From the time that emperors and Kings used to rule the World to the current dispensations where Presidents and Monarchs rule various territories, their protection have always been a major priority.

There is always a conscious effort to protect them from any security threats so that they can handle their business and it’s also because when they fall, the country becomes chaotic.

In modern-day Africa and all over the world, presidents are given the maximum protection so duties can be carried out properly but some countries depending on their resources, history, and status spend more to give their presidents the best security they can ever get.

Sometimes, the presidents themselves do go the extra mile to spend more on their protection detail due to the security circumstances and instability in the country.

GhanaWeb makes a compilation of the top ten most protected Presidents but our focus will be on Africa because of our geographical location.

Both hardrockmedia.co and watchdoguganda.com conducted a survey on it in 2021 and since we are still in the first half of the year 2022, we would stick with that.

Below are the top ten most protected presidents in Africa.

10. Allasane Ouattara – President of La Côte d’Ivoire

Born on January 1 1942, 80-year-old Alassane Dramane Ouattara has been the President of La Côte d’Ivoire since taking over from Laurent Gbagbo in December 2010.

Ouattara always leaves his Preiseindtial Palace with heavily armed security guards whether he is out or in his country to conduct official businesses. His presidential car is also accompanied by heavily armed presidential guards who follow his vehicle on foot until it gets out of the reach of the public.

His convoy of high-speed motorbikes and armored Land cruisers follows him wherever he travels, making it one of the most stunning Presidential Motorcades on the African continent.

9. King Mohammed VI – Head of State of Morocco

Mohammed VI, the King/Head of State of Morocco took over as the ruler of the North African country on July 23, 1999, upon the death of his father, King Hassan II.

The richest Head of State on the continent has a presidential Armored Mercedes 600 Pullman worth $1.57 million.

His motorcade comprises several Mercedes bens 500 and Range Rover models when he goes to mountainous places, A BMW series with a communications hummer, an ambulance, and several high-speed motorcycles.

He has personal body guards of more than 10 people who surround him constantly when he is in the public domain.

8. Emmerson Mnangagwa- President of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe has suffered political instabilities in the last couple of years making Emmerson Mnangagwa give himself the topmost security to ensure a peaceful reign as the third President of a country that gain independence on April 18, 1980.

Born on September 15, 1942, Emmerson Mnangagwa became the President of Zimbabwe on Number 24, 2017, replacing Robert Mugabe. People normally mistake him to be a military leader because of the number of soldiers who surrounds his convoy when he steps out.

His presidential motorcade also comprises high-speed police motorcycles and he rides in an Armoured limousine followed by a dozen presidential guards.

7. Buhari Muhammad -President of Nigeria.

Muhammad Buhari, the leader of over 200 million people and the country that has been battling Boko Haram was ranked as the 7th most protected president in Africa.

His safety and protection is of utmost importance to Nigerians and they spend millions of dollars to ensure that his reign ends successfully as they battle Boko Haram on the other side.

President Buhari’s security is very tight, his Motorcade always comprises a high-speed police motorcycle and several presidential guards. Most of the cars in his convoy are identical making it impossible for people to pick the one he rides in.

He was born on December 17, 1942, and became president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015.

6. Cyril Ramaphosa -President of South Africa

The next on the list was 70-year-old Cyril Ramaphosa, the 5th President of South Africa. He was elected President of South Africa in 2019 and is one of Africa’s most well-protected leaders.

Not much was written about the security detail of Cyril Ramaphosa but he was put on the list as number 6. According to reports he also spends millions of dollars on his security. He was born on November 17, 1952.

5. Paul Kagame – President of Rwanda.

Gradually becoming the ‘favourite’ president of most youths in Africa, particularly those in the West and it’s all because of how he has turned his country around after the genocide in 1994.

Paul Kagame was born on October 23, 1957, the same year that Ghana gained independence from the British colonial rule.

His presidential car is an Armored Range Rover sentinel which cost 550,000 USD and the Rwandan presidential motorcade is made up of several security motorcycles, high-speed Mercedes Benz land Cruisers, and security guards on both sides of his car and his side whenever he makes a public appearance.

4. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi – President of Egypt.

He became the president of Egypt, a country with centuries of rich history in 2014 and was born on November 19, 1954. He has been the leader of Egypt for the past eight years. His presidential car is a 2013 Mercedes S class with a special black number plate.

Egypt has one of the best military force in Africa making it impossible to touch him as president. He is accompanied by more than 10 bodyguards, his presidential motorcade always comprises of high-speed motorbikes, land cruiser, and a couple of armored Mercedes Benz.

3. Paul Biya – President of Cameroon

The longest-serving president in Africa is 89-year-old man, Paul Biya, who has been the leader of Cameroon since November 6, 1982. He has been the president of Cameroon for the past 37 years and he moves with heavy-armed personnel even in his own country.

During the 2021 AFCON, Paul Biya’s security detail always shut down the stadium when he is watching the game, meaning that no one goes in or out of the facility whiles he is there according to reports.

He rides in an armored range rover sentinel which costs 500,000 USD. On special occasions, he rides in his armored limousine and is one of the best on the continent.

When in public, his car is heavily guarded by a group of 8 specially selected bodyguards who run on foot at both sides of his car and a fleet of horses who lead his convoy.

2. Uhuru Kenyatta- President of Kenya

Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta is the second on the list and due to the circumstances in Guinea, he can be considered the most protected president on the African continent.

Kenyatta has been the president of Kenya for the past 9 years and was born on October 26, 1961. He is the 4th president of Kenya and has a convoy made up of more than 10 high-speed motorcycles, several high-speed expensive cars, a Mercedes Benz X class, and Range Rovers whenever he steps out in public.

He steps out of Kenya with ten personal security guards when conducting international businesses on behalf of his people.

1. Alpha Conde has been overthrown

The first person on the list was Alpha Konde, the former president of Guinea. Alpha Conde had 20 personal bodyguards aside from the presidential guard but his security was breached and was overthrown by Col Mamady Doumbouya who was sworn in as Guinea’s interim president on October 1, 2021.

Author: Joel Eshun