In 2011 the Arab Spring claimed three of Africa’s Big Men, but their countries weren’t the only ones affected. There were the governments that endured the turbulent times of protests and strikes yet somehow managed to hold on, be it through violent suppression of protestors, suspension of various forms of communication, proposing reforms or simply ignoring protest and hoping that it goes away.
King Mohammed VI, Morocco
Bingu wa Mutharika, Malawi
Ian Khama, Botswana
King Mswati III, Swaziland
King Letsie, Lesotho
Ali Bongo, Gabon
Yoweri Museveni, Uganda
Mwai Kibaki, Kenya
Ikililou Dhoinine, Comoros
Ismail Omar Guelleh, Djibouti
Mohamed Abdelaziz, Mauritania
Omar al-Bashir, Sudan
Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia
Jacob Zuma, South Africa
Election fever
So it was that 2011 was the year of presidential elections in Africa. There were a total of 18 scheduled elections at the start of the year, by the end there were a total of 19. In Tunisia elections took place to replace ousted leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and elections that were meant to take place in Zimbabwe and Madagascar have been moved to 2012.
The new leaders:
Alassane Ouattara, Cote d’Ivoire
Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, Egypt
Mustafa Abdul Jalil, Libya
Mahamadou Issoufou, Niger
Manuel Pinto da Costa, Sao Tome and Principe
Salva Kiir, South Sudan
Moncef Marzouki, Tunisia
Michael Sata, Zambia
Honourable mention – Pedro Pires Former Cape Verde president Pedro Pires received 2011’s Mo Ibrahim prize for Achievement in African leadership. He was the leader of the island nation from 2001 to 2011, and was singled at as one of the key African success stories for “good governance,” including multiparty democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights.
