This comparison explores three distinct but interconnected crises unfolding across Africa. While the methods differ—one using legal loopholes, one using absolute longevity, and one facing a youth-led uprising—they all point to a fundamental tension between aging power structures and a restless, young population.
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The “Triple Crisis”: Togo, Cameroon, and Kenya Compared
| Feature | Togo (The Legal Coup) | Cameroon (The Eternal Rule) | Kenya (The Youth Uprising) |
| Current Leader | Faure Gnassingbé (since 2005) | Paul Biya (since 1982) | William Ruto (since 2022) |
| Strategy | Constitutional Engineering: Changed to a parliamentary system to rule via a new “unlimited” Prime Minister-style role. | Persistence & Patronage: 92-year-old leader ruling for 43 years; recently won an 8th term in Oct 2025. | Austerity & Force: Attempted to implement heavy tax hikes to meet IMF goals, leading to massive street protests. |
| Catalyst | April 2024 constitutional overhaul by a ruling-party-dominated parliament. | The 2008 removal of term limits and the highly contested Oct 2025 elections. | The 2024 Finance Bill and the 2025 death of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody. |
| The Resistance | Smaller, localized protests (Lomé) met with “quiet” arrests and internet blackouts. | Fractured opposition and Anglophone separatist conflict; limited urban protest. | Gen Z-led movement: Massive, leaderless, digitally organized, and nationwide. |
1. Cameroon: The “Sphinx” and the 43-Year Shadow
While Togo is innovating new ways to hide power, Cameroon’s Paul Biya relies on sheer endurance. At 92, Biya is the world’s oldest sitting head of state.
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The 2025 Election: In October 2025, Biya was sworn in for his eighth term after a campaign that critics say relied on AI-generated imagery and social media to mask his failing health and long absences from the country.
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The “Constitutional Coup”: Like Togo, Cameroon’s parliament removed term limits years ago (2008). Biya’s rule is maintained through a complex web of patronage and a “crushing majority” in parliament that makes legal challenges impossible.
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The Difference: Unlike Togo’s recent “system change,” Cameroon is a traditional autocracy where power is frozen in time. The transition here is not a policy debate but a biological countdown that leaves the nation in a state of anxious limbo.
2. Kenya: When the “Western Script” Fails
Kenya presents a different kind of crisis. Unlike Togo or Cameroon, Kenya has a vibrant democracy with a history of power transitions. However, the events of 2024 and 2025 have revealed a “dark side” of the system.
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The 2024/2025 Protests: Triggered by tax hikes on basic goods (bread, sanitary products) to pay off international debt, Kenya’s youth (Gen Z) stormed Parliament on June 25, 2024.
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The Brutality: The response was not quiet. Over 60 people were killed in 2024, and in June 2025, another wave of protests erupted following the death of blogger Albert Ojwang in police custody. More than 120 people have died in total since the unrest began.
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The Irony: Kenya is often seen as the “Western darling” of East African democracy. Yet, the government has used the language of “anti-terrorism” and “attempted coups” to justify a brutal crackdown on its own children.
The Common Thread: A War on the Future
Across all three nations, a pattern emerges:
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The Elite Club: Regional bodies like ECOWAS and the African Union are often quick to condemn military coups (like in Niger) but silent on “constitutional coups” (like in Togo) or electoral rigging (like in Cameroon).
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The IMF/Debt Trap: In Kenya, the government claims it must tax the poor to stay afloat; in Togo and Cameroon, resources like gold and oil are extracted while 70% of the population remains in poverty.
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Digital Suppression: Whether it’s the arrest of the rapper Aamron in Togo for a TikTok or the arrest of Albert Ojwang in Kenya for a post on X, the new battlefield is the smartphone.
The Verdict
Togo is a silent coup of law; Cameroon is a static coup of time; Kenya is a violent struggle for the soul of a democracy. In all three cases, the leaders are wearing suits and holding “elections,” but the people on the streets feel the same weight of oppression.