Africa-Afrique / Johannesburg, South Africa (PANA) – The issue of African leaders extending their terms in office is under the spotlight at the AU summit where several heads of state who are guilty of the so-called “third-termism” are attending.
Ironically this weekend’s proceedings at the Sandton Convention Centre are being presided over by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe who has been in power since 1980, making him Africa’s longest serving ruler.
The recent coup attempt provoked by Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza’s determination to run for a third term in office, despite a constitutional two-term limit, is likely to be a burning issue for delegates seeking to improve the continent’s image in the international arena.
There are similar stand-offs taking place in both DR Congo and Rwanda where the leaders have begun toying with the idea of bypassing their country’s two-terms limits.
In a briefing on the sidelines of the AU summit, Stephanie Wolters and David Zounmenou of the Institute for Security Studies noted that attempts to extend the two-term limits have increased conflict and instability on the continent with Wolters describing them as “alternative coups”.
Political analyst Peter Fabricius said it is unclear what the AU can do to thwart this patern.
“On Burundi, the continent has backed off its initial strong stance that Nkurunziza should not run again. And whether the AU will ever have the guts to tell Rwanda’s Paul Kagame to retire graciously remains highly doubtful. Benin’s Yayi Boni was also mulling an unconstitutional third term,” he said.
