TheCable

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has led Angola since 1979, has returned to the country from Spain, where he has been receiving medical treatment in 2017.

The state-run news agency Agencia Angola Press reported Thursday that dos Santos and his wife, Ana Paula dos Santos, arrived at a military base in Luanda, the capital.

The 74-year-old Dos Santos had traveled to Barcelona on July 3 following an earlier trip to Spain amid reports of health problems. The government did not comment on the purpose of the president’s latest trip.

According to ABC News, Dos Santos, who has been in power in the southern African nation since 1979, has said he will not run in the presidential election scheduled for August 23.

He is, however, expected to remain leader of the ruling party, after leading the country for 37 years.

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has also been on a medical vacation for 74 days, on a second medical vacation in 2017, handing power over to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

The president, who has spent over 120 days in the UK has spent more time outside the country than in the country for 2017, with his aides saying he is capable of running for a second term in office come 2019.