Keeping power in the family

Succession politics is big business in Africa. There are those countries that have changed presidents in seamless operations as has been the case in South Africa since the start of all-race rule in 1994.

There are also those states that have not known a new president for decades and wonder what would happen if the incumbent left office or suddenly dropped dead.

This week, Malawian president Bingu wa Mutharika revived this old debate when he said his brother, Peter, currently Constitutional Affairs minister, should replace him once his term expires in 2014. Now in his second term since he rose to power in 2004, Mr Mutharika cannot be accused of clinging to power, only his plan to keep the seat within the family raises eyebrows.

The prize for the longest serving leader in Africa belongs to Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, in power since 1969. Other long-serving leaders include Angola’s Eduardo dos Santos, in power since 1979, Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, in power since 1981, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, in power since 1980, and Paul Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982.

This list could have included Omar Bongo who ruled Gabon for 40 years until his death in June. The person warming his former seat is none other than his son, Ali Ben Bongo. In Togo, Gnassingbé Eyadema was in power for 38 years until his death in 2005 and his son Faure Gnassingbé is now president.

This week, in Egypt, a campaign has been launched to stop President Mubarak, now in his fifth term, from handing over power to his son, Gamal. The campaign is led by the man Mr Mubarak defeated in the last election, Mr Ayman Nour.

Preparing the way

At 81 and in power for 28 years, most Egyptians have known no president other than Mubarak. The campaign against the Mubarak plan is aptly titled: Mayehkomsh?, which means “Who gave you the right?”.In Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade finds himself in the same shoes as Mubarak. In power since 2000, Mr Wade, 83, has long been suspected of preparing the way for his son, Karim, currently Transport minister, to take over as president in 2012.

As a sign of the discord over any such ambitions, Mr Wade’s ruling coalition, Sopi 2009, was dealt a blow in local elections even though Karim won a seat as a councillor. Libya’s Gaddafi, who has been in power for 40 years, is the world’s third-longest serving head of state after Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II .

Ask any Libyan who is Gaddafi’s likely successor and the answer will most likely be Saif al-Islam, the leader’s second-born son who has mediated many international disputes. These disputes include the freeing of Lockerbie convict Abdelbaset Al Megrahi and the case of Bulgarian nurses accused of infecting Libyan children with HIV, the virus that causes Aids.

No vice president or clear successor is an old trick used in Africa. In Angola, President dos Santos has no vice president. The same applies to Cameroon’s Biya, Senegal’s Wade, Egypt’s Mubarak and Libya’s Gaddafi. So, who takes over should the leader die? The confusion serves the interests of the desired successor who is soon installed as the new leader using any means possible by the dictator’s cronies.

Henry Owuor is the Diplomatic and Foreign Affairs writer, Daily Nation.