This year in many ways will be remembered for the COVID-19 pandemic but also one that
claimed a number of former African leaders.
Death has usually played a big role in news coverage across the continent. Last year we profiled a number of high profile deaths that shook the continent.
In 2020, the continent witnessed the deaths of jazz icon Manu Dibango and famed football administrator Pape Diouf and the killing of Ethiopia star musician Hachaalu Hundessa.
This article however is zooming in on the death of former African leaders – be they ex- presidents or Prime Ministers.
Here is our list of our team put together for our 2020 end of year review.
Africanews’ 2019 list of notable African leaders who died
February: Daniel Arap Moi of Kenya's second president
Kenya’s former president, Daniel Arap Moi died aged 95 . A statement from the presidency confirmed in February.
Moi, a former schoolteacher was president of Kenya for 24 years, becoming the country’s
longest-serving president, he had been in hospital for over a month at the time of his death.
Despite being called a dictator by critics, Moi enjoyed strong support from a large cross-
section of citizens and was seen as a uniting figure when he took power after founding
President Jomo Kenyatta died in office in 1978.
He turned Kenya into a one-party state for years, but in 1991, Moi yielded to demands for a
multi-party state due to internal pressure and external pressure from the West.
Multi-party elections in 1992 and 1997 were marred by political and ethnic violence that
critics asserted were caused by the state. He left power in 2002 handing over to Mwai Kibaki.
April: Togo mourns ex-PM Edem Kodjo
Togo mourned the passing of its former Prime Minister Edem Kodjo .
The former diplomat died at the age of 82 in the French capital Paris on April 11.
Kodjo spent two stints as Prime Minister, the first period from 1994 to 1996 and again from
2005 to 2006 under former president Gnassingbe Eyadema.
He also held a number of ministerial posts years before.
He served in Eyadéma’s government as Minister of Finance from 1973 to 1976 and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1976 to 1978.
He was elected as the Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) at its summit in Khartoum on July 18–22, 1978.
June: Nkurunziza dies
Burundi’s outgoing president at the time Pierre kurunziza died in office just after presidential polls
and when his successor, Evariste Ndayishimiye, was about to be sworn into office.
The official account said he died of respiratory issues even though some accounts especially on social media said it was COVID-19.
Nkurunziza’s years in office ended officially with the fast forwarded swearing in of Ndayishimiye.
The deceased who was in office for 15 years, had been hailed for accepting to step down despite
the opportunity to continue in office. He came into office aged 40 and bowed out at 55 years.
June: Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet, ex-Gabonese PM
In June, Ga
