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World’s Youngest Population under World’s Oldest Leaders

September 14, 2018 admin AFRICAN STORIES & NEWS
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Africa is the World’s youngest Continent with over 60% of its population being under

Africa Median Ages:
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25 years of Age;Despite having the youngest Population in the World,Africa has the oldest Leaders in Power with about 20 of its sitting Presidents being 70 years and above.Forget about King Sobhuza 2 of Swaziland Monarchy (Present Day Eswatini) who ruled for 61 Years or Emperor Haile Sellasie who ruled Ethiopian Empire for 44 Years;Here is a list of Africa’s Longest serving Presidents some who ruled until Death took them out of Office; some are still in office Today;Some if all goes according to their plans could also end up ruling their respective Countries until Death parts them with the High Office;

1. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema-he took power after overthrowing and killing his Uncle President Francisco Nguema who was the first President of EQ in a bloody Coup of 1979 and from August 1979 To Date he has been the President Of Equatorial Guinea.The 76 years old President will be in his 43rd year in power when this Country holds its next elections in 2022.

2.President Paul Biya-he took power from Cameroon‘s first President Ahmadou Ahdijo in 1982 and from November 1982 To Date he has been the President;The 87-Years old now on a new 7-years 7th term in Office and he will be in his 43rd year in power when the Country holds its next elections in 2025.

3. President Alhaji Omar Bongo-Having been appointed Vice President by Gabon‘s First President one Leon M’ba on November 1966;Omar Bongo would later smoothly succeed M’ba who succumbed to Cancer on November 1967.He went on to rule for 42 Years until June 2009 when he also succumbed to Cancer.

4. President Col.Muammar Gaddafi-He took Power as a Young Army Officer after overthrowing Libya‘s Independence Leader King Idris 1 in the 1969 Coup (King Idris was then away for Medical Trip to Turkey).After taking Power on September 1969 Gaddafi transformed Libya from a Monarch to a Republic and ruled for 42 Years until October 2011 when he was Overthrown and Killed by Opposition Rebels in a Revolution that was backed by Western NATO Forces.

5. President Gen. Eyadema Gnassingbe-He took Power after leading Two successful Coups one in 1963 when he together with other Army Officers Overthrew and Killed Togo‘s First President Sylvanus Olympio and installed Nicolas Grunitzky to become the Second President who he would later Overthrow and Exile 4 Years later in another Coup of 1967. He Eyadema took Power on April 1967 and ruled for 38 Years until he Died in Power on February 2005.

6. President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos– He rose to Power on September 1979 through Angola‘s Independence Party MPLA after the Death of Angola’s First President Agostinho Neto who succumbed to Cancer on September 1979.He went on to rule for 38 Years until September 2017 when he stepped down.He is currently 77 Years Old.

7.President Robert Mugabe– He came to Power as a Prime Minister in 1980 when Zimbabwe attained Independence and later Elected the Country’s First President in 1987. He went on to rule for 37 Years until he was Overthrown by Zimbabwe’s Military on November 2017.He died on September 6,2019 at Age 95 in a Singapore Hospital.

8.President Yoweri Museveni-he took power after a successful army-led bloodless Coup that toppled President Milton Obote in 1985.On January 1986 Yoweri Museveni declared himself President of Uganda,a position he holds To Date.With the scrapping off of the Presidential Age and Term limit,Museveni who is now 75 has already declared his Candidature to defend his Position and extend his 35 years in power in the Country’s next elections in 2021.

9.President Dennis Sassou Nguesso-after the assassination of President Marien Ngoubai in 1977 the Military Committee of Ngoubai’s Party that took over after his assassination ran the Republic of Congo for two years after which it appointed one of its members Colonel Dennis Sassou Nguesso as the interim President on February 1979,On March the same year 1979 the Peoples’ National Assembly of the Republic of Congo confirmed Dennis Sassou as the President.He ruled for 13 years until 1992 when he lost to his main rival President Pascal Lissouba in the Country’s first Multi-party elections of 1992.In Congo’s 1997 Civil War,Dennis Sassou Nguesso with a group of rebels and some significant support from some Angolan Troops ousted President Pascal Lissouba and on October 1997 Dennis Sassou returned to Brazzaville (Congo’s Capital) and declared himself President,a Position he holds To Date.By 2023 when this Country will hold its next Presidential elections,Dennis Sassou who is now 75 shall have ruled the Republic of Congo for 39 years.

