Tanzania's governing CCM party candidate John Magufuli has won the presidential election with 58% of the vote, the electoral commission says.
His main rival Edward Lowassa has rejected the official results that gave him 40% of the ballots cast.
The opposition Ukawa coalition candidate earlier claimed he had won with 62% of the vote.
The elections on Sunday were the most fierce the governing party faced after 54 years in power.
John Magufuli, CCM: 8,882,935 votes - 58.46%
Edward Lowassa, Ukawa: 6,072,848 votes - 39.97%
In Zanzibar, elections for the semi-autonomous archipelago's parliament and president were annulled on Wednesday.
Zanzibar's election chief Jecha Salum Jecha said the poll had been marred by gross irregularities, including rigging and physical fights between rival election commissioners.
Source: BBC
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Central African Republic: Elections slated for Dec. 13 after delay
Central African Republic will hold presidential and parliamentary elections on Dec. 13, the electoral commission said on Wednesday, reviving delayed efforts to restore democracy in a country rocked by fighting since 2013.
The polls were initially to have been held on Oct. 18 but were postponed, in part due to violence in the capital.
A run-off presidential vote will be held on Jan. 24 if needed, state radio said.
The elections are intended to usher in a government with authority to restore order in one of Africa's most turbulent states and pave the way for the departure of U.N. and French peacekeepers.
Central African Republic was plunged into turmoil in 2013 when Muslim rebels from an umbrella group called Seleka seized power in the majority-Christian country.
Seleka handed power to a transitional government in 2014 under international pressure but months of violence followed, killing thousands and resulting in the effective partition of the country.
The murder of a Muslim man in the capital in late September triggered inter-communal violence that killed at least 40 people, forced 40,000 to flee and destroyed homes, shops and humanitarian offices.
In August a transitional council adopted a new constitution, which will be put to a referendum one week before the elections, the radio said. All the main political groups say they support it so it is likely to be adopted.
(Reporting by Crispin Dembassa-Kette; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; editing by John Stonestreet)
Source: Reuters
The polls were initially to have been held on Oct. 18 but were postponed, in part due to violence in the capital.
A run-off presidential vote will be held on Jan. 24 if needed, state radio said.
The elections are intended to usher in a government with authority to restore order in one of Africa's most turbulent states and pave the way for the departure of U.N. and French peacekeepers.
Central African Republic was plunged into turmoil in 2013 when Muslim rebels from an umbrella group called Seleka seized power in the majority-Christian country.
Seleka handed power to a transitional government in 2014 under international pressure but months of violence followed, killing thousands and resulting in the effective partition of the country.
The murder of a Muslim man in the capital in late September triggered inter-communal violence that killed at least 40 people, forced 40,000 to flee and destroyed homes, shops and humanitarian offices.
In August a transitional council adopted a new constitution, which will be put to a referendum one week before the elections, the radio said. All the main political groups say they support it so it is likely to be adopted.
(Reporting by Crispin Dembassa-Kette; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; editing by John Stonestreet)
Source: Reuters
Tanzania: Opposition favous vote recount, Zanzibar poll cancelled
Tanzania's opposition presidential candidate Edward Lowassa on Wednesday called for a recount of Sunday's election for the presidency, citing voting irregularities in the East African nation's tightest elections in more than five decades.
Earlier, the vote in Tanzania's semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago was annulled after the election commission there cited "gross violations", meaning there will be a fresh ballot on the islands that have been a hotbed of opposition to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
The United States said in statement it was "gravely alarmed" by the decision to nullify the Zanzibar results, calling for the decision to be reversed after what it called an "orderly" vote.
The Zanzibar vote was part of a national election to pick a new president and parliament for Tanzania, a nation that has been one of Africa's most politically stable nations.
Tanzania's National Electoral Commission (NEC) had planned to reveal the winner of the national presidential race on Thursday, but Lowassa called on NEC to cancel that announcement.
"We demand that NEC should do a verification of the results and recount the votes," Lowassa said at a news conference in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, saying he wanted a recount of the presidential not parliamentary vote.
The electoral commission in mainland Tanzania and the ruling CCM party, in power since British colonial rule ended in 1961, have both dismissed opposition allegations of rigging.
"Claims of vote rigging highly misleading," the chairman of the National Electoral Commission, Damian Lubuva, told journalists on Wednesday. "It is not true at all."
Results from the presidential race began trickling in on Monday, showing the CCM candidate, John Magufuli, leading the former prime minister Lowassa.
On Zanzibar, an official from the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) said annulling the poll was a ploy to rerun the vote it had won. There was no immediate comment from CCM, but it has previously said it was on track for a slim win there.
CCM said it had complaints about violations in at least four parliamentary constituencies where it had lost to the opposition and would to go court to contest the parliamentary outcome.
But CCM said the overall picture was that "elections were free and fair" and that voting reflected the will of people.
Tanzania has been one of the continent's most politically stable nations but Zanzibar has often been a kernel of political tension due to its traditional opposition to central government.
This election has been the most hotly contested in CCM's history after the main opposition parties formed a coalition for the first time, fielding a single presidential candidate for Zanzibar and a single candidate for the united republic.
Lubava said the annulment in Zanzibar would not affect the Tanzania vote and the process would continue as planned.
On Monday, police fired teargas to disperse CUF supporters in Zanzibar after they gathered to celebrate what the opposition party said was its victory. The CCM had disputed this.
"It’s an attempt to try and disrupt the process and my feeling is that they just want to create chaos," CUF spokesman Ismail Jussa told Reuters after the commission's announcement.
There was no immediate comment from CCM officials.
The CUF in Zanzibar and Chadema on the mainland are part of the broader Ukawa opposition coalition.
(Reporting by Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala; Additional reporting by Edith Honan; Writing by Edmund Blair, Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Edith Honan and Alison Williams)
Reuters
Earlier, the vote in Tanzania's semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago was annulled after the election commission there cited "gross violations", meaning there will be a fresh ballot on the islands that have been a hotbed of opposition to the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
The United States said in statement it was "gravely alarmed" by the decision to nullify the Zanzibar results, calling for the decision to be reversed after what it called an "orderly" vote.
The Zanzibar vote was part of a national election to pick a new president and parliament for Tanzania, a nation that has been one of Africa's most politically stable nations.
Tanzania's National Electoral Commission (NEC) had planned to reveal the winner of the national presidential race on Thursday, but Lowassa called on NEC to cancel that announcement.
"We demand that NEC should do a verification of the results and recount the votes," Lowassa said at a news conference in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, saying he wanted a recount of the presidential not parliamentary vote.
The electoral commission in mainland Tanzania and the ruling CCM party, in power since British colonial rule ended in 1961, have both dismissed opposition allegations of rigging.
"Claims of vote rigging highly misleading," the chairman of the National Electoral Commission, Damian Lubuva, told journalists on Wednesday. "It is not true at all."
Results from the presidential race began trickling in on Monday, showing the CCM candidate, John Magufuli, leading the former prime minister Lowassa.
On Zanzibar, an official from the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) said annulling the poll was a ploy to rerun the vote it had won. There was no immediate comment from CCM, but it has previously said it was on track for a slim win there.
CCM said it had complaints about violations in at least four parliamentary constituencies where it had lost to the opposition and would to go court to contest the parliamentary outcome.
But CCM said the overall picture was that "elections were free and fair" and that voting reflected the will of people.
Tanzania has been one of the continent's most politically stable nations but Zanzibar has often been a kernel of political tension due to its traditional opposition to central government.
This election has been the most hotly contested in CCM's history after the main opposition parties formed a coalition for the first time, fielding a single presidential candidate for Zanzibar and a single candidate for the united republic.
Lubava said the annulment in Zanzibar would not affect the Tanzania vote and the process would continue as planned.
On Monday, police fired teargas to disperse CUF supporters in Zanzibar after they gathered to celebrate what the opposition party said was its victory. The CCM had disputed this.
"It’s an attempt to try and disrupt the process and my feeling is that they just want to create chaos," CUF spokesman Ismail Jussa told Reuters after the commission's announcement.
There was no immediate comment from CCM officials.
The CUF in Zanzibar and Chadema on the mainland are part of the broader Ukawa opposition coalition.
(Reporting by Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala; Additional reporting by Edith Honan; Writing by Edmund Blair, Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Edith Honan and Alison Williams)
Reuters
Côte d’Ivoire: Incumbent Alassane Ouattara wins election with 84%
Côte d’Ivoire has re-elected its president Alassane Ouattara, an economist known for transforming a country devastated by civil war into one of the largest economies in West Africa. Ouattara won 84% of the vote, the Independent Electoral Commission said today (Oct. 28). His closest rival Pascal Affi N’Guessan, a former prime minister, won just 9% of the vote.
The race marks the first peaceful election in more than two decades. Ouattara told reporters that the result “definitely shows we have turned the page from the crisis our country went through.” Voter turnout was about 55%, according to the commission.
The former deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund still has a ways to go in cementing his country’s recovery after almost a decade of conflict, including violence following his first presidential win in 2010 that left an estimated 3,000 people dead. This year, the economy is expected to expand almost 10%, after averaging about 8% for the past three years, faster than most of its West African peers.
Ouattara will be 78 when his term ends and will need to prepare a succession plan. So far he has not said he will seek a third term. Critics say he has not done enough to lessen poverty and encourage reconciliation after years of violence.
Source: Quartz africa
The race marks the first peaceful election in more than two decades. Ouattara told reporters that the result “definitely shows we have turned the page from the crisis our country went through.” Voter turnout was about 55%, according to the commission.
The former deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund still has a ways to go in cementing his country’s recovery after almost a decade of conflict, including violence following his first presidential win in 2010 that left an estimated 3,000 people dead. This year, the economy is expected to expand almost 10%, after averaging about 8% for the past three years, faster than most of its West African peers.
