Over the last few weeks, health rumors about African leaders have unveiled contrarian reactions while shining a spot light on their often-secretive nature concerning issues related to the health of their leadership on the continent.
Cameroon’s Paul Biya: A Denial Amid Media Bans
Speculation on the health of Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has been rife at 91 years. Reports come forth with denial from ministers who claimed that “he was in excellent health.” But this message was quashed by the government’s ban on any coverage of his health, which revealed intentions at controlling the narrative regarding his health.
Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi: Display of Energy
In stark contrast, Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera washed away rumors that were circulating about his health by allowing footage of jogging and performing press-ups in Lilongwe to be taken. Pieces fit into his image of energetic viability when he takes proactive steps in projecting strength as he wards off possible threats coming from political rivals.
Politics of Masculinity and Health Secrecy
As Associate Professor of African Politics at Oxford University Miles Tendi reflected that ‘How it is in African politics: here, one must have an image and that image has to be that of strength, [shuards the appearance of being invulnerable]. from all opposition. Now, how does one seem resilient if they go complaining about their backache or tummy pains to the open public? It’s about health issues not simply being a state secret.
From this view, political health dictates how healthy the nation is, and society tends to believe that the health of the leader mirrors how well the nation is doing.
Health Cover-up Historical Background
For example, over time, various African heads of state have been silent or even hostile to health questions. Zimbabwe’s previous president Robert Mugabe famously dismissed health rumors as “naked lies.” In Nigeria, perhaps the most notorious example is President Umaru Yar’Adua, who was out of public sight for five months in 2009 due to health reasons- whose treatment and diagnosis triggered many speculative views before his passing in 2010.
Similarly, in 2012, Malawi delayed announcing the death of then President Bingu wa Mutharika and sparked debate about the implications for political succession. These events illuminate the complex relationship between leadership health and political stability, particularly in weak political institution regions.
The Call for Openness
While it is true that some, like Nigeria’s President Buhari, have become more open to the public regarding their health, this is not common. Critics argue that public officials are supposed to declare such information simply because of its impact on governance and welfare.
Now that more African nations are adopting more potent political systems and more effective successions, there is an unprecedented need for greater transparency with regard to the health status of leaders. Citizens like Abeku Adams demand that taxpayers should have known how their leaders’ health was-a demand that becomes all the more valid in a climate of competitive politics where the electoral tension is going to be a reality.
Then, the contrasting approach of Biya and Chakwera points to the very complex dynamics of health, masculinity, and political power in Africa. As political landscapes continue to change, conversations over health transparency and accountability in leadership will most certainly intensify, especially in the minds of an increasingly youthful population across the continent.
