10 African Presidents Ousted from Power as of 2024: The Untold Stories of Political Coups

The Vice President of Kenya is on the hot seat after Kenyan lawmakers launched impeachment proceedings against him. These proceedings started on October 1^st, 2024, in Nairobi.

Amid growing unrest in Kenya, impeachment proceedings against Vice President Rigathi Gachagua signal ongoing political instability across Africa. 

Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s second in command is being charged with 11 grounds of impeachment by the parliament of Kenya. He is being accused of stocking ethnic tensions and undermining the government as corruption. The parliament also claims that Gachagua supported the protests of June 2024 in Kenya. This comes after reports of an apparent rift between Ruto, Kenya's president, and Gachagua.

Over the years African leaders have faced the chopping board. African presidents have been forced to leave their offices by the citizens they once led. This leads to their incrimination on various charges against humanity as others end up fleeing to exile. Here is a list of a few of African presidents that have left power against their will.

Compaoré’s 27-Year Rule Ends in Uprising. (Burkina Faso)

The second president of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compoare′ served from 1987 to 2014. He is known as a pan-African due to his active participation in regional development. He served as the chairman of various regional bodies like the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Economic Community of West African States. On the other hand, Blaise Compaore is accused of being involved in civil conflicts in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Angola. He attempted to amend the constitution of Burkina Faso to extend his 27-year term. This caused the 2024 Burkinabe′ uprising. As a result of this uprising, a coup against Blaise was carried out after which he fled to Cote d’Ivoire. The former president in April of 2024 was sentenced to life imprisonment over the murder of Thomas Sankara. Sankara was murdered in the 1987 coup that brought Blaise to power.

The Fall of Muammar Gaddafi After 42 Years of Rule (Libya)

 Muammar Gaddafi gained power through a military coup in 1979 and became the Revolutionary Chairman of the Libyan Arab Republic. Gaddafi is known for his anti-imperialist and anti-colonial nature. He was strongly against these movements around the world. Gaddafi funded and supported military groups fighting against imperialism. As he ascended into power, he set about tackling the unfair economic legacy of foreign domination. During his term, Libya became the first African country to secure a majority share of revenues from its own oil production. He however enriched mainly his own family. An uprising began in Libya and was supported by NATO authorised by a UN resolution calling for the protection of civilians. Gaddafi on the 20^th of October 2011 was found in a tunnel and was later killed.

Omar Al Bashir’s Downfall in the Sudanese Revolution (Sudan)

A military coup in 1989 saw the removal of the democratically elected, President Ahmed al -al-Mirghani from power and the ascension of Omar Al Bashir. He ended the long-standing Sudanese Civil War through negotiations leading to a referendum in the South that saw the separation of the South as the country of South Sudan. In December 2018, Sudanese citizens protested the increase in prices of fuel and bread. Over 70% of Sudanese protested in 2019, leading to the military ousting of Bashir.

 Mohamed Morsi (Egypt)

The first democratically elected president in Egypt, President Mohamed Morsi came into power after the 2012 presidential election. Morsi and his Freedom and Justice Party have frequently spoken of equal rights for all Egyptians regardless of religion, gender, and background. Months into power, he issued a constitutional declaration that granted him unrestricted authority. This did not sit right with the Egyptians who protested and called for his resignation in 2013. The military with support from political opposition saw Morsi’s term come to an end. He was acquitted of murder but jailed for 20 years. Mohamed Morsi fainted and died in court after the case was adjourned.

Robert Mugabe’s Controversial Legacy: From Revolutionary to Dictator (Zimbabwe)

Robert Mugabe was president of Zimbabwe from 1987 to 2017 when he was removed from his office by members of his party supported by the army and was replaced with his former vice president. In Zimbabwe, Mugabe was seen as a revolutionary hero of the African Liberation Struggle who freed Zimbabwe. This was however overshadowed by the dictatorship, corruption, human rights abuses, and mismanaging of resources during his tenure. He is known for his quotes for example “Some of us were embarrassed if not frightened by what appeared to be the return of the biblical giant gold Goliath. Are we having a return of Goliath to our midst, who threatens the extinction of other countries?”

 Koudou Laurent Gbagbo (Cote D’Ivoire)

Mr Gbagbo came into power through the 2000 presidential election. He then lost the one 0f 2010. Gbagbo refused to step down even though his opponent Alassane Ouattara had been declared the winner by the independent Electoral Commission. The Constitutional Council filled with Gbagbo annulled the results and declared him the winner. In 2011, Gbagbo was arrested by pro-Ouattara forces supported by French Troops. He was then handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) thus becoming the first former head of state to be taken into the court’s custody. Gbagbo was acquitted of his charges. He returned to Cote d’Ivoire in 2021, 11 years after being taken into custody.

 Ali Bongo (Gabon)

The son of former president of Gabon, Omar Bongo, Ali Bongo came to power in 2009 after winning the 2009 Gabonese presidential election. This made him the third president of Gabon. Bongo reduced the size of Gabon’s government to 30 ministers thereby reducing expenses. He was ousted from power by a military coup led by Gen Brice Oligui Ngeura who was declared the transitional president. This followed the results of the Gabonese general election of 2023 which lacked transparency in the electoral processes. His wife, Sylvia Bongo, and four sons are currently in detention awaiting trial on allegations of embezzlement of public funds.

François Bozizé Yangouvonda (Central African Republic)

Bozize, Army Chief to staff at the time captured the capital of the Central African Republic while former president Ange-Felix Patassé was outside the county in 2003. He later won the 2005 presidential elections. Central African Republic experienced an uprising in 2012 by rebel groups who claimed that the president had not honoured the peace agreements after the Central African Bush War of 2007. Bozize fled to Cameroon after he was overthrown by the rebels who attacked and took control of the presidential palace. A court in the Central African Republic supported by the United Nations issued an international arrest warrant whereby François Bozizé was charged with life imprisonment even though he is in exile.

Mamadou Tandja (Niger)

 An election in 1999 saw the ascension of Mamadou to power through the National Movement for the Development of Society party. Mamadou Tandja focused on the economic development of Niger.  He negotiated with foreign donors to ensure the financing of national projects. He also served as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States from 2005 to 2007. In 2009, Tandja tried to alter the constitution to remain in power. This led to a constitutional crisis and on 18 February 2010, during a government meeting at the presidential palace, rebel soldiers attacked and deposed Tandja in a coup d’etat. They then established a military junta called the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy.