Crouching in Power in Africa through Constitutional Reforms | World | thenews.com.pk

Sitting in Power in Africa through Constitutional Reforms

MORONI, COMOROS: Monday's Controversial Referendum in the Comoros Could Allow Its President, Azali Assoumani, to Be Re-Elected and Retain Its Power Beyond 2021 A renewable term would end otherwise.

Several other African leaders have also sought to cling to power by amending the constitution. Here are some examples. In Rwanda, voters in 2015 overwhelmingly supported a referendum that removed the boundaries of the constitution, allowing President Paul Kagame – ruling since 1994 – to potentially rule until 2034. The same year, the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) voted changes that would allow veteran leader Denis Sbadou Nguesso to run for a third term. He was re-elected in 2016. In Zimbabwe, a new constitution pbaded in 2013 allowed Robert Mugabe to run for another election, which he won. He was forced to resign in 2017, after 37 years in power. Idriss Deby Itno has been in power since 1990 thanks to a constitutional amendment pbaded in 2005 following a disputed referendum.