BOTSWANA President Duma Boko has slammed leaders, who cling to power beyond their presidential term limits, boldly stating that such presidents are failures.
Boko was speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Bonno Target 3 000 project in Gaborone on Wednesday.
According to reports from that country, the Bonno initiative will start with the construction of 3 000 housing units across selected urban and peri-urban areas to address the growing demandfor affordable housing.
Speaking on the limitations of presidential power, Boko emphasised the importance of knowing when to step aside.
“I will say to you today that any president of any country who wants to be president for more than 10 years, anybody who has that ambition, is instantly a failure,” Boko said.
“You can’t want to do this job for more than 10 years.
“If you take the job seriously, you can’t do it for more than 10 years.”
Boko said any agenda to extend one’s presidential term signalled failure and a lack of understanding of the job’s demands and responsibilities.
- Fresh demolitions hit Mbare
- Police accused of killing Budiriro man
- Corruption Watch: Get scared, 2023 is coming
- Fresh demolitions hit Mbare
Keep Reading
“And anybody who sticks with the presidency for more than 10 years, that’s a sure fire indication that he has failed. He does not understand the job,” he said.
A number of African presidents have served for decades, with some surviving assassination attempts as well as their parties being removed from power through the ballot by opposition movements.
Paul Biya of Cameroon leads this group of long-serving leaders, having spent an astonishing 50 years at the helm of his country’s affairs.
Teodoro Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea comes second, having ruled his country for 45 years.
Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni are jointly third, with both having spent 39 years in power.
Eritrea’s Isaias Afwerki rounds up the list, having ruled for 32 years.
The late President Robert Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years.
Mugabe was eventually ousted in a November 2017 military coup and replaced by his long-time ally, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa, who was first sworn in 2017 following a military coup, is serving his second and last term, according to the Constitution.
Mnangagwa’s loyalists, however, want his term of office extended by two years from 2028 to 2030.
The 2030 agenda has left Zanu PF divided, with a section of war veterans led by outspoken Blessed “Bombshell” Geza calling for his removal from office.
Geza’s recent call for a national shutdown to pressure Mnangagwa to step aside has, however, found no takers.
Police were deployed heavily to prevent any acts of violence linked to the national shutdown and political situation.
Yesterday, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi warned perpetrators of violence that they face the full wrath of the law.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) warns individuals and groups who have been identified as instigators, inciters and ringleaders of criminal elements who intend to unleash violence which include malicious damage to property by burning tyres and destroying buildings that the full wrath of the law will be effected without fear or favour,” Nyathi said.
“The ZRP and other security agencies are fully alert and will decisively deal with unruly elements who intend to disturb the existing peaceful environment.”
He singled out politicians Jacob Ngarivhume and Amos Chibaya as some of the people identified as “instigators, inciters and ringleaders of criminal elements who intend to unleash violence”.
Dozens of ordinary citizens, including two Gweru councillors, are in remand prison on charges of participating in the March 31 protests called by Geza.