Ouattara will be 78 when his term ends and will need to prepare a succession plan. So far he has not said he will seek a third term. Critics say he has not done enough to lessen poverty and encourage reconciliation after years of violence.
Source: Quartz africa
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Côte d’Ivoire: Election observers tags presidential poll credible and peaceful
Observers gave Côte d’Ivoire’s weekend presidential ballot a clean bill of health on Monday in a boost to runaway favourite President Alassane Ouattara, while one challenger conceded defeat before the first results were announced.
A former senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official, Mr Ouattara has led the world’s top cocoa grower to a revival, after a 2011 civil war, that has made it a magnet for investment as other African economies have crumbled amid a global commodities crash.
Sunday’s vote was marked by some organisational hitches, including the late arrival of materials that led the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) to extend voting in some places by two hours. Many of the computer tablets used to verify voters’ identities also failed.
Peace-CI, a platform of civil society organisations that fielded about 2,000 observers, said that minor organisational problems had not affected the credibility of the election.
"We believe the election was peaceful, transparent, credible and inclusive," said US ambassador Terence McCulley, speaking for a separate US observation mission that included 70 diplomats.
The commercial capital, Abidjan, was calm on Monday, although traffic was light, as the nation of about 24-million people awaited initial results from the CEI, now expected on Tuesday.
Faced with a partial opposition boycott and concern over voter apathy, turnout will be critical to legitimise Mr Ouattara’s second five-year mandate if he wins.
An early, preliminary CEI estimate of 60% turnout appeared to allay the fear that voters had stayed home on Sunday.
However, POECI, a civil society observer platform that is carrying out a parallel vote tabulation, said its data put turnout somewhat lower at 53%. West African regional bloc Economic Community of West African States’ (Ecowas’s) mission said it witnessed weak participation at most voting sites it visited.
Both organisations said the vote was fair and transparent.
Fraud allegations
Several opposition candidates had dropped out of the race in the days before the election, alleging it had been rigged and called on voters to stay home. The CEI dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated.
Simeon Konan Kouadio, one of the six candidates who remained in the race to unseat Mr Ouattara, said his campaign team had been informed of massive fraud but offered no evidence.
In a surprise announcement, candidate Bertin Konan Kouadio conceded defeat by Mr Ouattara even before official results began to emerge. He had earlier alleged irregularities in voting, including foreigners being allowed to cast a ballot.
"According to results in our possession, it seems clear that Alassane Ouattara is winning the majority of votes necessary for his re-election," Mr Kouadio told journalists. "I would therefore like to offer him my congratulations."
The question of nationality has long been a burning political issue in Côte d’Ivoire, where decades of relative prosperity have attracted Muslim migrants, largely from neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso.
Mr Ouattara, who was barred from seeking the presidency over what opponents said were his foreign origins before finally coming to power in 2010, said last week that he would seek to strip nationality clauses from the constitution if elected.
Reuters
A former senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official, Mr Ouattara has led the world’s top cocoa grower to a revival, after a 2011 civil war, that has made it a magnet for investment as other African economies have crumbled amid a global commodities crash.
Sunday’s vote was marked by some organisational hitches, including the late arrival of materials that led the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) to extend voting in some places by two hours. Many of the computer tablets used to verify voters’ identities also failed.
Peace-CI, a platform of civil society organisations that fielded about 2,000 observers, said that minor organisational problems had not affected the credibility of the election.
"We believe the election was peaceful, transparent, credible and inclusive," said US ambassador Terence McCulley, speaking for a separate US observation mission that included 70 diplomats.
The commercial capital, Abidjan, was calm on Monday, although traffic was light, as the nation of about 24-million people awaited initial results from the CEI, now expected on Tuesday.
Faced with a partial opposition boycott and concern over voter apathy, turnout will be critical to legitimise Mr Ouattara’s second five-year mandate if he wins.
An early, preliminary CEI estimate of 60% turnout appeared to allay the fear that voters had stayed home on Sunday.
However, POECI, a civil society observer platform that is carrying out a parallel vote tabulation, said its data put turnout somewhat lower at 53%. West African regional bloc Economic Community of West African States’ (Ecowas’s) mission said it witnessed weak participation at most voting sites it visited.
Both organisations said the vote was fair and transparent.
Fraud allegations
Several opposition candidates had dropped out of the race in the days before the election, alleging it had been rigged and called on voters to stay home. The CEI dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated.
Simeon Konan Kouadio, one of the six candidates who remained in the race to unseat Mr Ouattara, said his campaign team had been informed of massive fraud but offered no evidence.
In a surprise announcement, candidate Bertin Konan Kouadio conceded defeat by Mr Ouattara even before official results began to emerge. He had earlier alleged irregularities in voting, including foreigners being allowed to cast a ballot.
"According to results in our possession, it seems clear that Alassane Ouattara is winning the majority of votes necessary for his re-election," Mr Kouadio told journalists. "I would therefore like to offer him my congratulations."
The question of nationality has long been a burning political issue in Côte d’Ivoire, where decades of relative prosperity have attracted Muslim migrants, largely from neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso.
Mr Ouattara, who was barred from seeking the presidency over what opponents said were his foreign origins before finally coming to power in 2010, said last week that he would seek to strip nationality clauses from the constitution if elected.
Reuters
Tanzania awaits result of close-to-call presidential poll
(AFP) - Tanzania's ruling party presidential candidate took an early lead Tuesday as election officials counted votes for a second day, while several key ministers lost their seats.
The polls are expected to be Tanzania's tightest election race ever, with the governing party facing the first major challenge to its dominance in decades.
Amid growing tension, the election commission has called for calm and warned only it can declare results.
"People should ignore announcements by other institutions and individuals," National Electoral Commission (NEC) head Damian Lubuva told reporters.
The opposition Chadema party has alleged rigging in Sunday's presidential, general and local elections.
In Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous archipelago which also voted for its own leader, the main opposition presidential candidate declared himself the winner on Monday, ahead of any official announcement of results.
Police on the Indian Ocean islands fired tear gas to break up crowds, while foreign embassies warned visitors to the popular tourist destination to avoid large crowds.
- Magufuli takes early lead -
In the national presidential race, John Magufuli of the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) is seen as the narrow favourite to beat ex-prime minister Edward Lowassa, a CCM stalwart who recently defected to Chadema, which is heading a coalition of opposition parties.
With just 10 percent of districts counted, Magufuli took an early lead, winning over 455,454 votes compared to Lowassa's 308,240 votes, from 27 out of 260 constituencies.
Agriculture minister Stephen Wasira -- a veteran CCM politician of over three decades -- lost his seat to Chadema.
"This shows the potential of our young candidates -- Wasira had been minister and in parliament for over 30 years but he lost to a young lady, Ester Bulaya," said top Chadema official John Mrema.
Other ousted CCM heavyweights include investment minister Christopher Chiza, deputy health minister Stephen Kebwe and deputy education minister Anna Kilango.
Analysts have warned that the unusually tight race could spark tensions, with the opposition providing the first credible challenge to the CCM since the introduction of multi-party democracy in 1995.
- Opposition claim Zanzibar win -
"Let election officials in the districts announce the results of parliamentary and civic polls, while the NEC will release results in the presidential election," Lubuva added.
"If this is not controlled it can trigger confusion and public unrest."
Many believe 55-year old Magufuli -- currently minister of works, for which he earned the nickname "The Bulldozer" -- will face a tough challenge from Lowassa, 62.
Lowassa was prime minister from 2005 until his resignation in 2008 over corruption allegations that he denies, and has for years been a CCM loyalist, but on the campaign trail he called for an end to the party's rule.
Outgoing President Jakaya Kikwete, who is not running having served his constitutional two-term limit, ordered the police to boost security to ensure calm in the country of 52 million people, of whom 22 million were registered to vote.
The presidential results are not expected until Thursday.
In Zanzibar, leading candidates are incumbent President Ali Mohamed Shein of the ruling CCM, and current Vice-President Seif Sharif Hamad from the opposition Civic United Front (CUF), who shared power in a unity government.
Hamad, 71, claimed on Monday to have won, although there has been no announcement from the electoral commission and the figures he quoted to declare victory could not be verified.
The archipelago's capital, Zanzibar town, was reported to be quiet overnight Monday, with large numbers of police patrolling the streets, according to an AFP photographer.
AFP
The polls are expected to be Tanzania's tightest election race ever, with the governing party facing the first major challenge to its dominance in decades.
Amid growing tension, the election commission has called for calm and warned only it can declare results.
"People should ignore announcements by other institutions and individuals," National Electoral Commission (NEC) head Damian Lubuva told reporters.
The opposition Chadema party has alleged rigging in Sunday's presidential, general and local elections.
In Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous archipelago which also voted for its own leader, the main opposition presidential candidate declared himself the winner on Monday, ahead of any official announcement of results.
Police on the Indian Ocean islands fired tear gas to break up crowds, while foreign embassies warned visitors to the popular tourist destination to avoid large crowds.
- Magufuli takes early lead -
In the national presidential race, John Magufuli of the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) is seen as the narrow favourite to beat ex-prime minister Edward Lowassa, a CCM stalwart who recently defected to Chadema, which is heading a coalition of opposition parties.
With just 10 percent of districts counted, Magufuli took an early lead, winning over 455,454 votes compared to Lowassa's 308,240 votes, from 27 out of 260 constituencies.
Agriculture minister Stephen Wasira -- a veteran CCM politician of over three decades -- lost his seat to Chadema.
"This shows the potential of our young candidates -- Wasira had been minister and in parliament for over 30 years but he lost to a young lady, Ester Bulaya," said top Chadema official John Mrema.
Other ousted CCM heavyweights include investment minister Christopher Chiza, deputy health minister Stephen Kebwe and deputy education minister Anna Kilango.
Analysts have warned that the unusually tight race could spark tensions, with the opposition providing the first credible challenge to the CCM since the introduction of multi-party democracy in 1995.
