Mathieu Kérékou

Mathieu Kérékou
President of Benin
In office April 4, 1996 – April 6, 2006
Preceded by	Nicéphore Soglo
Succeeded by	Yayi Boni
In office October 26, 1972 – April 4, 1991
Preceded by	Justin Ahomadégbé-Tomêtin
Succeeded by	Nicéphore Soglo
Personal details
Born	(1933-09-02)2 September 1933 Kouarfa, French Dahomey (now Kouarfa, Benin)
Died	14 October 2015(2015-10-14) (aged 82) Cotonou, Benin
Political party	People's Revolutionary Party of Benin (1975–1990)

Mathieu Kérékou, (2 September 1933^[1] – 14 October 2015) was a Beninese politician. He was President of Benin from 1972 to 1991 and again from 1996 to 2006.

After seizing power in a military coup, he ruled the country for 17 years. He was defeated in the 1991 presidential election, but was returned to the presidency in the 1996 election and controversially re-elected in 2001.

References

1. "Après 29 ans de pouvoir, le Président Kérékou tire sa révérence", IRIN, 6 April 2006 (in French).

Other websites

Media related to Mathieu Kérékou at Wikimedia Commons