African Leaders - Despots and Democratic

[arghton 6,763]

Jose Eduardo dos Santos allegedly dead at 79:

https://observador.pt/2022/07/08/morreu-jose-eduardo-dos-santos-o-senhor-absoluto-de-angola-durante-quase-40-anos/

Couldn't find anything else reporting it except obsevador.pt, though 

[arghton 6,763]

12 minutes ago, arghton said:

Jose Eduardo dos Santos allegedly dead at 79:

https://observador.pt/2022/07/08/morreu-jose-eduardo-dos-santos-o-senhor-absoluto-de-angola-durante-quase-40-anos/

Couldn't find anything else reporting it except obsevador.pt, though 

Reuters:

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/angolas-former-president-dos-santos-dies-79-2022-07-08/

[ladyfiona 2,595]

Not seen Paul Kagame get mentioned anywhere as far as I can see. He has been leader of Rwanda for 20 years and has said he would like to rule for another 20. He has already changed the constitution allowing him to remain in power until 2034.

 

Apparently in the last presidential election five years ago, official figures showed he won 99% percent of the vote.

[YoungWillz 21,066]

4 minutes ago, ladyfiona said:

Not seen Paul Kagame get mentioned anywhere as far as I can see. He has been leader of Rwanda for 20 years and has said he would like to rule for another 20. He has already changed the constitution allowing him to remain in power until 2034.

 

Apparently in the last presidential election five years ago, official figures showed he won 99% percent of the vote.

Wait until he has to deal with that immigrant problem. 

 

Oh wait, I mean Britain's disposal bin...

[arghton 6,763]

Remember when I mentioned Abdoulaye Wade is participating in Senegal's July 31st elections, leading an opposition coalition? He is in France and has not spoken publicly since the start of his campaign. 

https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20220720-législatives-au-sénégal-abdoulaye-wade-96-ans-tête-de-liste-de-wallu-et-grand-absent

However he "might come back to Senegal before the election"

[drol 11,974]

On 22/07/2022 at 16:39, arghton said:

Remember when I mentioned Abdoulaye Wade is participating in Senegal's July 31st elections, leading an opposition coalition? He is in France and has not spoken publicly since the start of his campaign. 

https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20220720-législatives-au-sénégal-abdoulaye-wade-96-ans-tête-de-liste-de-wallu-et-grand-absent

However he "might come back to Senegal before the election"

Abdoulaye Wade back to Senegal. Also walks unaided and looks good despite the article defining him frail.

[drol 11,974]

On 30/07/2022 at 18:39, drol said:

Abdoulaye Wade back to Senegal. Also walks unaided and looks good despite the article defining him frail.

Here's Abdoulaye Wade voting (for himself). Looks very good for his age.

[arghton 6,763]

General Elly Tumwine, (former?) Ugandan Museveni ally, major leader in the Ugandan Bush War (Commander of the National Resistance Army 1984-1987) and former Security Minister who has been involved in kidnapping opposition politicians reportedly rushed to hospital in critical condition:

https://pearltimes.co.ug/ex-minister-gen-elly-tumwine-reportedly-hospitalized/

[arghton 6,763]

Choguel Kokalla Maïga, Prime Minister of Mali, hospitalised after "exhaustion" or stroke or whatever and now "placed on forced rest"

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/13/malis-prime-minister-choguel-maiga-ordered-to-rest-by-doctor

[drol 11,974]

On 10/08/2022 at 15:09, arghton said:

General Elly Tumwine, (former?) Ugandan Museveni ally, major leader in the Ugandan Bush War (Commander of the National Resistance Army 1984-1987) and former Security Minister who has been involved in kidnapping opposition politicians reportedly rushed to hospital in critical condition:

https://pearltimes.co.ug/ex-minister-gen-elly-tumwine-reportedly-hospitalized/

Tumwine airlifted to Nairobi . Reportedly suffers from cancer.

[drol 11,974]

On 15/08/2022 at 12:20, drol said:

Tumwine airlifted to Nairobi . Reportedly suffers from cancer.

Elly Tumwine dead.

[drol 11,974]

Current secretary of OIC and former minister of Foreign Affairs of Chad, Hissein Brahim Taha, hospitalised. 

[drol 11,974]

Ali Hassan Mwinyi dead.

