"This century, several aging African leaders have also had to reject premature reports of their deaths, like Cameroon's Paul Biya last year when rumours of his demise spread on social media after he wasn't seen in public for a month. It turned out the 92-year-old, who has the distinction of being the world's oldest, non-royal, leader, was simply in residence at his second home in Switzerland."
"Biya is far from an isolated example in Africa, which despite being the continent with the world's youngest population, boasts numerous gerontocracies. "It is an irony for a continent whose median age is just 19," says Africa analyst Paul Nantulya. He says "third-termism" as he dubs some African leaders' attempts to cling to power, "is a disease." NPR looks at some more of Africa's oldest leaders."
"Out with the old and in with theolder. That's how the small southern African democracy of Malawi voted last month when they elected their former president, 85-year-old Peter Mutharika, over incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, aged 70. Malawians were fed up with rising costs and severe fuel shortages. Alassane Ouattara, Ivory Coast, 83 Ouattara, a former economist for the International Monetary Fund, is running on October 25 for a fourth term."
A mistaken 1897 newspaper death report of Mark Twain prompted his famous quip that the report of my death was an exaggeration. Several aging African leaders have faced premature death rumours and scrutiny about their fitness for office. Cameroon’s Paul Biya, aged 92, has spent time abroad and is seeking another term amid jihadist violence, separatist conflict, and systemic corruption. Africa hosts numerous gerontocracies despite a median age of 19. Critics label efforts to extend terms as "third-termism" and describe it as a disease. Recent elections and constitutional changes in Malawi and Ivory Coast illustrate the trend.
Read at www.npr.org
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