Africa is tagged an underdeveloped continent with full potentials to function independently and become a global continental power house. But many are the powers grappling for the soul from within and without, ensuring it remains undeveloped, while exploiting its destiny for selfish aggrandizement, and this is not achieved without synergies from internal factors.
You need not offend anyone to have enemies, once you’re a leader, especially one that leads a country, your enemies are automatic.
Here is spotlighting African presidents, who faced assassination attempts in the last decade, including Guinea’s Moussa Dadis Camara and Alpha Conde, Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, Somalia’s Abdullah Yusuf Ahmed, Mali’s Assimi Goita and Sudan’s Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The good-news is, despite these attacks, all of the leaders listed here survived, showing resilience in leadership during the times of crisis.
The peace and stability brought by these leaders following such incidents reflect the strength of African leadership in the face of adversity.
The president of Comoros was left ‘slightly’ injured after he was attacked with a knife as he attended the funeral of a religious leader on Friday, 13th September, 2024.
President Azoli Assoumani of Comoros almost lost his life after a 24-year-old male soldier attempted to stab him with a knife. This occurred in the town of Salimani on the outskirts of the capital, Moroni.
Thank goodness he was saved by his security agents, who immediately subdued the young man and handed him over to the investigators. Ahmed Abdou, was the suspect as identified. He was arrested by the police, only for the miracle of death to happen to him overnight, as he was found unresponsive in his cell the following morning.
Abdel Fattah -al Burhan – Sudan
July 30th 2024, President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was shot during a military graduation ceremony in Jubayt, Red Sea State in Eastern Sudan. After the ceremony had ended, two drones struck the facility. The president was left unharmed in the incident.
Moussa Dadis Camara – Guinea
It was a military camp run by Toumba, capital city of Conakry, a lieutenant shot at the president, Moussa Dadis Camara. This incident happened on December 3rd 2009. Lt. Abubakar Diakite, his aide-de camp, pointed a gun at the president. The president was left wounded in this attack.
Alpha Conde – Guinea
Following H.E Mossa Dadis Camara’s two years earlier assassination attempt, another Guinea president almost lost his life on 19th July 2011, gunmen opened fire on the residence of the president, Alpha Conde. He was left unharmed in the incident and called on the population to remain calm.
Abdullah Yusuf Ahmed – Somalia
Another failed attempted assassination was on the president of Somalia, Abdullah Yusuf Ahmed. A suicide car bomber smashed his vehicle into Ahmed’s convoy outside the National Parliament on 17th September, 2006, he was left unharmed in the incident. The state blamed the Islamic Courts Union for having attempted to assassinate the president.
Emmerson Mnagagwa – Zimbabwe
After delivering his speech at a Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, (ZANU-PF) rally, a bomb went off, targeting president Emmerson Mnagagwa of Zimbabwe. The incident took place on June 23rd, 2018, at White City Stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. This came to be known as the 2018 Bulwayo Bombing. The president was unharmed, however, a few of his high-ranking officials were injured.
Assimi Goita – Mali
Following political turmoil in the country. Two people tried to stab the president, Assimi Goita on 20th July 2021. This occurred after Eid al-Adha prayers at the Grand Mosque, Bamako, Mali.