 

Oh, sorry. That's Hassan Ali Hassan Mwinyi, a son of former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi.

 

Close but no cigar.

[arghton 6,763]

On 31/08/2022 at 21:17, drol said:

Ali Hassan Mwinyi dead.

 

Oh, sorry. That's Hassan Ali Hassan Mwinyi, a son of former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi.

 

Close but no cigar.

Mwinyi himself looked great at the funeral. Well enough to walk without aid, to hold a shove and overall seemed in great condition for a 97-year-old.

 

 

Here's a (new) list of elderly African despots* - up to 1942. .

*Only Presidents included. Interim, acting ones not underlined.

 

Ali Hassan Mwinyi (1925) President of Tanzania 1985-1995. Seems to be in great health despite dementia rumors.

Abdoulaye Wade (1926) President of Senegal 2000-2012. Rumored dead multiple times.

Sam Nujoma (1929) First President 1990-2005 and grand old man of Namibia. Seemingly in great health.

Jamshid bin Abdullah of Zanzibar (1929) Sultan of Zanzibar 1963-1964. Not in great health.

Paul Biya (1933) Everruling President (since 1982, previously prime minister 1975-1982) of Cameroon, increasingly frail

Fouad Mebazaa (1933) Interim President of Tunisia 2011.

Pedro Pires (1934) President of Cape Verde 2001-2011, earlier the first Prime Minister of the country 1975-1991. Suffered from internal bleeding a few years ago.

Nicéphore Soglo (1934) President of Benin 1991-1996, Prime Minister 1990-1991. Hospitalised and rumored dead in 2005. Widowed in 2021.

Henri Konan Bédié (1934) President of Ivory Coast 1993-1999. Still in great health.

Yakubu Gowon (1934) President of Nigeria 1966-1975.

Mohamed Ennaceur (1934) Acting President of Tunisia 2019. Was in poor health in 2019.

Hifikepunye Pohamba (1935) President of Namibia 2005-2015. In ill health in 2011, scheduled surgery in July 2022.

Leonel Mário d'Alva (1935) Acting President of São Tomé and Príncipe 1991

Abdou Diouf (1935) President of Senegal 1981-2000

Miguel Trovoada (1936) President of São Tomé and Príncipe 1991-1995, 1995-2001

Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (1936) President of Somaliland 2010-2017

Mengistu Haile Mariam (1937) Ethiopia's terrible communist dictator 1977-1991 who likely killed more people than anyone else alive. Enjoying retirement in Zimbabwe with government protection, sometimes travels elsewhere for medical treatment. Sadly he seemed to be in great health in 2021.

Raouf Bundhun (1937) Acting President of Mauritius 2003.

Olusegun Obasanjo (1937) President of Nigeria 1976-1979, 1999-2007. Suffers from diabetes

Manuel Pinto da Costa (1937) President of São Tomé and Príncipe 1975-1991, 2011-2016. Won't die anytime soon.

Alpha Condé (1938) President of Guinea 2010-2021, ousted in a coup

John Kufuor (1938) President of Ghana 2001-2009. Spinal surgery + death rumors in 2012.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (1938) President of Liberia 2006-2018. Hospitalised in 2018.

Norbert Ratsirahonana (1938) Acting President of Madagascar 1996-1997, Prime Minister 1996-1997

Festus Mogae (1939) President of Botswana 1998-2008, earlier VP 1991-1998.

Abdul Ati al-Obeidi (1939-2023) Gaddafi's Prime Minister 1977-1979, "head of state" 1979-1981.

Joaquim Chissano (1939) President of Mozambique 1986-2005. Gastrointestinal infection in 2015, celebrated his 80th in hospital.

Muhammad az-Zaruq Rajab (1940) Gaddafi's Prime Minister 1984-1986, "head of state" 1981-1984.

Mohammed Magariaf (1940) Head of State of Libya 2012-2013

Peter Mutharika (1940) President of Malawi 2014-2020. Ill in 2016.

Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla (1940) President of Mauritania 1980-1984. Was in ill health a while ago.

Muse Hassan Sheikh Sayid Abdulle (1940) Acting President of Somalia in 2012.

Phelekezela Mphoko (1940) Acting President? of Zimbabwe 2017 after Mugabe's resignation.