- Opposition claim Zanzibar win -
"Let election officials in the districts announce the results of parliamentary and civic polls, while the NEC will release results in the presidential election," Lubuva added.
"If this is not controlled it can trigger confusion and public unrest."
Many believe 55-year old Magufuli -- currently minister of works, for which he earned the nickname "The Bulldozer" -- will face a tough challenge from Lowassa, 62.
Lowassa was prime minister from 2005 until his resignation in 2008 over corruption allegations that he denies, and has for years been a CCM loyalist, but on the campaign trail he called for an end to the party's rule.
Outgoing President Jakaya Kikwete, who is not running having served his constitutional two-term limit, ordered the police to boost security to ensure calm in the country of 52 million people, of whom 22 million were registered to vote.
The presidential results are not expected until Thursday.
In Zanzibar, leading candidates are incumbent President Ali Mohamed Shein of the ruling CCM, and current Vice-President Seif Sharif Hamad from the opposition Civic United Front (CUF), who shared power in a unity government.
Hamad, 71, claimed on Monday to have won, although there has been no announcement from the electoral commission and the figures he quoted to declare victory could not be verified.
The archipelago's capital, Zanzibar town, was reported to be quiet overnight Monday, with large numbers of police patrolling the streets, according to an AFP photographer.
AFP
Monday, October 26, 2015
Congo: Country vote on president's move to extend rule
The Republic of Congo voted Sunday on constitutional changes that would allow President Denis Sassou Nguesso to seek another term.
The proposed amendments would abolish a two-term limit for presidents and an age limit of 70 for presidential candidates.
Results from the referendum are expected later this week. Opponents of the 71-year-old Nguesso had called for voters to boycott the referendum. Reports from the capital, Brazzaville, say turnout was low.
At least four people were killed during anti-referendum protests in the capital, Brazzaville, on Tuesday.
President Nguesso won disputed elections in 2002 and 2009, and has ruled Congo in different capacities for most of the past 36 years.
He is the latest in a string of African leaders who have tried to prolong their stay in office, often in the face of opposition protests.
Burkina Faso's longtime president Blaise Compaore was toppled by a popular uprising last year after parliament attempted to change term limits in the constitution.
Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza was elected to a third term in July but only after violent street demonstrations and a failed coup attempt.
The presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have also sought constitutional changes to stay in office.
VOA News (Some material for this report came from AP, AFP and Reuters)
The proposed amendments would abolish a two-term limit for presidents and an age limit of 70 for presidential candidates.
Results from the referendum are expected later this week. Opponents of the 71-year-old Nguesso had called for voters to boycott the referendum. Reports from the capital, Brazzaville, say turnout was low.
At least four people were killed during anti-referendum protests in the capital, Brazzaville, on Tuesday.
President Nguesso won disputed elections in 2002 and 2009, and has ruled Congo in different capacities for most of the past 36 years.
He is the latest in a string of African leaders who have tried to prolong their stay in office, often in the face of opposition protests.
Burkina Faso's longtime president Blaise Compaore was toppled by a popular uprising last year after parliament attempted to change term limits in the constitution.
Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza was elected to a third term in July but only after violent street demonstrations and a failed coup attempt.
The presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have also sought constitutional changes to stay in office.
VOA News (Some material for this report came from AP, AFP and Reuters)
DR: US calls for adequate preparations towards elections
A senior U.S. diplomat visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo has urged the government there to take concrete steps to prepare for future elections, and to cooperate fully with the U.N. mission working to resolve conflicts in the DRC. Sarah Sewall, the U.S. undersecretary of state for civilian security, democracy and human rights, also warned of consequences for those who violate constitutional processes. Sewall spoke to reporters Saturday in Goma, in the eastern part of the country.
Sewall was wrapping up a weeklong visit to the DRC, which she said focused on two key issues: elections and cooperation between the Congolese army and the U.N. mission here, known as MONUSCO.
The American diplomat said there was a need to move forward with registering voters and with making and communicating preparations for ensuring security during the elections, and there was also a need to agree on an electoral timetable. She called for a dialogue to settle electoral issues.
“We believe that there is a need for a neutral forum for discussion in order to make progress, with the principle of upholding the constitution and anticipating the peaceful transition of power,” said Sewall.
Opposition parties have rejected previous government offers of dialogue, because they say it would be dedicated to reaching a deal allowing President Joseph Kabila to extend his rule beyond his constitutional two-term limit. The opposition instead has called for an internationally mediated dialogue focused on electoral issues.
The U.S. has committed $25 million to help support elections in the DRC, Sewall said.
"The U.S. has been fully committed to moving the electoral process forward, which is why it is so frustrating to see constant delays on the part of the institutions that should be moving forward to provide additional funding to begin the registration process, and otherwise taking concrete steps towards realizing elections,” said Sewall.
Sewall added that she thought the lack of preparation was a "conscious choice."
Will of the people
Referring to attempts to override presidential term limits, Sewall said recent events in Burundi and Congo Brazzaville show “how destabilizing the rejection of the people’s will can be.” She suggested the U.S. could soon follow the EU in imposing travel bans on those instigating violence in Burundi.
"These are the kinds of tools that can help convince those who would violate constitutional processes that there will be consequences for their actions,” said Sewall.
On security, Sewall urged the resumption of joint operations by the government and the U.N. mission against armed groups in eastern Congo.
That choice, she said, is up to the government.
"The core issue with regard to the continued operation of the armed groups is the political position of the government about whether or not it will conduct joint operations with MONUSCO,” said Sewall.
Undersecretary Sewall also said she raised the issue of the continued detention of democracy activists during her talks. She urged the government "to refrain from targeting those who aim to express their beliefs peacefully" and to “stop confusing peaceful expression of opinion with criminal activity.”
Source: VOA News
Sewall was wrapping up a weeklong visit to the DRC, which she said focused on two key issues: elections and cooperation between the Congolese army and the U.N. mission here, known as MONUSCO.
The American diplomat said there was a need to move forward with registering voters and with making and communicating preparations for ensuring security during the elections, and there was also a need to agree on an electoral timetable. She called for a dialogue to settle electoral issues.
“We believe that there is a need for a neutral forum for discussion in order to make progress, with the principle of upholding the constitution and anticipating the peaceful transition of power,” said Sewall.
Opposition parties have rejected previous government offers of dialogue, because they say it would be dedicated to reaching a deal allowing President Joseph Kabila to extend his rule beyond his constitutional two-term limit. The opposition instead has called for an internationally mediated dialogue focused on electoral issues.
The U.S. has committed $25 million to help support elections in the DRC, Sewall said.
"The U.S. has been fully committed to moving the electoral process forward, which is why it is so frustrating to see constant delays on the part of the institutions that should be moving forward to provide additional funding to begin the registration process, and otherwise taking concrete steps towards realizing elections,” said Sewall.
Sewall added that she thought the lack of preparation was a "conscious choice."
Will of the people
Referring to attempts to override presidential term limits, Sewall said recent events in Burundi and Congo Brazzaville show “how destabilizing the rejection of the people’s will can be.” She suggested the U.S. could soon follow the EU in imposing travel bans on those instigating violence in Burundi.
"These are the kinds of tools that can help convince those who would violate constitutional processes that there will be consequences for their actions,” said Sewall.
On security, Sewall urged the resumption of joint operations by the government and the U.N. mission against armed groups in eastern Congo.
That choice, she said, is up to the government.
"The core issue with regard to the continued operation of the armed groups is the political position of the government about whether or not it will conduct joint operations with MONUSCO,” said Sewall.
Undersecretary Sewall also said she raised the issue of the continued detention of democracy activists during her talks. She urged the government "to refrain from targeting those who aim to express their beliefs peacefully" and to “stop confusing peaceful expression of opinion with criminal activity.”
Source: VOA News
Cote d'Ivoire: Vote counting underway in first post-war poll
[Emilie Iob] In Ivory Coast, votes are being counted after Sunday's first round of the presidential election. No major incidents were reported during this crucial vote for the country, unlike in 2010 when post-election violence turned deadly. Incumbent President Alassane Ouattara faced six contestants and is favored to win.
Voting started slowly on Sunday as many polling stations opened one to five hours later than scheduled. So, just like the 40 people behind him, a voter who would only identify himself as Bobou waited. He said it was worth it.
He says it is important for every Ivorian to come vote. He says he is hoping these elections will bring stability to the country so it can prosper.
These elections are crucial for Ivory Coast. In 2010, post-election violence left at least 3,000 people dead after then-president Laurent Gbagbo and candidate Alassane Ouattara both claimed victory.
Eventually, Gbagbo was arrested and Ouattara became president.
Thirty-four thousand soldiers were deployed around the country for security during Sunday's balloting. Seven thousand local and international monitors had been accredited to observe the polls. Among them was the civil society election project Peace-CI, which has 2,000 observers on the ground.
Spokeperson Mariam Dao-Gabala says there were minor incidents.
She says that besides the delayed opening of polling stations, there were reports of some missing voting equipment, but that there has been no major incident that could compromise a peaceful voting process.
Incumbent president Alassane Ouattara faced six other candidates in his bid for a second term. He has appeared confident of victory in recent weeks, proclaiming he wanted to win on "a first-round knockout punch."
He faces a divided and dwindling opposition. Three candidates had already pulled out of the race claiming election conditions were not free and fair, and called for a boycott.
Ouattara's main opponent is Pascal Affi N'Guessan from the party founded by former president Laurent Gbagbo. But he has been struggling to get the vote of Gbagbo's hardliners, who criticize him for taking Gbagbo's seat while the former president awaits trial at the International Criminal Court.
The electoral commission says it hopes to release the results within 48 hours.
VOA News
Voting started slowly on Sunday as many polling stations opened one to five hours later than scheduled. So, just like the 40 people behind him, a voter who would only identify himself as Bobou waited. He said it was worth it.
He says it is important for every Ivorian to come vote. He says he is hoping these elections will bring stability to the country so it can prosper.
