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FACTBOX-Africa's third term presidents

Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:40pm IST
 
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April 10 (Reuters) - Cameroon's national assembly adopted a constitutional bill on Thursday removing a two-term presidential limit to allow President Paul Biya to extend his 25-year rule in the central African country past 2011. Here are details about some other African leaders who have taken similar measures to prolong their rule:

* BURKINA FASO - Blaise Compaore - Compaore, who seized power in 1987, removed a limit on terms in 1997. He won a third term in 2005 with a landslide victory.

* CHAD - Idriss Deby - Deby, who took power in a coup in 1990, won a third term in 2006 after a referendum the year before removed a two-term limit.

* GABON - Omar Bongo - Bongo came to power in 1967 and is Africa's longest serving ruler. He secured a change in the law in 2003 so he can seek re-election as many times as he wants.

* GUINEA - Lansana Conte - Conte won disputed elections in 1993, 1998 and 2003 after a change in the constitution allowed him a third term. His current mandate expires in 2010. * TUNISIA - Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali - Ben Ali, who took office in 1987, won nearly 100 percent approval for 2002 reforms to let him keep standing for re-election.

* UGANDA - Yoweri Museveni - Museveni, in power since 1986, won re-election in February 2006 after he changed the constitution in 2005 to let him stand for a third term. (Writing by David Cutler and Bill Maclean, London Editorial Reference Unit;)

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