Liamine Zéroual (1941) President of Algeria 1994-1999. Came before Bouteflika, seems to be in failing health but I don't know much about his health. Has been reported dead atleast once.

Hage Geingob (1941-2024) Namibia's incumbent President since 2015.

Abu Bakr Baira (1941) Acting President of Libya in 2014.

Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya (1941) Dictator/President of Mauritania 1984-2005. I recall he was hospitalised a few years ago.

Cassam Uteem (1941) Mauritius President 1992-2002

Ibrahim Babangida (1941) President of Nigeria 1985-1993.

Abdiqasim Salad Hassan (1941) President of Somalia 2000-2004

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (1942) Everruling President of Equatorial Guinea since 1979. Rumored to be suffering from terminal prostate cancer around 2007.

Michel Kafando (1942) Transitional President of Burkina Faso twice, 2014-2015 and 2015. Not much to say about him.

Alassane Ouattara (1942) President of Ivory Coast since 2010. Occasionally goes to France for medical treatment.

Dioncounda Traoré (1942) Acting President of Mali 2012-2013. Stripped naked and injured by protesters in 2012.

Monique Ohsan Bellepeau (1942) Two-time acting President of Mauritius.

Abdulsalami Abubakar (1942) President of Nigeria 1998-1999

Fradique de Menezes (1942) President of São Tomé and Príncipe 2001-2003, 2003-2012
Thabo Mbeki (1942) President of South Africa 1999-2008.

Emmerson Mnangagwa (1942) Incumbent President of Zimbabwe since 2017.

Jacob Zuma (1942) President of South Africa 2009-2018.

[DCI Frank Burnside 3,887]

6 minutes ago, arghton said:

 

Emmerson Mnangagwa (1942) Incumbent President of South Africa since 2017.

* Zimbabwe 

 

 

Cyril Ramaposa is the SA President 

[Summer in Transylvania 2,190]

2 minutes ago, DCI Frank Burnside said:

Cyril Ramaposa is the SA President 

On the topic of South African Presidents, no Jacob Zuma on your list @arghton? He would qualify as he was born on 12th April 1942.

[drol 11,974]

On 24/05/2022 at 19:47, drol said:

Alpha Condé hospitalised in Turkey, but has a process for murder going on...

 

 

 

Alpha Condé hospitalised again and undergoing treatment for stomach cancer.

[arghton 6,763]

John Tembo, one of the most powerful political figures in Malawi since the 1960s, Police Minister in Hastings Banda's government, candidate for President a few times, celebrating his 90th birthday today. Mentioning as he's never been mentioned here before, but has suffered from multiple chronic illnesses for a long time. He was rumored dead in 2018 and spent a long time in South Africa for "treatment of prolonged illness" in 2019. 

 

[DCI Frank Burnside 3,887]

On 24/01/2022 at 10:54, DCI Frank Burnside said:

 

 

 

Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Christian Kabore detained during an apparent coup attempt

 

And now these fellas have themselves been ousted in a coup

 

 

 

 

[arghton 6,763]

Brahim Ghali, incumbent dictator/President of the partially recognized Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic wasn't only ill with covid a year ago. Did some research on him and apparently he suffers from, according to El Pais, atleast a "cancer of the digestive system" that seems to be terminal and according to some sources also cirrhosis and hepatitis C.

 

Elderly African politicians

Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow (1921-2024) Senegal, UNESCO boss 1974-1987

Gaositwe Chiepe (1922) Botswana Minister of Trade and Industry 1977-1984, Foreign Affairs Minister 1984-1994, Minister of Education 1994-1999.

Grace "Nya'Bungu" Onyango (1924-2023) Kenya Mayor of Kisumu 1965-1969

Driss Guiga (1924) Tunisia Minister of Health 1969-1973, Education 1973-1976 and Interior 1980-1984.

Ali Hassan Mwinyi (1925-2024) President of Tanzania 1985-1995

Mohamed Bensaid Ait Idder (1925-2024) Morocco activist/politician

Gertrude Shope (1925) South Africa anti-apartheid activist

Sami Sharaf (1929-2023) Egypt Minister of State for Presidential Affairs 1961-1971

Fanny Friedman (1926) Eswatini Health Minister 1987-1993.

Abdoulaye Wade (1926) Expres Senegal

 

Anna 'Matlelima Hlalele (1929-2024) Lesothoan politician, former Assistant Minister in the govt.