These elections are crucial for Ivory Coast. In 2010, post-election violence left at least 3,000 people dead after then-president Laurent Gbagbo and candidate Alassane Ouattara both claimed victory.
Eventually, Gbagbo was arrested and Ouattara became president.
Thirty-four thousand soldiers were deployed around the country for security during Sunday's balloting. Seven thousand local and international monitors had been accredited to observe the polls. Among them was the civil society election project Peace-CI, which has 2,000 observers on the ground.
Spokeperson Mariam Dao-Gabala says there were minor incidents.
She says that besides the delayed opening of polling stations, there were reports of some missing voting equipment, but that there has been no major incident that could compromise a peaceful voting process.
Incumbent president Alassane Ouattara faced six other candidates in his bid for a second term. He has appeared confident of victory in recent weeks, proclaiming he wanted to win on "a first-round knockout punch."
He faces a divided and dwindling opposition. Three candidates had already pulled out of the race claiming election conditions were not free and fair, and called for a boycott.
Ouattara's main opponent is Pascal Affi N'Guessan from the party founded by former president Laurent Gbagbo. But he has been struggling to get the vote of Gbagbo's hardliners, who criticize him for taking Gbagbo's seat while the former president awaits trial at the International Criminal Court.
The electoral commission says it hopes to release the results within 48 hours.
VOA News
Tanzania: Electoral body to announce provisional election results
Tanzanian election officials say they plan to announce preliminary results Monday from Sunday's election for a new president and parliament.
Ahead of the vote, analysts predicted a tight race in the East African country, but suggested the ruling CCM party would win.
VOA correspondent Jill Craig, who visited several polling stations in Dar es Salaam Sunday, reported that voting was peaceful and appeared to run smoothly, with no incidents of violence or unrest.
The longtime ruling CCM party is facing increasing pressure to speed up the country's development and deal with a persistently high poverty rate.
The party was challenged in the polls by a coalition of opposition parties that nominated former prime minister Edward Lowassa as its presidential candidate.
Term limits
President Jakaya Kikwete is stepping down after completing two five-year terms, as allowed by the constitution. Tanzania has a long history of presidents observing term limits, unlike many other African countries.
Commission chairman Judge Damian Lubuva expressed confidence Sunday that the electoral process will be judged free and fair, despite reported problems at some polling stations in the country. Appearing on a live VOA Swahili broadcast, Judge Lubuva admitted there were some discrepancies at some polling stations, including lack of voting materials, but he said there will be no repeat voting exercises, except in constituents where the process was postponed.
More than 140 international poll observer missions were in the country to monitor Sunday's presidential, parliamentary and local elections.
According to the World Bank, Tanzania's population between the ages of 14 and 25 almost doubled in 20 years, from 4.4 million in 1990 to 8.1 million in 2010. It is expected to increase to 11 million by 2020 - numbers that should be of great interest to Tanzania’s politicians, regardless of political party.
VOA News
Ahead of the vote, analysts predicted a tight race in the East African country, but suggested the ruling CCM party would win.
VOA correspondent Jill Craig, who visited several polling stations in Dar es Salaam Sunday, reported that voting was peaceful and appeared to run smoothly, with no incidents of violence or unrest.
The longtime ruling CCM party is facing increasing pressure to speed up the country's development and deal with a persistently high poverty rate.
The party was challenged in the polls by a coalition of opposition parties that nominated former prime minister Edward Lowassa as its presidential candidate.
Term limits
President Jakaya Kikwete is stepping down after completing two five-year terms, as allowed by the constitution. Tanzania has a long history of presidents observing term limits, unlike many other African countries.
Commission chairman Judge Damian Lubuva expressed confidence Sunday that the electoral process will be judged free and fair, despite reported problems at some polling stations in the country. Appearing on a live VOA Swahili broadcast, Judge Lubuva admitted there were some discrepancies at some polling stations, including lack of voting materials, but he said there will be no repeat voting exercises, except in constituents where the process was postponed.
More than 140 international poll observer missions were in the country to monitor Sunday's presidential, parliamentary and local elections.
According to the World Bank, Tanzania's population between the ages of 14 and 25 almost doubled in 20 years, from 4.4 million in 1990 to 8.1 million in 2010. It is expected to increase to 11 million by 2020 - numbers that should be of great interest to Tanzania’s politicians, regardless of political party.
VOA News
Friday, October 23, 2015
Cote d'Ivoire: Seven things you should know about the election
Ivory Coast is holding its first elections this weekend since a civil war sparked by polls in 2010.
Ahead of the vote, here are seven things you need to know about the West African country - once hailed as a model of stability.
Chocolate and nuts
The economy has boomed in recent years and Ivory Coast is the world's biggest exporter of cocoa, producing around 40% of the planet's beans used to manufacture chocolate. But this year, it also overtook India as the leading exporter of cashew nuts.
Cocoa transformed Ivory Coast into the "Paris of Africa" as it was called in the 1970s and 1980s, until a slump in cocoa prices dampened the "Ivorian miracle".
President Alassane Ouattara, who took office in May 2011, wanted to diversify the economy. Agriculture is still the backbone, but it includes bananas, rubber and palm oil too
Victors' justice
The country wants to avoid the repeat of the 2010 election violence
The last elections in 2010 sparked five months of violence when former President Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down.
More than 3,000 people were killed in some of the most brutal violence the country has ever seen.
President Ouattara has been accused of one-sided justice after hundreds of Mr Gbagbo's supporters were imprisoned but very few from his side were even arrested - despite the UN and international human rights organisations saying both sides committed atrocities.
'Chicken nests' abolished
No more "nids de poules" on the country's major roads. The French call potholes "chicken nests".
The government says it has built 1,000km (620 miles) of new roads since it has been in power and rehabilitated another 20,000km throughout Ivory Coast.
It is promising to build 1,200km more if re-elected.
Candidates - aged 44 to 73
Campaigns have intensified ahead of Sunday's vote
There were 10, now there are eight. A former finance minister, Mamadou Koulibaly, and former foreign minister, Amara Essy, dropped out saying the elections would not be free and fair.
That leaves two former prime ministers: Mr Ouattara's main opposition, Pascal Affi N'Guessan, leader of Laurent Gbagbo's former party, and Charles Konan Banny.
Mr Ouattara is the eldest at 73 with Mr Bany only several months younger than him - his 73rd birthday is next month. While independent candidate Claire Jacqueline Kouangoua, one of only two women running, is the youngest at 44.
Slogans
Mr Affi N'Guessan, the main opposition candidate, is using the same slogan that France's Francois Hollande did in his last campaign , "Le changement maintenant", meaning "Change now", which is ironic considering how unpopular Mr Hollande is now in France.
Mr Ouattara, known to his supporters as "Ado" because of his initials, has chosen to use "Avec Ado, reussir ensemble", meaning "With Ado, succeed together".
This is also interesting because one of the main criticisms of President Ouattara has been his lack of focus on reconciliation since the crisis.
The campaign theme of "togetherness" is clearly supposed to address this.
Music divides
Ivory Coast has some of the greatest reggae artists in Africa
Music has always played a role in Ivory Coast politics. Alpha Blondy, the country's undisputed king of reggae, began singing about war and fighting in the country as early as 1998.
In 2010, he openly backed former President Laurent Gbagbo, giving a free concert in Abidjan.
His main reggae rival, Tiken Jah Fakoly who sang anti-Gbagbo songs, had to go into exile and has decided to stay in Mali.
And this election is no different when it comes to music and the main candidates have their songs.
Mr N'Guessan's talks about "the fighters" being "tired" and how they were all the "victims of the political violence" but Affi N'Guessan is their man.
Mr Ouattara's focuses instead on what the government has done for the economy, singing: "With Ado, Ivory Coast wins."
Football unites
The Elephants are the pride of Ivory Coast, and while football is a game and has nothing to do with politics, we all know that's not true.
Didier Drogba has been attributed with single-handedly putting an end to violence that was raging in the country in 2005 when he fell to his knees on national television and asked fighters to lay down their arms.
A week later they did.
This year Drogba, along with his former teammates and other international Ivorian sport stars, like sprinter Murielle Ahoure, have a new message for voters. "Election c pas gnaga". It means "elections are not about violence", in Nouchi, Ivorian street speak.
Source: BBC
Ahead of the vote, here are seven things you need to know about the West African country - once hailed as a model of stability.
Chocolate and nuts
The economy has boomed in recent years and Ivory Coast is the world's biggest exporter of cocoa, producing around 40% of the planet's beans used to manufacture chocolate. But this year, it also overtook India as the leading exporter of cashew nuts.
Cocoa transformed Ivory Coast into the "Paris of Africa" as it was called in the 1970s and 1980s, until a slump in cocoa prices dampened the "Ivorian miracle".
President Alassane Ouattara, who took office in May 2011, wanted to diversify the economy. Agriculture is still the backbone, but it includes bananas, rubber and palm oil too
Victors' justice
The country wants to avoid the repeat of the 2010 election violence
The last elections in 2010 sparked five months of violence when former President Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down.
More than 3,000 people were killed in some of the most brutal violence the country has ever seen.
President Ouattara has been accused of one-sided justice after hundreds of Mr Gbagbo's supporters were imprisoned but very few from his side were even arrested - despite the UN and international human rights organisations saying both sides committed atrocities.
'Chicken nests' abolished
No more "nids de poules" on the country's major roads. The French call potholes "chicken nests".
The government says it has built 1,000km (620 miles) of new roads since it has been in power and rehabilitated another 20,000km throughout Ivory Coast.
It is promising to build 1,200km more if re-elected.
Candidates - aged 44 to 73
Campaigns have intensified ahead of Sunday's vote
There were 10, now there are eight. A former finance minister, Mamadou Koulibaly, and former foreign minister, Amara Essy, dropped out saying the elections would not be free and fair.
