic traditions that would discourage leaders refusing to relinquish power and ensure a smooth transfer of power.
The continent as a whole continues to suffer from leaders’ attempts to extend their terms in office and adopt a rigid mindset.
Due to the despotic nature of these dictators, it has not only caused immense suffering for the majority of the populace but has also had a detrimental effect on the continent’s overall progress and development.
The issue of conflict, which takes different forms and leads to loss of lives and property, forced displacement of a sizable population, refugee crises, poverty, starvation, and the continent’s general underdevelopment process, comes at the end of these leaders’ attempts to perpetuate themselves in power.
African leaders need to understand that the only thing constant in life is change and that everything is constantly changing. Therefore, it becomes quite unsettling to see how an African leader generally detests change in leadership, finds it extremely difficult to abide by the constitution’s provisions regarding the terms of office, and will do everything in their power to prolong their tenure—even in the face of resolute opposition from the populace, which frequently pays with their lives.
Periodic change in political leadership through a democratic process makes leaders accountable to the people they represent. The threat of being voted out of office encourages responsiveness to public needs and concerns.
Democratic processes ensure that a wider range of voices and perspectives are represented in government. This leads to policies that better reflect the interests of the entire population.
Former American president, Barack Obama, was spot on in a powerful speech he delivered to Ghana’s parliament in 2009 when he stated, “Africa does not need strong men, it needs strong institutions.”
