Equatorial Guinea: Ruler beset by corruption and abuse wins new term

Possibly the least surprising result in a year of predictable elections in Africa was another victory for Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

It was another election in which the voters had a gun held to their heads

…The electoral charade confirms another seven-year term for Obiang, whose government is rated by Human Rights Watch as “one of the most abusive and corrupt in the world”. It offers further time to entrench the extraordinary wealth which flows from the third largest oil exporter in Africa into the private coffers of the president’s inner circle. And it confirms the nature of Western relations with oppressive African regimes.

US Justice Department memos leaked to the New York Times recently revealed that the president’s son and agriculture minister has transferred at least $73m (