US president Barack Obama condemned African leaders who refuse to hand over power when their terms end saying such practices would drag the development and democracy of the continent.

Obama made the remarks while addressing the continent at the African Union Headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, a first ever speech by a US president to address the 54-member continental bloc, the African Union.

"Africa’s democratic progress is also at risk when leaders refuse to step aside when their terms end," Obama said in a speech on Tuesday ending his two-nation tour to Ethiopia and Kenya.

Obama urged African leaders to respect and abide by their constitutions, and stop seeking a life-term in office.

"No one should be president for life," Obama said.

He added that he was ready to cheerfully handover power to his successor, respecting the law of the land although he still wants to run the world’s powerful nation.

“I have to be honest with you: I just don’t understand this. Under our constitution, I cannot run again. There’s still so much I want to get done to keep America moving forward. But the law is the law and no one is above it, not even presidents” he stressed.

Obama told AU delegates that when leaders try to change the rules intending to stay in office that would risk instability and strife, citing Burundi as an example when President Pierre Nkurunziza re-election to a third term led to unrest.

"If a leader thinks they are the only person who can hold their nation together, then that leader has failed to truly build their country,” he said.

Some of the presidents in East Africa such as Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir have stayed in power for 29 and 26 years, respectively.

US government also criticized South Sudan’s president Salva Kiir for "unilaterally" extending his term of office, saying he had "squandered his legitimacy."

The US president also called on Africa to end what he said was “the cancer of corruption” and urged African leaders to work hard on democracy if their country is to achieve sustainable development.

“Africa’s progress will also depend on democracy, because Africans, like people everywhere, deserve the dignity of being in control of their own lives. Nothing will unlock Africa’s economic potential more than ending the cancer of corruption,” Obama said.

He further urged Africa to conduct free and fair elections and ensure freedom of speech and press if progress was to continue in the continent.

Obama is the first sitting US leader to visit Ethiopia and address the African Union headquartered in Addis Ababa. The president left for the United States late on Tuesday.

The visit is his last official tour to Africa while in office but he said he will make frequent visits to the continent after stepping down.

(ST)