University of Botswana Law Journal (2018) Vol 22(5) 1 Eliminating presidential term limits in Africa: The new form of dictatorship Emmanuel Okurut * Abstract Democracy in Africa has been dealt a heavy blow with the increase of presidents on the continent seeking re-election for third terms in office and in some cases, implementing legislative reform that has the effect of paving way for life presidency. These presidents have cunningly engineered amendments to the constitutions of their countries through national referendums that have been tainted with all sorts of irregularities such as bribery of voters and politicians, rigging, intimidation, killings and human rights violations. The constitutional amendments that are most certainly predetermined before the casting of any vote are touted as overwhelming support and endorsement of the president’s continued stay in power beyond the two-term limit. However, a critical look at the political landscapes in the affected countries reveals widespread discontentment and resentment by the majority of the people for the government of the day. The citizens are forcefully subjected to yet another term or possible life presidency under the unpopular leaders. This forced or imposed rule on the people is ultimately a violation of the principles of democracy which requires a government to be endorsed by the majority. This therefore supposes a new wave of totalitarian regimes on the African continent that are tactfully disguised as constitutionally elected governments. This article examined the proliferation of third terms as a means to life presidencies in Africa, their constitutionalism, and the risks that such ambitions posed to the quality of democracy in Africa. 1. Introduction In the recent past, there have been a number of demonstrations in Africa, some of them bloody, against presidents who have sought to manipulate the constitutions of their countries to enable them seek re-election for third terms. 1 In several instances, these constitutional amendments have even paved way for possible life presidencies which has a serious implication on democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law in Africa. 2 In September 2015, several protestors in the Democratic Republic of Congo came out in their numbers to protest against President Joseph Kabila’s bid for a third term in office * LLB (Botswana), LLM (Pretoria), LLD (Pretoria). Email: okurutemmanuel@yahoo.com 1 N Cheeseman (Ed.) Institutions and Democracy in Africa (2018) Cambridge University Press 2; E Gyimah- Boadi ‘Africa's Waning Democratic Commitment’ (2015) 26(1) Journal of Democracy 101. 2 A Baturo Democracy, dictatorship, and term limits (2014) University of Michigan Press 1.