In Africa, where many leaders cling to power, Obama’s joke about a third term had an edge
President Barack Obama spoke Tuesday at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
When President Obama joked to African Union leaders Tuesday about his theoretical ability to win a third-term if not for the U.S. Constitution, he was speaking to a group of men notorious for clinging to power.
"I love my job," Obama told leaders at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia. "But under our constitution, I cannot run again. I actually think I'm a pretty good president. I think if I ran, I could win. But I can't."
It was a message deliberately targeted to African leaders who all too often refuse to abide by their own countries’ presidential term limits, most of which were put in place at the urging of Western powers. More than a half-dozen countries have simply repealed term-limit laws to allow sitting presidents to remain.
This week, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, in power since 1987, likened the two-term limit to a “rope around the neck” for African leaders. He dismissed term limits as a Western concept that doesn’t work on the continent, even though his nation adopted two five-year terms limits in 2013.
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FOR THE RECORDJuly 28, 3:56 p.m.: An earlier version of this article referred to Mwai Kibaki as Daniel Arap Moi's predecessor. In fact, he was Moi's successor.
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Of the current leaders of the more than 50 member states of the AU, three men have been in power since the 1970s, four since the 1980s and eight since the 1990s.
Here’s a look at how some African countries have handled term limits:
BURUNDI
Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza this month won a third term, even though the country’s parliament voted to preserve the constitutional two-term limit. He is arguing that because his first election came through parliament, not a direct vote of the people, it didn’t count as his first term.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Facing pressure to step down after his second term in 2016, President Joseph Kabila failed to change term-limits law amid violent protests and then delayed setting an election date. A vote is now scheduled for November 2016.
KENYA
Former Kenyan big man Daniel Arap Moi won international praise in 2002 for stepping down after 24 years, following Kenya’s adoption of term limits. His successor, Mwai Kibaki, also served two terms.
RWANDA
Paul Kagame took control after the 1994 genocide, but wasn’t officially elected until 2003 under the new constitution that limits the president to two seven-year terms. His test will come in 2017.
SOUTH AFRICA
Nelson Mandela was elected in 1994, stepping down after one term in hopes of setting a good example, even though by law he could have run again.
UGANDA
In office since 1986, Yoweri Museveni in 2005 repealed a clause in the constitution that imposed two-term limits. He ran and won again in 2006 and 2011.
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Longest reigns in Africa
Here are some of Africa's
longest-serving leaders:
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Pres. Mohamed Abdelaziz
’90
’76
’80
’00
’10
’15
39 yrs.
*
Republic of Angola
Pres. José Eduardo dos Santos
36
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Pres. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
36
Republic of Cameroon
Pres. Paul Biya
33
Republic of the Congo
Pres. Denis Sassou-Nguesso
31
**
Kingdom of Swaziland
King Mswati III
29
Republic of Uganda
Pres. Yoweri Museveni
29
Republic of Zimbabwe
Pres. Robert Mugabe
28
Republic of Sudan
Pres. Omar Hassan Ahmed Albashir
26
***
The Republic of Chad
Pres. Idriss Déby Itno
25
State of Eritrea
Pres. Isaias Afewerki
24
****
Republic of the Gambia
Pres. Yahya Jammeh
21
*In power since 1976. Became president in 1982 for a total of 39 years in office.
**Also served in 1979-92 for a total of 31 years in office.
***In power since 1989 for a total of 26 years in office.
****In power since 1991. Became president in 1993 for a total of 24 years in office.
Longest reigns in Africa
Here are some of Africa's longest-serving leaders:
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Pres. Mohamed Abdelaziz
’90
’76
’80
’00
’10
’15
39 yrs.