10.President Omar-Al-Bashir-he took power on June 1989 through a bloodless Military Coup that toppled President Ahmed-Al-Mirghani and went on to rule the Republic of Sudan until April 2019 when he was Overthrown by Sudan’s People’s Revolution amid his Plans to Extend his 30-Years Rule;the main reason behind the 4 Months of National Civil Uprising across Sudan. The 75 Years Old is currently under Military detention.

11. President Hastings Kamuzu Banda– He rose to Power first as Prime Minister when Malawi got Independence on July 1964 and later as President from 1966 when Malawi became a Republic.He went on to rule for 30 Years until 1994 when he lost in Malawi’s first Democratic Elections.He died three Years later on November 1997 aged 99 Years.

12. President Idriss Deby-he came into power after leading a successful Coup that ousted President Hissen Habre who he had helped get into power only to turn against him when he (Habre) accused Deby of plotting a Coup against him.Deby fled to Sudan and organised an army that he named Patriotic Salvation Army with which he ousted President Habre out of Power in 1990 and has since then been the President of the Republic of Chad To Date. Deby who is now 68 shall be in his 31st year in Power when the Country holds its next elections in 2021.

13.President Isaias Afwerki– He led the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front to Victory securing Eritrea’s independence from Ethiopia on May 1993 and has been the President of Eritrea from 1993 To Date. Eritrea is a One-Party State with Isaias Party called People’s Front for Democracy and Justice being the only Party.There has been no elections in Eritrea since 1993 and there are no plans for the same as at now. Afwerki who is now 73 is in his 25th year in Power.

Above are those who have been in Power for the longest time;The list of those wielding State Power in Africa for a significantly long time is big and it includes the following;

14.President Ismael Omar Guelleh-the now 73-Years old came to Power on May 1999 after winning the April 1999 Presidential Election succeeding his Uncle President Hassan Aptidon who retired voluntarily.He has been the President of Djibouti from then To Date. He will be in his 22nd Year in Power when Djibouti holds its next Elections in 2021.

15.President Paul Kagame- at 62-the former Military Rebel Leader has been the President of Rwanda from 2000-to Date.He succeeded President Pasteur Bizimungu(1994-2000) who he deputised when they formed a National Unity Government that Ended Rwanda’s Genocide.He resigned over differences with his Vice President Paul Kagame who took over from him immeadiately.President Kagame will be in his 24th Year in Power when Rwanda holds its next Presidential Election in 2024.

16. President Faure Gnassingbe-The now 53-Years old took over Togo‘s Presidency immediately after the Death of his Father Eyadema Gnassingbe in 2005 and is still the President To-date after winning the February 2020 Election after instituting a Constitutional Amendment through Togo’s Parliament to enable him seek Two more Terms.

17. Pierre Nkurunziza– A former Rebel Leader came to Power in 2005 after Burundi’s 12-Years Civil War that broke out in 1993 and he is still the President To Date after defying the 2005 Peace Deal that ended the Civil War by going for a contested Third Term in the 2015 Elections.The 54-Years old will be in his 15th Year in Power in the oncoming 2020 General Elections.

Percentage of World’s Population under 25 per Continent:
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The Pitfall in Africa-China Financial Relations

September 8, 2018 admin AFRICAN STORIES & NEWS
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The theme of the just concluded 7th ‘Forum on China-Africa Cooperation’ (FOCAC) at Beijing was “China and Africa;Towards an even stronger Community with a shared Future through Win-Win Cooperation”.In his address to the Forum that had brought together over 48 African Heads of States and Governments,President Paul Kagame of Rwanda in his Capacity as the

The Inaugural October 2000 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing

Chair of the African Union stated that Africa’s growing ties with China is not a Zero-sum game and does not come at anyone’s expense.

