President of the United States, Barack Obama condemned African leaders who refuse to step down when their terms end warning that the decision has negative impact on the continent as a whole which could hinder its advancement.
He also called for an end to the ‘cancer of corruption, saying it took money away from development. Obama made the comments in the first ever address by a US leader to the 54-member AU at its headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
He visited Kenya and Ethiopia, the headquarters of the AU. Obama said African leaders should respect their constitutions, and step down when their term ends.
“Nobody should be president for life,” he said.
Obama said that democracy only existed as a name but not utterly practical when journalists were jailed and activists were threatened. Corruption was ‘draining billions of dollars’ from Africa, he added.
The money could be used to build schools and hospitals, Obama lamented.
