The President of Angola, Joao Lourenco, has sacked Isabel dos Santos, daughter of Angola’s former president, as head of the country’s state oil company, Sonangol.
Isabel dos Santos is Africa’s richest woman and daughter of former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos who was Africa’s second longest serving president until he stepped down after almost 38 years in office.
Isabel was relieved of her position as chair of the state owned oil company along with the entire board.
In what appears to be a purge of all the former President’s children from the country’s economy, President Lourenco also ordered the state television station to terminate all contracts for the management of a local and international state owned channel with two of ex-president Dos Santos children.
Jose Filomeno, also a son of the former president and head of Angola’s $5 billion sovereign wealth fund also came under fire following a report by a Swiss newspaper claiming that funds are being mismanaged.
Isabel dos Santos is expected to be replaced by Carlos Saturnino, whom she had earlier fired from Sonangol last year.
Dos Santos also controls Unitel, Angola’s largest mobile phone company and she also owns Candando, a supermarket chain.
She equally had stakes in Angolan lenders Banco with several companies in Portugal. She also faced criticism after her appointment as chair of Sonangol in 2016.
“The key reason for my appointment is because I come from the business sector and I’ve had a track record of building business,” she said in response to criticism.
According to the World Bank, more than a third of Angola’s population of 27 million lives on less than $2 daily. Angola is Africa’s second largest producer of oil and is struggling recovery after a drop in oil prices and the aftermath of a civil war which ended in 2002.
Isabel dos Santos was the only African woman named in Forbes’ list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2017.
African Government, nepotism in disguise
A lot of African Nations have been or is being ruled by leaders who have showed traits of nepotism and for a long time has reigned unabated.
Many are of the view that Africa’s leadership has been plagued with bias and unbalance appointment of personnel into various positions in the economy.
However, with the coming of an opposition in government, there is usually a ‘family cleansing’ of the nation.
Dos Santos family (Angola)
Former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos held power since 1979 before stepping down in September 2017. He has been accused of overseeing corruption rise in the oil rich African country, filled with poverty.
His net worth is said to be around $20 billion dollars while majority of his citizens live below $2 daily, according to the United Nations.
Dos Santos daughter, Isabel dos Santos is Africa’s richest woman. She gained much wealth after her father gave her a stake in a government owned mining company and an international diamond company. She was also appointed by her father as the chairperson of the government owned oil company, Sanongol.
Her brothers also hold key sectors of the economy, with her half-brother, Jose Filomeno dos Santos, the chairman of Angola’s Sovereign Trust Fund Company, Fundo Soberano de Angola.
Bongo family (Gabon)
President Omar Bongo was Africa’s longest serving leader until his death in 2009. During his reign as President, Omar was criticised for channelling development to his family and close associates.
Three of his children held key sectors of the economy. Martin Bongo was the Foreign Minister of Gabon from 1976- 1989.
Pascaline Bongo was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1991-1994 and also Director of the Cabinet of the President from 1994-2009, while Ali Bongo was the Minister of Defence before becoming President after his father’s death in 2009.
Zuma family (South Africa)
Jacob Zuma of South Africa was accused of nepotism and favouritism after he appointed his daughter, Thuhukile Zuma, as Chief of Stafff in 2014. Zuma’s daughter became the youngest head of a Minister’s Office, which resulted in outrage and allegations of nepotism.
Although some were of the opinion that she seems qualified for the position, her appointment joined the long list of accusations levied against Zuma.
Sirleaf family (Liberia)
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appointed her son, Charles Sirleaf, as the Interim governor of the country’s Central Bank, where he was formerly the deputy.
Her son was appointed Governor of the Bank after the former governor; John Mills Jones stepped down from the position. Ellen Johnson was accused of nepotism by Liberians who said she only had her family in government to help her consolidate her Presidency.
She allegedly had 17 members of her family in key positions in the government. One of her sons was also head of Liberia’s National Security Agency, with another son Chairman of the National Oil Company of Liberia before he retired in 2013.
