Africa

Dennis Mukwege, DRC Presidential Candidate for December 2023

On May 17, 2023, Dr. Denis Mukwege, 2018 Nobel Peace Prize winner, appointed  a special advisor and  other political leaders and activists within his closest team.  The appointment of Congolese political figures as his closest advisors, raised the expectations that  Dr. Denis Mukwege was ready for the next steps:  a political career with the aim to become the next President of the DRC in the upcoming elections, planned in December 2023.  Now, as predicted in our previous article, Dr Dennis Mukwege has confirmed his bid to become the next DRC President (see DR Congo: Will Dr. Denis Mukwege Be the Next President in December 2023?). 

Yoweri Museveni and Paul Kagame Celebrating the Birthday of Yoweri Museveni's Son Muhoozi Kainerugaba and Expected Heir to the Throne in 2022

In the last few weeks, African dictators have activated major shakeups of their country's military,  with firings,  forced retirements, dismissals, and reshuffles of the military leadership.  Three of the African dictators made the latest shakeups on August 31, 2023.  The three dictators are Uganda's Yoweri Museveni, Cameroon's Paul Biya, and Rwanda's Paul Kagame.  Those three are among  Africa's longest-reigning dictators  who quickly enacted fresh appointments, retirements of generals and high ranking officers,   and reshuffles within the military and the police.  The reshuffles come following a successful military coup against Gabon's dictator Ali Bongo Ondimba and the rising coups and coup attempts against dictators, oligarchs and family dynasties in Africa. 

Paul Kagame, James Kabarebe, and Patrick Nyamvumba in South Rwanda, in May 2020

Over the last three months, Rwandan dictator General  Paul Kagame has launched two major shakeups of the country's military,  with  firings, dismissals, and reshuffles of the military leadership. The second shakeup  on August 31, 2023 occurred around 2 months  after the first major action that included reshuffles and firings.  During the same period, General Paul Kagame has appointed his 29-years-old daughter Ms Ange Kagame to a high government position within the presidency, upgraded the position of his son in the military, and  reinforced the faction within the military that supports his succession plan. The actions by General Paul Kagame in the last three months  have been expected.   Already, other African dictators have made similar moves. Cameroon's  dictator Paul Biya, 90, one of Africa's longest-reigning dictators  has also enacted fresh appointments  and reshuffles within the military and the police.  Following the reshuffles in both  countries, a meeting of the  Rwanda’s chief of defense staff, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ambassador to Rwanda, and the defense military attaché of Cameroon  was held in Kigali to to enhance defense cooperation among the three countries.