Despite claims of democracy, the African continent has had a number of presidents who have remained in power for decades.
These presidents have remained in power for long periods of time as a result of a mixture of reasons such as constitutional amendments, electoral fraud, and the suppression of political opposition.
Regardless of how long they have been in power, several of these leaders have been accused of human rights violations, corruption, and poor governance.
The following is a list of current African heads of state, including royalty, organized by the amount of time they have held such roles continuously.
1. Teodoro Obiang (Equatorial Guinea) (44 years in office)
He is the current and second president of Equatorial Guinea, a position he has held since August 1979. He is Africa’s longest-serving president.
He is the country’s longest-serving president, not just in Africa.
Obiang Teodoro ascended to power following the military coup that deposed his uncle, Francisco Macas Nguema, in August 1979.
2. Paul Biya (Cameroon) (41 years in office)
Since November 6, 1982, Paul Biya has been the President of Cameroon. He is Africa’s second-longest-serving president and one of the world’s oldest presidents.
His dictatorship is backed by France, one of Cameroon’s former colonial powers, which supplies weapons, assists, and trains its military forces.
Denis Sassou Nguese (39 years in office) – Congo
Denis Sassou Nguess, President of the Republic of the Congo, has been in power for 34 years, but not all at once. He first served from 1979 to 1992 before returning in 1997, following the end of a civil war.
He is Africa’s third-longest-serving president.
Yoweri Museveni (37 years in office) – Uganda
Yoweri Museveni has been Uganda’s president since 1986, making him the continent’s fourth longest-serving leader.
He gained office in January 1986, after defeating Ugandan leaders Milton Obote and Idi Amin in a battle.
According to records, no Ugandan elections have been found to be free and transparent since Museveni gained power.
5. Mswati III (37 years in power) – Eswatini
Mswati III is the monarch of Eswatini (previously Swaziland) and the Swazi royal family’s head.
At the age of 18, he was crowned as Mswati III, Ingwenyama, and King of Swaziland on April 25, 1986, making him the world’s youngest king at the time.
He co-rules the country with his mother, Queen Mother (Ndlovukati) Ntfombi Tfwala.
Isaias Afwerki (30 years in office) – Eritrea
Eritrea’s first president is Isaias Afwerki. Isaias Afwerki, the Eritrean president, has been in control since the country’s independence from Ethiopia in April 1993.
He is Africa’s sixth-longest-serving president.
7. Lesotho’s Letsie III (27 years in office)
Letsie III is the current King of Lesotho and Africa’s seventh longest-serving ruler. He took over after his father, Moshoeshoe II, died in a car accident in 1996.
The present King Charles of England attended his coronation in October 1997 at Setsoto Stadium.
As a constitutional monarch, the majority of King Letsie’s obligations as Lesotho’s monarch are ceremonial.
Ismael Omar Guelleh (24 years in office) – Djibouti
Djibouti’s current President is Ismael Omar Guelleh. He has been in power since 1999, giving him Africa’s eighth longest-serving dictator.
Guelleh was elected President for the first time in 1999 as the designated successor to his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, who had ruled Djibouti since independence in 1977. He was elected again in 2005, 2011, and 2016.
9. Mohammed VI (on the throne for 24 years) – Morocco
Morocco’s King is Mohammed VI. He is a member of the ‘Alawi family and succeeded to the throne on July 23, 1999, following the death of his father, King Hassan II.
Mohammed is Africa’s ninth longest-serving ruler, and the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre ranks him as the world’s seventh most influential Muslim in 2022.
Paul Kagame (23 years in office) – Rwanda
Paul Kagame, who took office in 2000, is Rwanda’s fourth and current president, as well as Africa’s tenth longest-serving president.
Kagame had been the de facto leader since 1994, but his priorities had shifted to military, foreign affairs, and national security rather than day-to-day governance.
He only pursued the top post when then-President Bizimungu resigned. In April 2000, Kagame was sworn in as president.
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