In the 1990s, Africa made democratic gains. Multi-party system was introduced. Foreign donors helped speed up the democratization process by withholding aid hence added intense pressure to the ruling cliques. Local democratic activists paid heavy prices. Today, regime after regime in Africa are heavily focusing on killing opposition and rolling the gains achieved in the 1990s. The democratization of the 1990s, had introduced presidential term limits mainly 2 terms of 5 years each. This had ended the phenomenon of “Life Presidents” who only left office through natural death, assassination or military coups. Bongo in Gabon had ruled for 41 years, Gaddafi –Libya 40 years, Hosni Mubarak-Egypt 30 years; Obiang of Equatorial Guinea- 35 years; Dos Santos-Angola-35 years; Mugabe-Zimbabwe-35 years; Biya-Cameroon-32 years; Museveni –Uganda 28 years; and in Kenya – Moi 24 years (+12 years as Vice-President) and Kenyatta 15 years. Today, in a strange twist of events, many current Presidents are making all attempts to end term limits so that they can rule indefinitely. This has been the case in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Bukina Faso, Congo Brazaville, Nigeria, Zambia, etc.
The Good Governance Teams shall push for passage and adherence of term limits of maximum 10 years split into 2 of 5 years each. We shall push the African Union to adopt this practice and to apply to all the AU membership.