That leaves two former prime ministers: Mr Ouattara's main opposition, Pascal Affi N'Guessan, leader of Laurent Gbagbo's former party, and Charles Konan Banny.
Mr Ouattara is the eldest at 73 with Mr Bany only several months younger than him - his 73rd birthday is next month. While independent candidate Claire Jacqueline Kouangoua, one of only two women running, is the youngest at 44.
Slogans
Mr Affi N'Guessan, the main opposition candidate, is using the same slogan that France's Francois Hollande did in his last campaign , "Le changement maintenant", meaning "Change now", which is ironic considering how unpopular Mr Hollande is now in France.
Mr Ouattara, known to his supporters as "Ado" because of his initials, has chosen to use "Avec Ado, reussir ensemble", meaning "With Ado, succeed together".
This is also interesting because one of the main criticisms of President Ouattara has been his lack of focus on reconciliation since the crisis.
The campaign theme of "togetherness" is clearly supposed to address this.
Music divides
Ivory Coast has some of the greatest reggae artists in Africa
Music has always played a role in Ivory Coast politics. Alpha Blondy, the country's undisputed king of reggae, began singing about war and fighting in the country as early as 1998.
In 2010, he openly backed former President Laurent Gbagbo, giving a free concert in Abidjan.
His main reggae rival, Tiken Jah Fakoly who sang anti-Gbagbo songs, had to go into exile and has decided to stay in Mali.
And this election is no different when it comes to music and the main candidates have their songs.
Mr N'Guessan's talks about "the fighters" being "tired" and how they were all the "victims of the political violence" but Affi N'Guessan is their man.
Mr Ouattara's focuses instead on what the government has done for the economy, singing: "With Ado, Ivory Coast wins."
Football unites
The Elephants are the pride of Ivory Coast, and while football is a game and has nothing to do with politics, we all know that's not true.
Didier Drogba has been attributed with single-handedly putting an end to violence that was raging in the country in 2005 when he fell to his knees on national television and asked fighters to lay down their arms.
A week later they did.
This year Drogba, along with his former teammates and other international Ivorian sport stars, like sprinter Murielle Ahoure, have a new message for voters. "Election c pas gnaga". It means "elections are not about violence", in Nouchi, Ivorian street speak.
Source: BBC
Tanzania heads for tightest election since independence
Tanzania votes in presidential elections on Sunday, with the race seen as the most open and expected to be the tightest in the East African nation's history.
As well as a presidential race in East Africa's most populous country, voters will also be casting ballots in parliamentary and local polls on October 25, including on the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, which will also hold its own presidential elections.
Outgoing President Jakaya Kikwete, who is not running having served his constitutional two-term limit, has ordered the police to boost security to ensure voting in the country of some 52 million people passes off peacefully.
"Execute your duty professionally... don't harass or intimidate or favour anyone, but don't hesitate to deal with troublemakers," Kikwete told top police chiefs this week.
Change is inevitable with Kikwete standing down - unlike neighbouring Burundi where President Pierre Nkurunziza defied violent protests to win a third term in July, or Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo, where leaders are believed to want to stay put.
Tensions
The narrow favourite to win the national race is John Magufuli of the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
But Magufuli, 55, is facing a stiff challenge from the main opposition parties who have rallied around ex-prime minister Edward Lowassa, 62. He recently defected from the CCM to the opposition Chadema, heading a coalition of parties.
Analysts have warned that the unusually tight race could spark tensions, with the opposition providing the first credible challenge to the CCM since the introduction of multi-party democracy in 1995.
"While the CCM clearly has some strong electoral advantages, there are growing indications that its long-term grip on power is continuing to dissipate," former top US diplomat to Africa Johnnie Carson wrote for African Arguments.
"A tight election or the perception of a rigged outcome could increase the chance of post-election violence in what has been one of Africa's leading democracies and most peaceful countries."
'Two horse race'
Critics also point out that Lowassa, a long-term CCM party stalwart before defection, does not represent much of a change to the system.
"Lowassa represents for many Tanzanians the very ills that the country wants to see addressed," wrote Tanzanian political analysts Emmanuel Tayari.
Six other hopefuls are in the race. But it is the campaign rallies of the CCM's Magufuli - currently minister of works - and Chadema's Lowassa - prime minister from 2005-2008 before resigning over corruption allegations despite stringent denials - that attract the largest crowds.
Lowassa joined the opposition after losing to Magufuli in his bid to become the party's presidential candidate in July.
Both Magufuli and Lowassa have made repeated calls for the preservation of peace and national unity in speeches denouncing tribalism, religious violence and corruption.
Despite impressive economic growth, little has trickled down to the majority and the country remains very poor by regional and international standards, the World Bank says.
"In their campaigns, both sides agree on one thing: the outgoing administration has left most Tanzanians in abject poverty, and presided over rising corruption," the influential East African newspaper wrote this week, calling the contest a "two-horse race."
On Zanzibar, campaigning has been largely peaceful, but residents are stockpiling food and water, fearful of possible unrest after the polls on the Indian Ocean islands, famed for their pristine white sand beaches and UNESCO-listed architecture.
The archipelago's president and vice-president -- ruling as part of a unity government -- will go head-to-head as frontrunners in the race, which will see just over 500,000 registered voters on the islands cast their ballots.
Leading candidates are incumbent president Ali Mohamed Shein of the ruling CCM, and current vice-president Seif Sharif Hamad from the opposition Civic United Front (CUF), who are currently sharing power in a unity government.
AFP
As well as a presidential race in East Africa's most populous country, voters will also be casting ballots in parliamentary and local polls on October 25, including on the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, which will also hold its own presidential elections.
Outgoing President Jakaya Kikwete, who is not running having served his constitutional two-term limit, has ordered the police to boost security to ensure voting in the country of some 52 million people passes off peacefully.
"Execute your duty professionally... don't harass or intimidate or favour anyone, but don't hesitate to deal with troublemakers," Kikwete told top police chiefs this week.
Change is inevitable with Kikwete standing down - unlike neighbouring Burundi where President Pierre Nkurunziza defied violent protests to win a third term in July, or Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo, where leaders are believed to want to stay put.
Tensions
The narrow favourite to win the national race is John Magufuli of the long-ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
But Magufuli, 55, is facing a stiff challenge from the main opposition parties who have rallied around ex-prime minister Edward Lowassa, 62. He recently defected from the CCM to the opposition Chadema, heading a coalition of parties.
Analysts have warned that the unusually tight race could spark tensions, with the opposition providing the first credible challenge to the CCM since the introduction of multi-party democracy in 1995.
"While the CCM clearly has some strong electoral advantages, there are growing indications that its long-term grip on power is continuing to dissipate," former top US diplomat to Africa Johnnie Carson wrote for African Arguments.
"A tight election or the perception of a rigged outcome could increase the chance of post-election violence in what has been one of Africa's leading democracies and most peaceful countries."
'Two horse race'
Critics also point out that Lowassa, a long-term CCM party stalwart before defection, does not represent much of a change to the system.
"Lowassa represents for many Tanzanians the very ills that the country wants to see addressed," wrote Tanzanian political analysts Emmanuel Tayari.
Six other hopefuls are in the race. But it is the campaign rallies of the CCM's Magufuli - currently minister of works - and Chadema's Lowassa - prime minister from 2005-2008 before resigning over corruption allegations despite stringent denials - that attract the largest crowds.
Lowassa joined the opposition after losing to Magufuli in his bid to become the party's presidential candidate in July.
Both Magufuli and Lowassa have made repeated calls for the preservation of peace and national unity in speeches denouncing tribalism, religious violence and corruption.
Despite impressive economic growth, little has trickled down to the majority and the country remains very poor by regional and international standards, the World Bank says.
"In their campaigns, both sides agree on one thing: the outgoing administration has left most Tanzanians in abject poverty, and presided over rising corruption," the influential East African newspaper wrote this week, calling the contest a "two-horse race."
On Zanzibar, campaigning has been largely peaceful, but residents are stockpiling food and water, fearful of possible unrest after the polls on the Indian Ocean islands, famed for their pristine white sand beaches and UNESCO-listed architecture.
The archipelago's president and vice-president -- ruling as part of a unity government -- will go head-to-head as frontrunners in the race, which will see just over 500,000 registered voters on the islands cast their ballots.
Leading candidates are incumbent president Ali Mohamed Shein of the ruling CCM, and current vice-president Seif Sharif Hamad from the opposition Civic United Front (CUF), who are currently sharing power in a unity government.
AFP
Cote d’ivoire: Meet the oppositional candidates for presidential election
[Franck Kie] Cote d’Ivoire’s presidential elections are set to begin October 25th. The candidates who will face President Ouattara can be divided into three groups: Members of CNC (National Coalition for Change), which includes dissidents from PDCI-RDA and FPI, the candidate of FPI (Ivorian Popular Front, the historical party of opposition) and last but not least, independent candidates.
CNC candidates
Charles Konan Banny is currently the President of the CNC which is a coalition of members from different political parties facing President Ouattara during the upcoming elections. He is an historic member of PDCI-RDA, the political party which obtained independence and ruled the country during 33 years. Banny has refused to follow the party’s decision withold a candidate at the first round and support President Ouattara, whose party, RDR and PDCI, they are currently in an alliance with called RHDP. As a graduate of ESSEC and former Governor of the West African Central Bank, former Prime Minister, and former President of the National Commission for Truth and Reconciliation and with strong international relationships, most observers view him as President Ouattara’s most credible opponent since they have the same background and international profile. At 72, it is likely his last chance to run; Banny believes that he is the only one candidate who will be able unify Cote d’Ivoire as he hasn’t been linked to any of the violence that Cote d’Ivoire underwent over the past decade. His main strength resides in his international profile, while his main weaknesses lies in the fact that he doesn’t have a political party machine behind him. Some have also suggested that he is not in touch with the people.
