By Bongubukhosi Chantelle Ncube |
Zim GBC News
Across Africa, a generational battle for political control is intensifying as aging leaders seek extended rule while frustrated youth demand democratic renewal. With over 60% of Africa’s population under 25, the continent faces a stark contradiction: governments led by octogenarians while the median voter could be their grandchild.
Cameroon’s 92-Year-Old President Seeks Historic Eighth Term
President Paul Biya (born 1933) – who has ruled Cameroon since 1982 – is pursuing an unprecedented eighth seven-year term in October’s elections. His 43-year reign, enabled by the 2008 abolition of term limits, continues despite:
- An unresolved Anglophone crisis that has killed thousands
- Persistent Boko Haram iinsurgenc in the north
- Widespread allegations of election rigging in 2018 polls
“How does a leader who came to power when Michael Jackson released ‘Thriller’ claim to understand modern Africa’s challenges?” asked Yvette M., a 24-year-old activist in Douala.
Central African Republic: Constitution Changed for Third Term
President Faustin-Archange Touadéra (68) is exploiting a controversial 2023 constitutional referendum that erased term limits, allowing his third-term bid. Critics call this move:
- A betrayal of 2016 peace agreements
- A trigger for renewed militia violence
- Evidence ot Russia-backed authoritarianism via Wagner mercenaries
Guinea-Bissau’s Suspicious Pre-Election Maneuvers
President Umaro Sissoco Embaló (54) is reshuffling military and cabinet positions ahead of November’s vote – a tactic analysts call “pre-rigging” through institutional control.
Zimbabwe’s Long-Rule Legacy
Robert Mugabe’s 37-year rule (1980-2017) set the template for power retention through:
- Land seizures that collapsed agriculture
- Hyperinflation reaching 500 billion percent
- Rigged elections condemned globally
Current President Emmerson Mnangagwa exploits a constitutional loophole: while the 2013 charter limits presidents to two terms, it doesn’t count his first term (2017-2023), potentially allowing rule until 2033.
“The 2023 elections proved Zimbabwe hasn’t reformed – just recycled oppression with younger faces,” said political analyst Takudzwa M.
Why This Matters for Africa’s Future
With 19 African countries holding elections in 2025, the trends are alarming:
- 7 leaders over 70 are running again
- 4 nations recently scrapped term limits
- Youth unemployment averages 60% under these regimes
“We’re told we’re ‘leaders of tomorrow,’ but tomorrow never comes when presidents rule like monarchs,” said Kenyan activist Auma O., 22.
The Youth Resistance
Movements like:
- NotTooOldToLead(Pan-African)
- Zimbabwe’s #1980sBorn35 (demanding leaders under 65)
- Nigeria’s EndSARS veterans
…are mobilizing against gerontocracies.
Yet they face brutal crackdowns – just last month, Cameroon jailed 87 youth protesters ahead of Biya’s nomination.
The Stakes for Zimbabwe
Mnangagwa’s 2030 gambit mirrors regional power grabs. With:
- 60% of Zimbabweans under 25
- 90% informal employment
- 3 million diaspora youth unlikely to return
The question grows louder:
When will Africa’s leaders realize nations can’t be frozen in the 1980s forever?
“Reporting Africa’s Unfiltered Truths”
Zim GBC News©️2025
EXCLUSIVE – This report is part of our “Generation Stolen” series on African youth exclusion.