*
Republic of Angola
President José Eduardo dos Santos
36
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Pres. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
36
Republic of Cameroon
Pres. Paul Biya
33
Republic of the Congo
Pres. Denis Sassou-Nguesso
31
**
Kingdom of Swaziland
King Mswati III
29
Republic of Uganda
Pres. Yoweri Museveni
29
Republic of Zimbabwe
Pres. Robert Mugabe
28
Republic of Sudan
Pres. Omar Hassan Ahmed Albashir
26
***
The Republic of Chad
Pres. Idriss Déby Itno
25
State of Eritrea
Pres. Isaias Afewerki
24
****
Republic of the Gambia
Pres. Yahya Jammeh
21
*In power since 1976. Became president in 1982 for a total of 39 years in office.
**Also served in 1979-92 for a total of 31 years in office.
***In power since 1989 for a total of 26 years in office.
****In power since 1991. Became president in 1993 for a total of 24 years in office.
Longest reigns in Africa
Here are some of Africa's longest-serving leaders:
1976
’80
’90
’00
’10
’15
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
President Mohamed Abdelaziz
39 yrs.
*
Republic of Angola
President José Eduardo dos Santos
36
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
President Teodoro Obiang
Nguema Mbasogo
36
Republic of Cameroon
President Paul Biya
33
Republic of the Congo
President Denis Sassou-Nguesso
31
**
Kingdom of Swaziland
King Mswati III
29
Republic of Uganda
President Yoweri Museveni
29
Republic of Zimbabwe
President Robert Mugabe
28
Republic of Sudan
President Omar Hassan Ahmed Albashir
26
***
The Republic of Chad
President Idriss Déby Itno
25
State of Eritrea
President Isaias Afewerki
24
****
Republic of the Gambia
President Yahya Jammeh
21
*In power since 1976. Became president in 1982 for a total
of 39 years in office.
**Also served in 1979-92 for a total of 31 years in office.
***In power since 1989 for a total of 26 years in office.
****In power since 1991. Became president in 1993 for a
total of 24 years in office.
Longest reigns in Africa
Here are some of Africa's longest-serving leaders:
1976
’80
’90
’00
’10
’15
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
President Mohamed Abdelaziz
39 yrs.
*
Republic of Angola
President José Eduardo dos Santos
36
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
36
Republic of Cameroon
President Paul Biya
33
Republic of the Congo
President Denis Sassou-Nguesso
31
**
Kingdom of Swaziland
King Mswati III
29
Republic of Uganda
President Yoweri Museveni
29
Republic of Zimbabwe
President Robert Mugabe
28
Republic of Sudan
President Omar Hassan Ahmed Albashir
26
***
The Republic of Chad
President Idriss Déby Itno
25
State of Eritrea
President Isaias Afewerki
24
****
Republic of the Gambia
President Yahya Jammeh
21
*In power since 1976. Became president in 1982 for a total of 39 years in office.
**Also served in 1979-92 for a total of 31 years in office.
***In power since 1989 for a total of 26 years in office.
****In power since 1991. Became president in 1993 for a total of 24 years in office.
Longest reigns in Africa
Here are some of Africa's longest-serving leaders:
1976
’80
’90
’00
’10
’15
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
President Mohamed Abdelaziz
39 yrs.
*
Republic of Angola
President José Eduardo dos Santos
36
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
36
Republic of Cameroon
President Paul Biya
33
Republic of the Congo
President Denis Sassou-Nguesso
31
**
Kingdom of Swaziland
King Mswati III
29
Republic of Uganda
President Yoweri Museveni
29
Republic of Zimbabwe
President Robert Mugabe
28
Republic of Sudan
President Omar Hassan Ahmed Albashir
26
***
The Republic of Chad
President Idriss Déby Itno
25
State of Eritrea
President Isaias Afewerki
24
****
Republic of the Gambia
President Yahya Jammeh
21
*In power since 1976. Became president in 1982 for a total of 39 years in office.
**Also served in 1979-92 for a total of 31 years in office.
***In power since 1989 for a total of 26 years in office.
****In power since 1991. Became president in 1993 for a total of 24 years in office.
Sources: African Union, Times reporting. Graphics reporting by Edmund Sanders
Lorena Elebee @latimesgraphics
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