Mamadou Koulibaly, 58, is the President of LIDER (Liberty and Democracy for the Republic), a political party member of the CNC. Prior to creating his party in 2011, he was the Minister of Economy and Finance, and the President of the National Assembly from 2001 until 2012, under Laurent Gbagbo’s presidency. He used to be a member of FPI, but left the party following the violent post electoral crisis in 2011 and is now trying to solidify his place as a main player in Cote d’Ivoire’s political scene. He could definitely be a credible alternative to President Ouattara but as Charles Konan Banny, he lacks a national footprint and a strong political machine. He also announced that he would finally not present himself at the elections because the conditions aren’t in place for a fair vote.
Kouadio Konan Bertin, 47, also known as KKB, is the youngest candidate. Similarly to Charles Konan Banny, he is also a member of PDCI-RDA for which he used to be the Youth President of the party and also rejected the party’s wishes to vote for Ouattara and withhold a candidate. While he has been elected as a member of the National Assembly, it is still hard to determine at this stage whether he has a strong enough presence within the Ivorian political scene. As Konan Banny and Koulibaly, his main weakness also lies in the fact that he doesn’t have party support but for the three of them, it will be interesting to see how they are able to engage citizens that are disappointed from Ouattara’s regime as well as people from PDCI-RDA against the call to support Ouattara.
Independent candidate:
Essy Amara, 71, is a former Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and also Secretary General of the African Union. He used to be a member of CNC and the PDCI, but decided to announce his candidacy, when the party declared that they wouldn’t present a candidate. His main strength lies in the fact that he has a very good international reputation with his tenure as Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire at the UN. He is also ‘clean’ as he wasn’t involved in the violence, which struck the country the past decade. On the other hand, his opponents would argue that he has been retired from the public life for almost 15 years now and that his networks might not be up to date. Moreover, similarly to the aforementioned candidates, he doesn’t really have a political party and machine behind him, plus, one would say that his health condition appears to be quite fragile. On October 7th he also suspended his participation in the elections stating that the conditions in which they will be organized are not fair for all candidates.
FPI candidate:
Pascal Affi N’guessan, 62, is a former Prime Minister and the President of FPI, the historical opposition party founded by former President Laurent Gbagbo who lost the last elections and is now facing the International Criminal Court (ICC). His main weakness resides in the fact that he faces a very strong opposition within his own camp that didn’t want to present a candidate at the elections while Laurent Gbagbo is still at the ICC. But at the same time and unlike the other candidates mentioned before, he still benefits from an established political party machine behind him which is a plus, even though these elections will also be a real test for him to evaluate his national popularity and weight.
President Ouattara’s camp expects him to win at the first round. However, even though the other candidates are disadvantaged in terms of financial resources, party support and opposition within their camps, every one of them still has a good chance to force President Ouattara into a second round where the result of the elections would become much more uncertain. These candidates will need the support of those disappointed with President Ouattara’s administration, in addition to supporters of former President Laurent Gbagbo. At this stage, it is quite unclear who has an advantage. In this elections, Ivorians are expected to vote beyond regional affiliation and ethnicity. As such, this election provides an opportunity to see which party is most able to engage the people and become a true political force in the country.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
The numbers that will influence Tanzania Presidential elections outcome
In exactly five days, Tanzanians will go to the ballot to elect the fifth President to take over from Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete who retires from elective politics after serving the maximum two five-year terms.
Kikwete took over State House from Benjamin Mkapa who served as President between 1995 and 2005.
Mkapa was the country’s third President. Others who ruled are Tanzania’s founding father Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and retired President Ali Hassan Mwinyi.
But what are the numbers that may influence the outcome of the election?
The two leading contestants; Dr. John Pombe Magufuli of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and his closest rival Edward Ngoyai Lowassa of Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) are banking on regional popularities to clinch the presidency.
Tanzania’s capital Dar es Salaam has the highest number of registered voters hitting 2,775,295, which represents 12.6% of the registered voters in East Africa’s largest country.
Out of that voter population, there are 1,319,202 male voters while women voters are 1,456,093 representing 48 and 52% of the registered voters there respectively.
The high voter population makes it a field for fierce competition and this has seen the eight presidential contestants hold a series of rallies here.
Magufuli’s home region of Mwanza comes second with a total voter registration of 1,448,884 and is closely followed by Mbeya which has a total voter registration of 1,397,653.
The famous Morogoro comes fourth with 1,271,951 voters, making it an area of interest to the presidential aspirants. It is followed by Tambora which has 1,097,760 voters, Dodoma with 1,071,383 voters, Kagera with 1,051,681 voters and Tanga with 1,009,753 voters.
Tanga is followed by Lowassa’s home region of Arusha which has 1,009,292 registered voters and then by Mara with 892,741 voters.
Other areas that are of interest and their number of registered voters include; Geita (887,982), Kilimanjaro (800,349), Shinyanga (773,273), Simiyu (718,777) and Pwani (697,533).
Tanzania has a total voter population of 22.7 million and the voting process will for the first time employ the electronic system through the use of Voter Identification Kits.
Source: citizentv.co.ke
Kikwete took over State House from Benjamin Mkapa who served as President between 1995 and 2005.
Mkapa was the country’s third President. Others who ruled are Tanzania’s founding father Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and retired President Ali Hassan Mwinyi.
But what are the numbers that may influence the outcome of the election?
The two leading contestants; Dr. John Pombe Magufuli of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and his closest rival Edward Ngoyai Lowassa of Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) are banking on regional popularities to clinch the presidency.
Tanzania’s capital Dar es Salaam has the highest number of registered voters hitting 2,775,295, which represents 12.6% of the registered voters in East Africa’s largest country.
Out of that voter population, there are 1,319,202 male voters while women voters are 1,456,093 representing 48 and 52% of the registered voters there respectively.
The high voter population makes it a field for fierce competition and this has seen the eight presidential contestants hold a series of rallies here.
Magufuli’s home region of Mwanza comes second with a total voter registration of 1,448,884 and is closely followed by Mbeya which has a total voter registration of 1,397,653.
The famous Morogoro comes fourth with 1,271,951 voters, making it an area of interest to the presidential aspirants. It is followed by Tambora which has 1,097,760 voters, Dodoma with 1,071,383 voters, Kagera with 1,051,681 voters and Tanga with 1,009,753 voters.
Tanga is followed by Lowassa’s home region of Arusha which has 1,009,292 registered voters and then by Mara with 892,741 voters.
Other areas that are of interest and their number of registered voters include; Geita (887,982), Kilimanjaro (800,349), Shinyanga (773,273), Simiyu (718,777) and Pwani (697,533).
Tanzania has a total voter population of 22.7 million and the voting process will for the first time employ the electronic system through the use of Voter Identification Kits.
Source: citizentv.co.ke
Monday, October 19, 2015
Tanzania: EAC deploys observer mission for elections
(Xinhua) -- A-55 member of the East African Community (EAC) Elections Observer Mission is due to arrive in Tanzania’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam on Sunday to observe the coming General Elections in both the Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar.
The EAC Mission is a response to the invitation of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) of Tanzania as well as the decision of the EAC Council of Ministers Decisions on observation of elections in the partner states.
The Mission’s mandate is to observe the overall electoral environment, pre-election activities, the polling day, the counting and tallying of results..
The Mission, which is being led by Awori Arthur Athansius Moody, former Vice President of Kenya, will first undergo a pre-deployment training from Oct. 19 to 21 in Dar es Salaam before deployed to the regions.
EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Charles Njoroge said on Tuesday that successful and peaceful elections in Tanzania is of paramount importance to the partner states and the region as a whole because lack of peace and stability in any partner state will definitely undermine the outstanding milestones the region has so far achieved through regional integration.
The Mission is expected to prepare a report that will be submitted to, among others, the NEC of Tanzania, through the EAC Council of Ministers for consideration and implementation.
The Mission will leave Tanzania on Oct. 29.
The EAC Mission is a response to the invitation of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) of Tanzania as well as the decision of the EAC Council of Ministers Decisions on observation of elections in the partner states.
The Mission’s mandate is to observe the overall electoral environment, pre-election activities, the polling day, the counting and tallying of results..
The Mission, which is being led by Awori Arthur Athansius Moody, former Vice President of Kenya, will first undergo a pre-deployment training from Oct. 19 to 21 in Dar es Salaam before deployed to the regions.
EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Charles Njoroge said on Tuesday that successful and peaceful elections in Tanzania is of paramount importance to the partner states and the region as a whole because lack of peace and stability in any partner state will definitely undermine the outstanding milestones the region has so far achieved through regional integration.
The Mission is expected to prepare a report that will be submitted to, among others, the NEC of Tanzania, through the EAC Council of Ministers for consideration and implementation.
The Mission will leave Tanzania on Oct. 29.
Tanzania: Media urged to be impartial ahead of election
(Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Registrar of Political Parties, Judge Francis Mutungi, on Thursday appealed to the media fraternity to practice sobriety in reporting the final days of the electoral process to avoid being the source of breach of peace.
"There should be moral obligation towards the country. People believe in what is written in the newspapers," Judge Mutungi told editors and senior journalists in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
He said the fate of Tanzania during this remaining short and crucial electoral period up to the October 25 polling day was in the hands of the media.
"The media should remain sober for the sake of this nation and peace," said Judge Mutungi, adding that the media should also remain aware that there was life after the elections.
He said he knew that one of the key missions of the media was to inform the public but they were also doing business, adding:
"But I think sometimes we can put business aside and put the interests of the nation at the forefront."
Judge Mutungi said the media and other stakeholders should not be partisan to political parties and politicians should avoid making statements that were likely to cause the breach of peace.
He echoed Wednesday’s appeal by President Jakaya Kikwete to voters to stay away from polling stations after casting their votes, saying he did not break any law but he was only emphasizing statements made by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
Speaking at the climax of the Uhuru Torch Race in Dodoma, President Kikwete said hanging around at polling centres ostensibly to "guard" votes would threaten the peace and disrupt the electoral process.