Rhoda Kalema (1929) One of Uganda's first women politicians, called "Mother of Parliament", resisted Idi Amin.

Mbazulike Amaechi (1929-2022) Nigerian elder statesman who was the first Minister of Aviation.

Bulcha Demeksa (1930) Ethiopia's ancient Oromo politico.

[drol 11,974]

Ugandan political heavyweight Paul Ssemogerere dead at 90.

 

How the hell did you forgot to mention him somewhere, @arghton?

[arghton 6,763]

On 18/11/2022 at 15:56, drol said:

Ugandan political heavyweight Paul Ssemogerere dead at 90.

 

How the hell did you forgot to mention him somewhere, @arghton?

Actually he was on my radar and I was suprised I hadn't mentioned him anywhere. He also had had some hospitalisations before, however as far as I know not even nearly as ill as for example John Tembo who is the same age and his successor (now dead) was seemingly a pool pick in a few places a few years ago. 

I have however mentioned the ultrafrail Ugandan oligarch Martin Aliker two times before, of course he's still somehow alive.

 

 

Anyways here's a list of Idi Amin's govt members I know are still alive:

 

Samuel Wako Wambuzi (1931) Chief Justice 1972-1975 and two more times since. Was in debt in 2015.

Godfrey Serunkuma Lule (1932) Attorney General 1974-1977, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs 1973-1977. He was in March 1977 told that Amin is going to kill him, after which he fled to London and talked to the UN about Idi Amin's crimes. When Amin's government fell he became a lawyer, and still is.

Henry Kajura (1934) Bank Governor during Amin's times. 

Edward Rugumayo (1934) Foreign Affairs Minister 1971-1973. First of Amin's govt to resign and flee the country.

Princess Elizabeth of Toro (1936) A pretty insane life. Royal, model, first woman from East Africa to be admitted to the English Bar, virtual prisoner in her own country until Princess Margaret sent her an invitation to model in a charity fashion show, met Jacqueline Kennedy, returned to Uganda, became Idi Amin's Minister of Foreign Affairs (served under a year in 1974), escaped Uganda the following year, returned when Amin was overthrown found a much younger lover who died in a plane crash and became the ambassador to the US.

Abdul Hamid Kamulegeya Jumba-Masagazi (ca. 1936) Amin's Permanent Secretary for Education and Minister of Finance 1978-1979 after Moses Ali. Western press and sources called him "Jumba Masagazi". 

Yusuf Gowon (1936 - 2024) Amin's military Chief of Staff 1978-1979.

Henry Kyemba (ca. 1937-1939 - 2023) Health Minister 1974-1977, fled the country. Author of "A State of Blood".

Francis Itabuka (ca. 1937/1938/1939) Infamous spy chief, Director State Research Bureau-SRB 1974-1977 known for keeping Amin in power and being strongly involved in killing his political opponents.

Moses Ali (1939) Idi Amin's Minister of Finance 1977-1978, also has had a pretty insane life. Amin threw a trashcan at him during a speech, after which he immediately tried to flee the country, fought Amin-sent hitmen in a gunfight, later Amin sent ten hitmen to kill him but all failed. Obese, multiple hospitalisations, known for falling down after failing to kick a football.

Ernest Obitre Gama (1940) Minister of Internal Affairs 1971-1973, Minister of Power, Transport, and Communication 1972-1973. Diabetic.

 

 

[Sly Ronnie 886]

A video has gone viral of South Sudan president Salva Kiir Mayardit peeing himself in public:

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11542319/South-Sudans-71-year-old-president-wets-live-television-opening-new-road-project.html

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

On 16/12/2022 at 19:57, Sly Ronnie said:

A video has gone viral of South Sudan president Salva Kiir Mayardit peeing himself in public:

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11542319/South-Sudans-71-year-old-president-wets-live-television-opening-new-road-project.html

Journalist who filmed this incident has died.

[arghton 6,763]

Moses Ali was rumored dead two weeks ago (again) but the government quickly denied it, one Ugandan news source said he's "battling a yet to be confirmed disease and has on many occasions been seen feeling sickly".

Mauritania's former President Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla suffered a serious medical emergency around September. 

Botswana issues arrest warrant for former President Ian Khama.