Brianna Boecker* says Equatorial Guinea has hit a historic milestone, appointing its first female prime minister.
Manuela Roka Botey has become Equatorial Guinea’s first female prime minister.
The West African country’s longtime president Obiang Nguema Mbasogo appointed Botey (pictured) from her role as vice-minister of education to replace the previous PM, Francisco Pascual Obama Adue, who held the position for nearly eight years.
Botey’s new position was announced By Obiang on state television last week, and his son, who is also the country’s vice-president, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, congratulated Botey by tweeting, “For the first time in Equatorial Guinea, a woman is appointed prime minister.”
“This is further proof of the commitment to gender equality and opportunities in the country.
“Congratulations, Manuela Roka Botey!”
Eighty-year-old Obiang, Equatorial Guinea’s current president, cemented his place as the world’s longest-standing ruler back in November after he was re-elected for a sixth term in office with 95 per cent of the vote.
The United States had called on authorities at the time to work with all stakeholders to address allegations of the election’s voter fraud, saying there were “serious doubts about the credibility of the announced results.”
Equatorial Guinea gained independence from Spain in 1968 and since then, there have only been two presidents– Obiang drove his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema out of power in a coup in August 1979.
Rights groups have called the country’s two presidents– Francisco and Obiang– some of the worst rights abusers in Africa.
Equatorial Guinea discovered vast oil reserves in 1996, but much of the 1.5 million population haven’t benefited from this wealth, with poverty still rampant.
*Brianna Boecker is an Associate Publisher with Women’s Agenda.
This article first appeared at womensagenda.com.au
