Manuela Roka Botey Becomes Equatorial Guinea’s First Female Prime Minister

Equatorial Guinea now has its first female prime minister, Manuela Roka Botey, who was appointed by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

Since August 2020, Botey has served as Minister of National Education, University Education, and Sports. She was also the Vice-Dean of the National University of Equatorial Guinea’s Faculty of Letters and Social Sciences.

Manuela Roka es felicitada por el vecindario tras ser nombrada Primera Ministra de Teodoro Obiang…. pic.twitter.com/r19yft5Jgh

— 𝙅𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙧 𝙊𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙤 𝙀𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙜 (@OyonoEseng) January 31, 2023

“For the first time in Equatorial Guinea, a woman is appointed prime minister,” tweeted the vice-president and son of the head of state, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, alias Teodorin. “This is further proof of the commitment to gender equality (…) in the country,” he said.

Botey replaces former Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Obama Asue who held this position for nearly eight years.

Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by Obiang Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo since 1979 when he overthrew his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema in a coup.

Now 80 years old, Obiang is the world’s longest-serving head of state, excluding monarchs.

His regime is regularly accused by international NGOs and Western capitals of repressing all opposition and flouting human rights while also being blamed for endemic corruption.