Judge Mutungi said he concurred with the head of state that polling centres should remain friendly by not being crowded, a development that could scare voters to practise their democratic right.
"We should not let the elections to be hijacked by political parties. This is the right for all Tanzanians," said Judge Mutungi.
But opposition leaders scoffed at President Kikwete’s warning, saying they would not back their resolve to guard their votes.
"There should be moral obligation towards the country. People believe in what is written in the newspapers," Judge Mutungi told editors and senior journalists in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
He said the fate of Tanzania during this remaining short and crucial electoral period up to the October 25 polling day was in the hands of the media.
"The media should remain sober for the sake of this nation and peace," said Judge Mutungi, adding that the media should also remain aware that there was life after the elections.
He said he knew that one of the key missions of the media was to inform the public but they were also doing business, adding:
"But I think sometimes we can put business aside and put the interests of the nation at the forefront."
Judge Mutungi said the media and other stakeholders should not be partisan to political parties and politicians should avoid making statements that were likely to cause the breach of peace.
He echoed Wednesday’s appeal by President Jakaya Kikwete to voters to stay away from polling stations after casting their votes, saying he did not break any law but he was only emphasizing statements made by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
Speaking at the climax of the Uhuru Torch Race in Dodoma, President Kikwete said hanging around at polling centres ostensibly to "guard" votes would threaten the peace and disrupt the electoral process.
Judge Mutungi said he concurred with the head of state that polling centres should remain friendly by not being crowded, a development that could scare voters to practise their democratic right.
"We should not let the elections to be hijacked by political parties. This is the right for all Tanzanians," said Judge Mutungi.
But opposition leaders scoffed at President Kikwete’s warning, saying they would not back their resolve to guard their votes.
Tanzania: AU sends 50 observers to monitor election
African Union Commission (AUC) has assigned 50-member Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to Tanzania’s general elections scheduled for next week.
The AUEOM which is led by His Excellency Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, former president of the Republic of Mozambique is comprised of 50 high profile personalities and experts drawn from the Pan-African Parliament, African Ambassadors to the AU in Addis Ababa, Election Management Bodies and Civil Society Organizations from various African countries.
Basing its activities on the principles of credibility, transparency, fairness and professionalism in the conduct of the elections, the AUEOM will meet with various electoral stakeholders in the country, including relevant electoral and government institutions, political parties and civil society groups.
It will release its preliminary assessment at a press conference in Dar Es Salaam soon after the election while a detailed final report which will be shared with the appropriate Tanzanian authorities and institutions, will be produced within two months.
AUC chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said the assignment was at the behest of Tanzanian government in line with the provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance meant at enhancing electoral processes in Africa, strengthening electoral institutions in conducting fair, free, and transparent elections, which entered into force on February 15, 2012.
Its mandate was further strengthened by the AU/OAU Declaration on the principles governing democratic elections in Africa adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2002.
Source: Guardian
The AUEOM which is led by His Excellency Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, former president of the Republic of Mozambique is comprised of 50 high profile personalities and experts drawn from the Pan-African Parliament, African Ambassadors to the AU in Addis Ababa, Election Management Bodies and Civil Society Organizations from various African countries.
Basing its activities on the principles of credibility, transparency, fairness and professionalism in the conduct of the elections, the AUEOM will meet with various electoral stakeholders in the country, including relevant electoral and government institutions, political parties and civil society groups.
It will release its preliminary assessment at a press conference in Dar Es Salaam soon after the election while a detailed final report which will be shared with the appropriate Tanzanian authorities and institutions, will be produced within two months.
AUC chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said the assignment was at the behest of Tanzanian government in line with the provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance meant at enhancing electoral processes in Africa, strengthening electoral institutions in conducting fair, free, and transparent elections, which entered into force on February 15, 2012.
Its mandate was further strengthened by the AU/OAU Declaration on the principles governing democratic elections in Africa adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2002.
Source: Guardian
Tanzania: Over 140 observer groups arrives for elections
A prominent official of the National Electoral Commission of Tanzania said more than 140 international poll observer missions are in the country to monitor the upcoming October 25 presidential, parliamentary and local elections.
Emanuel Kawishe, director of the legal services department of the Electoral Commission, also said political parties have met all legal requirements necessary to allow them to campaign and be part of the upcoming vote.
Tanzania has 22 registered parties under the Political Parties Act of 1992.
“All the political parties which are participating in the elections rallies, they all met the criteria, all the legal requirements because before they are nominated to run for any post, they have to fulfill the legal requirements. So, to say if you see a candidate is there in the rally, then it means that he has met the criteria required,” said Kawishe.
His comments came after the electoral commission officials briefed representatives of the poll monitoring groups at a meeting in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. Kawishe said the meeting with the poll observers was productive.
He said the meeting was part of the electoral commission’s bid to ensure a smooth working relationship with the observers as they prepared to monitor the elections.
Kawishe said the electoral officials briefed the observers about Tanzania’s history, before and after independence, how the electoral commission was established to meet a constitutional requirements, and the country’s electoral process.
Constitutional provision
Tanzania’s constitution provides for the independence of the National Electoral Commission, without interference or directive from the government.
Kawishe said the electoral body also briefed the observers about the commission’s readiness to administer the upcoming vote.
“We briefed them on what we have done and what we expect. We also informed them about the ... Independence of the electoral commission,” said Kawishe. “The system in Tanzania is ... [Such that] the candidate who wins the majority of valid votes is declared the winner. We also informed them about women’s special seat, some sort of proportional representation whereby parties are allocated seats depending on the votes they acquire.”
Kawishe said the electoral commission would be swift, but cautious in announcing the outcome of the election results. He said the electoral body was implementing measures to ensure the elections were peaceful and credible Kawishe outlined plans the electoral commission would undertake to announce the results.
“For the ward councilors we expect to announce the same day, at least by evening. ... Also in the constituencies, members of parliament, depending on the geographical location, also they would be announced the same day at least 25th to 26th the winners would be declared.And for the presidential election, we expect to announce the winner at least within three days if all goes well,” said Kawishe.
Emanuel Kawishe, director of the legal services department of the Electoral Commission, also said political parties have met all legal requirements necessary to allow them to campaign and be part of the upcoming vote.
Tanzania has 22 registered parties under the Political Parties Act of 1992.
“All the political parties which are participating in the elections rallies, they all met the criteria, all the legal requirements because before they are nominated to run for any post, they have to fulfill the legal requirements. So, to say if you see a candidate is there in the rally, then it means that he has met the criteria required,” said Kawishe.
His comments came after the electoral commission officials briefed representatives of the poll monitoring groups at a meeting in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. Kawishe said the meeting with the poll observers was productive.
He said the meeting was part of the electoral commission’s bid to ensure a smooth working relationship with the observers as they prepared to monitor the elections.
Kawishe said the electoral officials briefed the observers about Tanzania’s history, before and after independence, how the electoral commission was established to meet a constitutional requirements, and the country’s electoral process.
Constitutional provision
Tanzania’s constitution provides for the independence of the National Electoral Commission, without interference or directive from the government.
Kawishe said the electoral body also briefed the observers about the commission’s readiness to administer the upcoming vote.
“We briefed them on what we have done and what we expect. We also informed them about the ... Independence of the electoral commission,” said Kawishe. “The system in Tanzania is ... [Such that] the candidate who wins the majority of valid votes is declared the winner. We also informed them about women’s special seat, some sort of proportional representation whereby parties are allocated seats depending on the votes they acquire.”
Kawishe said the electoral commission would be swift, but cautious in announcing the outcome of the election results. He said the electoral body was implementing measures to ensure the elections were peaceful and credible Kawishe outlined plans the electoral commission would undertake to announce the results.
“For the ward councilors we expect to announce the same day, at least by evening. ... Also in the constituencies, members of parliament, depending on the geographical location, also they would be announced the same day at least 25th to 26th the winners would be declared.And for the presidential election, we expect to announce the winner at least within three days if all goes well,” said Kawishe.
Guinea: Incumbent Alpha Conde wins second term as president
Guinea's President Alpha Conde has won a second term, the country's election commission has announced, six days after polling ended.
Mr Conde, 77, won in the first round with about 58% of votes cast.
Main opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo, who has denounced the vote as fraudulent, won 31%. He has called for peaceful protests against the outcome.
European Union observers said the vote was valid despite some logistical problems.
Candidates now have eight days to file complaints before the constitutional court validates the results.
However, Mr Diallo said in a statement he would not appeal to the court.
"I will invite the other candidates and all the citizens who are the real victims of this electoral hold-up to organise, conforming to the law, peaceful demonstrations to express our disapproval of this situation,'' he said.
Mr Diallo pulled out of the elections on Wednesday alleging fraud.
The allegations included ballot boxes being stuffed and some 400 polling stations staying closed.
Figures released on Friday showed a turnout of about 66% of Guinea's six million registered voters.
It was Guinea's second democratic presidential election since independence from France in 1958.
Clashes during the election campaign claimed several lives.
Mr Conde became president in 2010 in the country's first democratic election after decades of fighting authoritarian regimes, during which he was sent into exile and prison.
In that election, he defeated Mr Diallo in a run-off.
Source: BBC
Mr Conde, 77, won in the first round with about 58% of votes cast.
Main opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo, who has denounced the vote as fraudulent, won 31%. He has called for peaceful protests against the outcome.
European Union observers said the vote was valid despite some logistical problems.
Candidates now have eight days to file complaints before the constitutional court validates the results.
However, Mr Diallo said in a statement he would not appeal to the court.
"I will invite the other candidates and all the citizens who are the real victims of this electoral hold-up to organise, conforming to the law, peaceful demonstrations to express our disapproval of this situation,'' he said.
Mr Diallo pulled out of the elections on Wednesday alleging fraud.
The allegations included ballot boxes being stuffed and some 400 polling stations staying closed.
