Aging African Autocrats Tighten Their Grip Amid Succession Uncertainty

Cameroon’s 93-year-old President Paul Biya started an eighth seven-year term in 2025 and governs remotely from Geneva, with a loyal network sustaining the state while the vice-presidency remains empty. Analysts warn that rivalries among his allies could spark instability or even a coup. In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, has not clarified his succession plan, but his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba is emerging as a key military and political figure, recently ordering media closures.

Equatorial Guinea’s long-time ruler Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo appears to be transferring authority to his son, nicknamed “Teodorin,” who announced a full government resignation on his father’s behalf. Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa oversaw constitutional changes that extend presidential and parliamentary terms to seven years and move the presidential election to a parliament dominated by ZANU-PF, prompting criticism that the process lacked a public referendum. Observers note similar power-preserving reforms in Togo, Côte d’Ivoire and ongoing debates in Senegal, highlighting a broader trend of institutional weakening across the continent.