The Liberian Central Bank, in a controversial decision yesterday, appointed Charles Sirleaf as its interim governor. Charles, son of the country’s president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, was formerly the deputy governor of the apex bank and he replaces John Mills Jones who stepped down as governor earlier. However, this latest appointment seems to support the idea harboured by some Liberians, that Ellen Johnson only appoints her family members to key posts in order to consolidate her presidency. In 2012, rivals in her ruling party accused her of nepotism. She allegedly had 17 of her family members working in the country’s government. Another son of hers is the head of Liberia’s National Security Agency, while another was Chairman of the National Oil Company of Liberia before he retired in 2013. There were also rumours that John Mills Jones was hounded out of office by the president, after he expressed interest in running for president in Liberia’s next election in 2017. Johnson Sirleaf steps down as president next year after she expends the country’s presidential term limit.
Here are other African presidents who have controversially appointed family members into key posts in their countries:
Angola, Santos family