10 Female African National Leaders

 

Africa has been slow to embrace women leaders in politics, but there is an exclusive group of female presidents who are now laying the foundations for future female leadership in Africa. For example in September 2005 Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburi served temporarily as the acting President of South Africa for four days when the President and his vice were out of the country.

Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburi 

She was also selected by the cabinet to serve as the constitutional and official head of state for an interim period of 14 hours on September 25, 2008. This was the period between the resignation of then President Thabo Mbeki and the taking of office by Kgalema Motlanthe. But in this video, we take a look at 10 African female leaders who have occupy this position for more than a month.

1 Sylvie Kinigi – Burundi

The first female president in Africa was Sylvie Kinigi. She served as prime minister of Burundi from Feb. 10, 1993, to Oct. 7, 1994. During this period, she also served as the acting president of the country from Oct. 27, 1993, to Feb. 5, 1994, after Burundi President Melchior Ndadaye was shot and killed. Following Ndadaye’s death, Kiningi continued to govern the country as acting president for three months thus making her the first female in Africa to handle this position.

2  Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – Liberia

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is Africa’s first elected President who served two consecutive terms after winning the 2005 and 2011 Presidential elections. She had initially run for Presidential office in 1997 against Charles Taylor, but she lost. She was the 24th President of Liberia. During her tenure she was also elected Chair of the Economic Community of West African States in June of 2016.

 

3 Rose Francine Rogombe – Gabon

Rose Francine Rogombe served as interim president of Gabon from June 2009 to October 2009 after the death of President Omar Bongo. As president of the senate at that time, Rogombe automatically became the head of state. As reported by VOA News, the country’s constitution sets out that this position is first in line for presidential succession if the president is unable to fulfill his or her duties.

4 Monique Ohsan Bellepeau – Mauritius

Agnes Monique Ohsan Bellepeau was the Acting President of Mauritius from March 31, 2012 – July 21, 2012. This was the transition period between the resignation of the current President Anerood Jugnauth to the inauguration of the new President Kailash Purryag. She served again as Acting President between the resignation of Purryag and the inauguration of the new President, Ameenah Gurib from May 29, 2015 – June 5, 2015. However, this position is said to be ceremonial as the real power holder in Mauritius is the Prime Minister.

5 Joyce Hilda Banda – Malawi

Joyce Hilda Banda was the first female vice president and president of Malawi. In 2011, she founded the People’s Party. Between April 2012 and May 2014, she served as president after her predecessor, Bingu wa Mutharika, died suddenly in office. As vice president at the time, Banda was next in line to be president according to the constitution. She was the country’s fourth President. Two years later in May 2014, Banda was heavily defeated in the next presidential election. In 2014, Forbes named President Banda as the 40th most powerful woman in the world and the most powerful woman in Africa.

6 Catherine Samba – Central African Republic

Catherine Samba was the acting president of the Central African Republic from 2014 to 2016 after rebel leader Michael Djotodia resigned from his self-appointed presidency, this was according to Reuters. Before becoming president, Samba was the mayor of the Central African Republic’s capital city Bangui from 2013 to 2014.

7 Ameenah Gurib-Fakim – Mauritius

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was the first female president of Mauritius. A Muslim woman, she was unanimously voted into power by the country’s national assembly in June 2018 and served until March 2018. As mentioned earlier, in Mauritius the position of president is largely ceremonial and the prime minister is the most powerful office in the country. Gurib-Fakim is a scientist and she holds an honorary doctorate degree from Pierre and Marie Curie University.

8 Sahle-Work Zewde – Ethiopia

Sahle-Work Zewde was the first elected female president of Ethiopia. Zwede took office on Oct. 25, 2018, after being unanimously elected by members of the country’s national parliamentary assembly. This was according to AlJazeera. The position of Ethiopian president is largely ceremonial. As the prime minister, is the most powerful figure in Ethiopian politics and commander in chief of the Ethiopian Armed Forces. Zwede has previously worked as a special representative of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to the African Union, and head of the U.N. office to the African Union.

9 Victoire Dogbé Tomegah - Togo

Victoire Sidémého Dzidudu Dogbé Tomegah is the new Prime Minister of Togo since 28 September 2020. She is the first woman to hold the office.

Prime Minister Dogbé Tomegah is  a respected and seasoned politician. Prior to 2008, she worked at the United Nations Development Programme. In 2008  Tomégah served as the Cabinet Director of the President. In 2010, following the re-election of President Faure Gnassingbé, Tomegah Dogbé was appointed Minister of Grassroots Development, Youth Craft and Youth Employment in Gilbert Houngbo’s second mandate.

Tobegah Dogbe was named Prime Minister on 28 September 2020 by President Faure Gnassingbe after the resignation of Komi Selom Klassou.

10 Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan,- Tanzania

Following the sudden death of President John Magufuli of Tanzania, his deputy Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, was on Friday, March 19, sworn in as the first female president of the country.

According to the Tanzanian Constitution; "Where the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death, then the Vice-President shall be sworn in and become the President for the unexpired period of the term of five years."

 This means 61-year-old Samia Suluhu Hassan, will be in office until 2025.

Previously, she was the Minister of State, in the office of the Vice President in charge of Union Affairs.

Born on January 27, 1960, Suluhu was an MP for Makunduchi constituency from 2010 to 2015 and had been the Minister of State in the VP’s Office for Union Affairs since 2010.

She has also served in different ministerial positions since the 2000.

watch video below