Holding African Presidents to Term Limits Will Build Peace
Community and political leaders gathered in Niger in October to address one of the most pressing challenges to peaceful, democratic progress across Africa - erosion of the rule of law by extending and amending presidential term limits. Panelists shared experiences, presented case studies of successes and discussed how to overcome the challenges they confront. AllAfrica's Michael Tantoh reports from a conference in Niamey, the capital, where President Mahamadou Issoufou sayid his greatest legacy will be abiding by constitutional term limits.
Members of Parliament fight in the Parliament chambers during the last constitutional amendment that sought to remove the presidential age limit in 2017. Two years later Uganda's Supreme Court upheld a constitutional court ruling in 2018 that stated Museveni — elected for the fourth time in 2016 — could run.
On May 17, 2018, Burundians overwhelmingly voted for constitutional changes that could potentially see President Pierre Nkurunziza stay in office until 2034. The opposition claimed the vote was marred by intimidation and fraud. In 2015, protests erupted as Nkurunziza announced that he would run for a controversial third term. According to UN reports, at least 1,200 people died during the unrest.
More than a million people marched to stop President Blaise Compaore from changing the constitution of Burkina Faso to run for a third term in 2015.
InFocus
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AllAfrica's Michael Tantoh attended the Constitutional Term Limits Summit in Niamey, and spoke with the National Democratic Institute's Africa and Regional Director for ... Read more »
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Community and political leaders gathered in Niger in October to address one of the most pressing challenges to peaceful, democratic progress across Africa - erosion of the rule of ... Read more »
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There is mounting concern in Africa about a lack of leadership as well as an increasing trend of hard-won democratic rights being reversed. One way this is being done is through ... Read more »
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Chad's parliament recently voted to introduce a new constitution that will allow two more terms for President Idriss Deby, who has led the country since 1990. On May 17, Burundians ... Read more »
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A bill changing the Ugandan constitution and paving the way for the lifting of the term limits on the presidency, the return of presidential term limits and the extension of MPs ... Read more »
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Burundi's electoral commission has announced that 73 percent of all eligible voters approved a new constitution that will scrap presidential term limits and allow President Pierre ... Read more »
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A citizen of Dar es Salaam, Patrick Dezydelius Mgoyar is asking the court to issue the right and vivid legal interpretation of some sections of the Constitution of Tanzania. He ... Read more »
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The ruling coalition's parliamentary group chairperson, Abdul Rahman Mohamed Ali, says that members have proposed to abolish the presidential term limit to pave the way for ... Read more »
