10 Most Dangerous African Dictators You Must Know About

Dangerous African dictators are African leaders who have defied the constitutions governing leadership in their individual countries. Some of these leaders emerged after colonialism and after coups. Many of them impacted their countries negatively and were known for killing or imprisoning anyone who opposes them.

Some of the famous African dictators include Idi Amin of Uganda, General Sani Abacha of Nigeria, Muammar Gadaffi of Libya, Charles Taylor of Liberia, and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

Meet the 10 Dangerous African Dictators of All-time

1. Idi Amin Dada- Uganda

The former President of Uganda Idi Amin Dada, also known as the “Butcher of Uganda” was born in 1925, in Koboko, northwestern Uganda. He is considered to be the most dangerous African dictator of all time. He seized power in January 1971 during a military coup overthrowing Milton Obote.

His rule was characterized by rumors of cannibalism, Human rights abuses, and political repression among many other societal ills. International observers estimated the death toll of his regime to be around 500,000.

After declaring the defeat on the British in 1977, he conferred this title to himself:

“His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshall Alhadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada VC, DSO, MC, Lord of all the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular”.

Idi Amin was dethroned in 1979, and he fled to Saudi Arabia, where he died in 2003 of multiple organ failure.

2. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi – Libya

Born on June 7, 1942, Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi was a Libyan revolutionary, political theorist, and politician. He seized power in a bloodless military coup in 1969, after overthrowing King Idris.

Gaddafi claimed to rule by his “Third International theory”. During his reign as leader, Libya became the first developing country to own a majority of  revenue from oil production in the country. However, he crushed anyone who tried to oppose him and this caused a lot of deaths, estimated to be in its thousands.

Gaddafi was captured and killed in his hometown, Sirte in August 2011, by Anti-Gaddafi rebels. He ruled Libya for 42 years.

3. General Sani Abacha – Nigeria

Sani Abacha was born on September 20, 1943,  in Kano, Nigeria. He became Head of State in 1993, after overthrowing civilian Head of State, Ernest Shonekan. Abacha is the first Nigerian Army officer to attain the rank of a full military general without skipping a single rank.

His regime recorded a massive economic boom for Nigeria. However, it was characterized by massive looting and human rights abuses. Like most powerful African dictators, Abacha killed anyone who opposed him and one of these people was Political activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was hanged publicly. He also threw most of his political opponents in jail.

Abacha was referred to by political pundits as “The most brutal dictator of the West African powerhouse”. The General died on June 8, 1998. Although the circumstances surrounding his death are unclear, it was speculated that he died during sexual bouts with Indian prostitutes.

4. Yahya Jammeh

Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh was born on May 25, 1965, in Kanilai, western Gambia. He is the former president of the republic of The Gambia and is considered one of the most dangerous African dictators of all time.

He got into power on November 6, 1996, and ruled Gambia for 19 years. During these 19 years, the country was plagued with different ills as committed by their president, these include Human rights violations, sexual crime, murder, torture, and stealing of public funds worth millions of dollars.

He was forced out of power in 2017 after he lost an election. Jammeh fled to Equatorial Guinea and denied all allegations leveled against him. However, he has been warned by the Gambian government to never return to the country else he would be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.

5. Omar al-Bashir – Sudan

One of the most dangerous African dictators still in power is Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir who was born on January 1, 1944, in Hash Bannaga, Sudan. He became the president in 1989, following a military coup.

He was charged with seven crimes against humanity by the ICC for directing a campaign of mass killing, rape, and pillage against civilians in Darfur.

al-Bashir was usurped after a coup on April 11, 2019. He was convicted of corruption by the ICC and was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

6. Robert Mugabe -Zimbabwe

The ex-president of Zimbabwe and one of the oldest dictators in Africa was born on February 21, 1924, in Kutama Mission village, Southern Rhodesia’s Zvimba District.

He came into power in 1980 as the  Prime minister of the country. In December 1987, he consolidated his power as the prime minister and became the President of Zimbabwe. Mugabe was known for his hatred of white people and homosexuals.

After 30 years of power, he resigned from office on November 21, 2017, after what could be considered a coup but not a coup. Mugabe died on September 6, 2019, at the age of 95, after battling cancer.

7. Charles Taylor  – Liberia

The 22nd President of Liberia, Charles McArthur Ghankay Taylor, was born January 28, 1948, in Arthington, a town near Monrovia, Liberia. Also called the “Tyrant of Death”, Charles Taylor came into power in August 1997.

He was accused of being a war-time criminal who committed several atrocities against humanity. Subsequently, he was found guilty of 11 charges ranging from terrorism, conscripting children into the army, and many others at the International Criminal Court of Justice and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Charles Taylor is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous African dictators of all time.

8. Paul Biya – Cameroon

Born on February 13, 1933, Paul Biya has been the president of Cameroon since November 6, 1982. He is one of the best-known examples of authoritarianism.

He has successfully kept power to himself by organizing sham elections and paying international observers to declare them as free and fair. Paul Biya has been accused of human right abuse and is considered one of the most dangerous dictators in the world.

9. Hastings Kamuzu Banda -Malawi

The former president of Malawi, Hastings Kamuzu Banda was born in 1898, he became Malawi’s leader in 1961 and led them to independence one year later. 2 years after he declared himself president of the new republic of Malawi, he made the country a one-party state under the Malawi congress party.

Subsequently, he was made President for Life of the MCP in 1970 and of Malawi in 1971. While others referred to him as a corrupt tyrant, some hailed him as a hero for improving the educational system of the country.

In 1993, his one-party state was terminated after an international protest and he was stripped of all his positions and titles, leaving the country as one of the poorest in the world. He died in 1997 in South Africa.

See Also: 7 Female Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies

10. Hissene Habre – Chad

Also known as Husain Habri, Hissen Habre was born on August 13, 1942, in Faya-Largeau, Chad. He came into power in 1982, preceding the just-elected President, Guokouni Oueddei.

During his regime, Libya invaded Chad and occupied the Aozou Strip. However, His troops sent Libyan troops packing from Chad in 1981. His rule was characterized by different forms of Human rights violations.

Hissene was charged with authorization of murder and torture and was found guilty of human rights abuses, including rape, sexual slavery, and the killing of over 40,000 people. He was tried in Senegal and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Hissene was the first former head of state to be convicted for human rights abuses in the court of a different country.

He died in Senegal on August 24, 2021, after being hospitalized with Covid 19.