The nomination of Manuela Roka Botey as Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday created history. She is the first female president. “This is additional confirmation of the country’s commitment to women equality…and chances,” Vice President Obiang Mangue said immediately after Botey’s appointment was announced.
Equatorial Guinea’s Prime Minister, Manuela Roka Botey, has been appointed as the new leader of the country. During her tenure as the country’s first female governor, she became the first woman to hold the position. The news was announced on national television by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in an official proclamation that was read out loud by the President. Her previous position was that of education minister before she joined the administration in 2020 as the deputy education minister. The former Prime Minister has been occupying the position since 2016 when she succeeds Fernando Pascual Obama Asue.
The 80-year-old Obiang was re-elected in November for a sixth term, confirming his position as the world’s longest-serving king. The United States, at the time, expressed concern about the legitimacy of the results declared and urged authorities to engage all stakeholders in order to resolve suspicions of voting fraud. The US referred to his status as the world’s longest-serving king. Since its independence from Spain in 1968, the country of over 1.5 million inhabitants has had just two presidents. In August 1979, Obiang deposed his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema, in a coup.
As a matter of fact, at the time, the US commented that there were “significant questions about the legitimacy of the declared results” and advised authorities to engage with all stakeholders to resolve suspicions of election fraud and the country of over 1.5 million people has had only two presidents since its independence from Spain in 1968. In August 1979, Obiang deposed his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema, in a coup.