Africa political dynasties: How presidents dey groom dia sons to takeover power

Congo-Brazzaville President Denis Sassou-Nguesso don appoint im son Denis-Christel as cabinet minister - wey don make pipo begin reason am say im wan run am like family dynasty.

No be say any type of handover don near. Sign no dey say di 77-year old head of state wan comot seat of power, now wey dem just elect am for fresh term for March, and done rule for many decades.

Yet if Denis-Christel come enter power after im papa comot, dis one go confam di format wey don dey dey popular for Central Africa.

For neighbouring Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba na di son of Omar Bongo, wey rule from 1967 to 2009, while for Democratic Republic of Congo Joseph Kabila rule for 17 years after im takeover for 2001 when dem assassinate im papa Laurent-Désiré as head of state.

Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang - wey comot im own uncle Francisco Macías Nguema as di kontri first head of state, for 1979 - don already appoint im son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, as vice-president, to make am easy for am to takeover.

And after Chad President Idriss Déby die last month - from weting goment say na injury from war front - im son Mahamat, wey be four-star army general, don sharpaly rise to be di leader of di interim ruling military council.

And now underground tok-tok don dey dey say Cameroon sef fit see dis kain family format. Dis na after one anonymous "citizens' movement" campaign begin for Franck Biya, di son of di 88-year-old President Paul Biya wey never even reach middle of im new seven-year term.

Sources wey dey close to Franck - even if im no dey chook hand for politics, as e prefer private sector business career - don torchlight say Franck no get anytin to do wit di campaign wey dey promot im name.

But also, im never tell dem to stop, and e never comot public statement say im no get am for mind to succeed im papa.

Of course, political dynasties no be new tin - see for example di Bush and Kennedy family for di US.

And currently for Uganda, one social media campaign dey package General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of current head of state Yoweri Museveni, as di potential ruling party candidate for di next election in 2026.

But dis pattern of leaders wey dey hand power to dia pikin dey common pass for west-central Africa economies wey depend on oil, as di money from oil dey ginger di politics dia.

E dey also cause rivalries and and katakata inside di ruling dynasties.

Rumours dey say inside di Obiang family fight-fight don dey happen, as tori be say some family members dey favour anoda son of di president, Oil Minister Gabriel Mbega Obiang Lima.

But the phenomenon is particularly entrenched in west-central Africa's petro-economies, where oil revenues often lubricate the networks of political patronage and empire-building.

It can also fuel rivalries and resentments within ruling dynasties and their often complex webs of personal connection.

There are rumours of palace intrigue among the Obiangs, with some family members said to favour an alternative presidential son, Oil Minister Gabriel Mbega Obiang Lima.

Gabon: First family intrigues

But no be just about personal issues. Ali Bongo face former foreign minister and African Union Commission chief Jean Ping, inside di 2016 Gabonese election.

Meanwhile Ping na di former partner to di president sister Pascaline, wey go make president Ali Bongo uncle to dia two children.

Five years after di elections, Ping no gree for di defeat as serious kwesions comot about whether di polls dey free and fair.

French corruption probe

French justice don dey torchlight Equatorial Guinea regime for allegations say dem bring enter France family assets wey dem use corruption money buy.

Di Bongo and di Nguesso na im French authorities dey targe: di 13 pipo wey dem open formal investigation ontop dia head also include one lawyer wey work for di President Omar.

For 2015 French judges order say make dem seize two properties for Paris wey dem believe di real own na Sassou-Nguesso nephew Wilfrid Nguesso; not to mention 15 luxury cars dem seize join. Wilfrid dey under formal investigation.

Then by middle of 2017 - one year after Nguesso say make France troway di case against am - French authorities put di president daughter Julienne and her husband Guy Johnson, anoda nephew, Edgar, and one former sister-in-law, Catherine Ignanga, under formal investigation.

Di matter relate to $22.4m of money transfer dem allege say dey suspicious, wey happen between 2008-2009.

Equatorial Guinea and im luxury sports cars

But na Equatorial Guinean Vice-President, Teodoro, attract attention pass, with police wey don raid im luxury house since like 2012 and seize plenty cars, including two Bugatti Veyrons and one Rolls Royce Phantom.

Dem later sentence Teodoro order am to pay €30m fine.

Im goment International Court of Justice, wia dem argue say di Avenue Foch mansion, wey worth €107m, na dia embassy for France and so e get diplomatic immunity.

But, last December the Court reject di argument.

Even though for some countries di recent trend na for presidents to want put dia family members for power after dem don comot, e no dey clear whether dis pattern fit last.

Dis na because African population dey young more and more and dia expections of dia goments don dey change.

Paul Melly na Consulting Fellow with di Africa Programme for Chatham House in London.