Amid the increasing occurrence of coups across Africa, certain leaders are being proactive in response by restructuring defense portfolios.
Just recently, Cameroon’s President Paul Biya implemented significant alterations within the country’s Ministry of Defense.
The reshuffle affected positions such as the delegate to the presidency overseeing defense, air force personnel, navy officials, and the police.
Biya originally seized power through a coup d’état in 1982. His initial years in office were characterized by allegations of repression and human rights abuses.
Despite later permitting multiparty elections in the nation, the 90-year-old leader has maintained his presidency since his rise to power.
Following the Gabon coup, Rwanda’s defense force (RDF) made an announcement on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, stating that President Paul Kagame sanctioned the retirement of 83 senior officers.
The RDF also reported that Kagame endorsed the advancement and selection of certain officers to assume the roles previously held by others.
Discussions took place involving the Chief of Defence Staff of Rwanda, the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Rwanda, and the Defence Attaché of Cameroon. The purpose of these meetings was to explore avenues for strengthening defense collaboration between their individual nations.
In 2015, amendments were made to Rwanda’s constitution, permitting Kagame to continue as president until 2034. Having held power since 2000, the 65-year-old stands among Africa’s longest-serving leaders.
The decisions by Kagame and Biya to reorganize their military forces occurred shortly after soldiers took control in Gabon, ending a 53-year dominance by President Ali Bongo’s family. Bongo had recently secured a third term in office in the Central African nation, an electoral process criticized by the opposition as “fraudulent.”
President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has voiced grave concern regarding the spreading “contagious autocracy” across the continent. He revealed ongoing collaboration with leaders from the African Union (AU) and other global regions to address this worrisome trend. As the chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Tinubu remains steadfast in his efforts to restore constitutional order to Niger Republic, which has faced its fifth coup.
Analysts posit that the dissatisfaction with prolonged leadership in various African countries serves as a catalyst for the recurrent coups witnessed on the continent.