These head states claims they are serving out of wills of their people. Some organize elections which are marred by irregularities and others choose to be the only candidates in the ballot papers.
Below are the longest serving leaders in Africa.
1. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo – 42 years
Equatorial Guinea’s President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is currently the world’s longest serving president.
He has been in power for 42 years. He came into power in 1979 having toppled his own uncle.
2. Paul Biya – 39 years.
Paul Biya (born in 1933) is the world’s longest serving non-loyal leader in the world, having served both as Prime Minister ( 1975-1982) and President from 1982.
He was re-elected in 2018 to serve another 7 years term.
3. Denis Sassou Nguesso -36 years.
He was born in 1943, he has been the president of Congo Brazzaville since1997 after overthrowing the then President Pascal Lissouba. He was again a president from 1979 to 1992, where he served as an opposition leader for five years under President Pascal Lissouba who was first democratically elected President of the Republic of the Congo.
4. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni -34 years.
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni ( born in 1944) has been in power since 1986 after his rebels won the war that ousted President Milton Obote, before that, he was involved in rebellion that toppled President Idi Amin in 1979.
He was elected for sixth term in January 2021.
5. Idris Déby -30 years- killed in 2021
Idris Déby was born in 1952 and died on 20 April 2021 a week after he won Presidential elections in the hands of militants when he was commanding his armies in frontline battle against rebels from Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT),Déby succumbed to gun injuries according to army spokesman. He seized power in 1990 after leading a rebellion against the then President Hissène Habré.
6. Isaias Afwerki -27 years.
Since Eritrea gained official independence from Ethiopia in April 1993, Isaias Afwerki has been the only head of state ever since, as of 2021.