I wish to bring to light a Critical issue in our Financial relations with China that if unchecked is a time-ticking bomb.
Since inception of FOCAC 18 years ago at Beiing,Africa has borrowed over $ 150 Billion from China.In 2009 FOCAC,China cancelled some free interest loans owed to it by over 30 African Countries that it described as Poor,least developed and heavily indebted.These were debts that could have matured by the end of 2009.This came after its 2006 FOCAC resolution to double it’s Finance to Africa from $5 Billion in 2006 to $ 10 Billion in 2009.In a move least expected,China again doubled its Finance to Africa from $10 Billion in 2009 to $ 20 Billion at the 2012 FOCAC.Fast-forward to the immediate-previous FOCAC in 2015,China again without much elaboration cancelled some debts owed to it by an unspecified number of African Nations that it described least developed and heavily in debt.These again were interest free loans that could have matured by end of 2015.Surprisingly,China during that 2015 FOCAC tripled its Funding to Africa to $ 60 Billion.
On Monday September 3,2018 during the 7th FOCAC in a striking similarity of events,China has again promised to Cancel some debts owed to it by some African Countries that are staggering in development and heavily in debt.These are debts that could have matured by the end of this year 2018.Amidst these shortfalls,China has maintained it’s funding to Africa at $60?Billion.
This begs the questions;isn’t the deal getting too “good” for Africa,Isn’t it time for Africa to ponder and perhaps rethink its Financial relations with China.Is this this really a Zero-sum game? as President Kagame stated or it’s a ploy by the Chinese Government to tactically enmesh Africa in debt-trap Diplomacy.
As China keeps doubling and tripling it’s loans to Africa,the International Monetary Fund has raised a red flag on Africa with over 40% of low income and low middle income African Countries already in debt distress.Africa must now get its act together.Africa can develop itself without external aid and if it must borrow then it must only bite what it can chew;loans that it can comfortably service and invest the same in prudent,strategic projects with quick high return on investment.It must also firmly deal with Corruption that continues to bedevil its very foundation and course of development.

The just-concluded 7th China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Beijing;September 2018

African Nations must stay woke and wary with the rapidly increasing China debts and ask themselves what is it that they can surrender if China asks or even weaponizes these debts to demand something in return for debt relief.These are critical issues that African Nations must consider with dire urgency as they seek to deepen their ties and cooperation with China.

On Uganda’s Growing Political Turmoil

September 6, 2018 admin AFRICAN STORIES & NEWS
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On Uganda’s Growing Political Turmoil..

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (centre), also known as Bobi Wine.

Two of the objectives of the African Union that also happen to be two of the fundamental principles of the East African Community are:

  1. Promotion and protection of Human and People’s Rights in accordance to the provisions of the ‘African Charter on Human and People’s Rights’
  2. Promotion of democratic principles, good governance and the Rule of Law
Under 1. above, the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights ‘Civil and Political Rights Norm among other Rights guarantees:
  • Right to due process concerning arrest and detention
  • Right to fair trial?
The events,details and controversy around the pre-arrest,arrest,detention,charging and trial of Uganda’s Political Leftist Members of Parliament Francis Zake, Kassiano Wadri, Paul Mwiru, Gerald Karuhanga, Mike Mabike and Robert Kyangulanyi Alias Bobi Wine, among other Citizens after the hotly contested Arua by-election is all in blatant contravention of all the above provisions and dictates of both the AU and the EAC treaties. It is even more regrettable that this ugly situation in Uganda pits the AU against the Chair of the EAC and the EAC against it’s Chair President Yoweri Museveni.
This arguably could be the reason behind the continued silence of both the AU and the EAC’s Summit and Council, as Uganda’s Government continues to wreak havoc on the dissenting voices.
Anytime the People in positions of Power and Authority delay or fail to weigh in and adjudicate on issues of critical concern to the People;
The People will more often than not rise to fill the gap demanding action on what they think and believe is right and should be done.This often leads to destructive confrontation as the People in power seek to Pacify the People they lead like it’s currently happening in Uganda.
In this light; it’s only prudent for the AU,the EAC and Ugandan Authorities to speedily rein sanity of the Rule of Law on this whole saga to avert further deterioration of the ugly Political turmoil ensuing in Uganda.

Supporters and activists demanding for Bobi Wine’s release