A Continent of Elders: As Aging Leaders Tighten Grip on Power, Africa’s Youth Ask — Are We Not Competent?

Two more aged leaders have emerged victorious in recent African elections, reigniting a long-standing question across the continent: Is Africa allergic to youthful leadership?

From the Horn of Africa to the Gulf of Guinea, the script seems unchanged — decades-old political figures recycling power while a vibrant, tech-driven generation watches from the sidelines. With Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, now in his late seventies and showing no sign of stepping down, and others following suit, young Africans are questioning whether competence is measured by age or experience alone.

Across social media, the frustration is palpable. Many young citizens argue that while elders boast of experience, the same generation has presided over persistent unemployment, corruption, and decaying infrastructure. The question that keeps echoing: When will Africa trust its youth to lead?

Experts say Africa’s political systems remain rooted in old-guard structures — loyalty over innovation, control over creativity. Yet the youth, who make up more than 60% of the continent’s population, continue to pioneer global influence in technology, arts, and entrepreneurship.

“Africa’s youth are competent — they are coding solutions, running companies, and shaping culture worldwide. What they lack is political access,” said a political analyst in Nairobi.

With elections looming in Uganda and other nations led by aging incumbents, many fear a future where leadership remains trapped in the past — while the young, bold, and capable remain locked out of power.

As one Ghanaian youth activist summed it up:

“We have energy without opportunity, ideas without influence. Africa’s progress will stall if its future keeps being led by its past.”

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