Figures released on Friday showed a turnout of about 66% of Guinea's six million registered voters.
It was Guinea's second democratic presidential election since independence from France in 1958.
Clashes during the election campaign claimed several lives.
Mr Conde became president in 2010 in the country's first democratic election after decades of fighting authoritarian regimes, during which he was sent into exile and prison.
In that election, he defeated Mr Diallo in a run-off.
Source: BBC
Friday, October 16, 2015
Côte d’ivoire: Japan to renew support for elections
The Government of Japan has granted an additional contribution of US$1.6 million for the 25 October elections in Côte d’Ivoire. This contribution will enable the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to acquire essential equipment, including 20,000 ballot boxes, 25,000 voting booths and 944,000 ballot box seals.
The contribution agreement, signed today by Hiroshi Kawamura, Japan’s Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, Youssouf Bakayoko, IEC President, Babacar Cissé, UNDP Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire and the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Finance, aims to strengthen IEC’s capacities for the organization of credible and inclusive elections.
Hiroshi Kawamura, Ambassador of Japan in Côte d’Ivoire, commended the IEC for its on-going efforts to prepare successful elections and UNDP for managing the election support project. He also confirmed the strong commitment of Japan to accompany Côte d’Ivoire in the organization of credible and inclusive elections.
The programme also aims to support public institutions, the political parties, women, youth and civil society organizations, underrepresented groups and the media to enable them to participate effectively in the electoral process.
“Japan’s contribution is a key component for the organization of elections of 2015. Just as in 2010, Japan remains an important UNDP partner in supporting the consolidation of democracy in Côte d’Ivoire,” said Babacar Cissé.
Japan and UNDP are supporting the Ivorian Government’s activities in promoting a secure environment for peaceful elections through a vast initiative aimed at curbing the proliferation of light arms and light weapons in Côte d’Ivoire.
Source: www.newshour.com.bd/
The contribution agreement, signed today by Hiroshi Kawamura, Japan’s Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, Youssouf Bakayoko, IEC President, Babacar Cissé, UNDP Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire and the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Finance, aims to strengthen IEC’s capacities for the organization of credible and inclusive elections.
Hiroshi Kawamura, Ambassador of Japan in Côte d’Ivoire, commended the IEC for its on-going efforts to prepare successful elections and UNDP for managing the election support project. He also confirmed the strong commitment of Japan to accompany Côte d’Ivoire in the organization of credible and inclusive elections.
The programme also aims to support public institutions, the political parties, women, youth and civil society organizations, underrepresented groups and the media to enable them to participate effectively in the electoral process.
“Japan’s contribution is a key component for the organization of elections of 2015. Just as in 2010, Japan remains an important UNDP partner in supporting the consolidation of democracy in Côte d’Ivoire,” said Babacar Cissé.
Japan and UNDP are supporting the Ivorian Government’s activities in promoting a secure environment for peaceful elections through a vast initiative aimed at curbing the proliferation of light arms and light weapons in Côte d’Ivoire.
Source: www.newshour.com.bd/
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Electing MMDCEs and assembly members; Could it throw the country into a cycle of violence?
A new study by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has revealed that a majority of Ghanaians would prefer electing their Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) by popular vote, but experts warn that the system could lead to political violence across the country.
The postponed District and Municipal elections have now finally taken place. One issue was mercifully not on the ballot box, though: Should District and Municipal Chief Executives be elected by popular vote along party lines or shall we maintain the current system of being appointed by the president?
There is now a groundswell of popular opinion in support of scrapping the existing system and replacing it with elected MMDCEs, on the grounds that it does not sit well with democratic principles.
Presidential appointed MMDCEs, they argue, would be more inclined to serve the interests of the appointing authority instead of those of the constituents. Instead, MMDCE’s should be elected by popular vote just like members of parliament are, in order to ensure accountability.
Survey on effectiveness of district assemblies
The debate was given a helpful timely boost in August with the publication of a survey, “Assessing the Effectiveness of District Assemblies in Ghana’s Democracy,’’ by the NCCE, in early August. The study’s objective is to identify the causes of the ineffectiveness bedevilling the District Assemblies’ operations in order to find solutions. There is widespread public perception that partisanship is a cog in the wheel of operations of the district assemblies.
The report was launched to a heavily packed audience on August 19, 2015 at the Kofi Annan ICT Centre on August 19. The issue of whether MMDCEs should be elected by popular vote or continue to be appointed by presidential powers became an engagingly lively discussion at the launching ceremony.
Answers in the Constituion
But should it matter if there is partisanship in the district assemblies? The answer to that question takes us to provisions enshrined in the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution.
That Constitution provided for a decentralised local government administration structure in order to encourage grassroots participation in decision-making. But the constitution also handed Ghanaians a weird local government system.
For starters, the President appoints 30 per cent of the members of all the 276 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, plus MMDCEs who hold executive power in the districts. The President is a party man and invariably selects those to be appointed from the ruling party, yet the Constitution explicitly forbids party politics in local government administration.
So in the end we have a topsy-turvy local government system, captured in the colourful words of Professor Kwamena Ahwoi: “A partisan central government system superimposed on a non-partisan local system, and that partisan central government is to implement its programmes through the non-partisan local government system.’’ How do we square the circle?
If party politics is introduced in local government elections, the fear is that given the damaging political polarisation already in the country, districts which vote against the ruling party would be considered hostile districts and could be discriminated against in terms of resource allocation.
This forms the backdrop to the 1992 Constitution when the drafters insisted on a non-partisan local government system.
However, if the current local government administration was squeaky clean of partisan politics it would present water tight case for a system of elected MMDCEs. But the present system is a far cry from the ideal.
“Any political party that comes into power manipulates the decentralised institutions to its advantage,’’ cried Kyei Baffour, former President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) and a veteran local councillor since 1988.
“It is the party at the constituency level that handles applications for appointments, short lists the candidates, interviews them and submits the candidates to the President, because the president cannot go round 276 constituencies to appoint individuals,’’ said Baffour.
So, political party involvement in local governments is constantly lurking in the background contrary to constitutional prohibition.
It is perhaps because of the widespread perception that local government administration is tainted by partisan politics that majority of Ghanaians have voted with all their limbs to want to opt for election of MMDCEs, as the NCCE study shows.
Survey results
According to the survey, nearly 69 per cent (68.6) of the respondents say the district assemblies are partisan in their operations. So, the argument goes, they could as well lift the veil of pretentions and open the floodgates to party politics.
The NCCE study indicates that nearly 70 per cent (69.4) of the respondents would prefer to have a system of elected rather than appointed MMDCEs as opposed to 30.6 per cent who would like to maintain the practice of appointing them.
But a former minister of local government, Professor Kwamina Ahwoi, cautions that it would be accelerating into a fog if party politics is introduced in the local level.
“At the national level, we are able to debate away polarisation but if we take partisanship to the local level, it will not be polarisation, it will be physical violence which would be very, very difficult to contain,’’ Professor Ahwoi, warned.
“Right now it is said there is partisanship at the local level; it is true, but because we are aware that it is illegal, we are very concerned how we do it,’’ says Ahwoi.
In his view, an open fight between two assembly members would be less likely to take on political overtones but would turn nasty if members were elected on party lines.
When Galileo was brought before the Inquisitors and forced to denounce his then “heretical” theory of the earth moving around the sun and not the other way round as was the belief at that time, he recanted but as he was rising to leave, he is said to have tapped the ground gently and said, “And yet it moves.’’
And like the Inquisitors in Galileo’s time, those denying today that political parties control district assemblies by stealth are probably waiting for further scientific evidence to change their views.
Perhaps Ghanaians should be allowed to move away from the 22- year-old local government system which appears to be dysfunctional.
Or could the country end up reaping widespread violence as Professor has warned?
The writer is the National Project Co-ordinator for Open Governance, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII)
The postponed District and Municipal elections have now finally taken place. One issue was mercifully not on the ballot box, though: Should District and Municipal Chief Executives be elected by popular vote along party lines or shall we maintain the current system of being appointed by the president?
There is now a groundswell of popular opinion in support of scrapping the existing system and replacing it with elected MMDCEs, on the grounds that it does not sit well with democratic principles.
Presidential appointed MMDCEs, they argue, would be more inclined to serve the interests of the appointing authority instead of those of the constituents. Instead, MMDCE’s should be elected by popular vote just like members of parliament are, in order to ensure accountability.
Survey on effectiveness of district assemblies
The debate was given a helpful timely boost in August with the publication of a survey, “Assessing the Effectiveness of District Assemblies in Ghana’s Democracy,’’ by the NCCE, in early August. The study’s objective is to identify the causes of the ineffectiveness bedevilling the District Assemblies’ operations in order to find solutions. There is widespread public perception that partisanship is a cog in the wheel of operations of the district assemblies.
The report was launched to a heavily packed audience on August 19, 2015 at the Kofi Annan ICT Centre on August 19. The issue of whether MMDCEs should be elected by popular vote or continue to be appointed by presidential powers became an engagingly lively discussion at the launching ceremony.
Answers in the Constituion
But should it matter if there is partisanship in the district assemblies? The answer to that question takes us to provisions enshrined in the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution.
That Constitution provided for a decentralised local government administration structure in order to encourage grassroots participation in decision-making. But the constitution also handed Ghanaians a weird local government system.
For starters, the President appoints 30 per cent of the members of all the 276 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, plus MMDCEs who hold executive power in the districts. The President is a party man and invariably selects those to be appointed from the ruling party, yet the Constitution explicitly forbids party politics in local government administration.
So in the end we have a topsy-turvy local government system, captured in the colourful words of Professor Kwamena Ahwoi: “A partisan central government system superimposed on a non-partisan local system, and that partisan central government is to implement its programmes through the non-partisan local government system.’’ How do we square the circle?
If party politics is introduced in local government elections, the fear is that given the damaging political polarisation already in the country, districts which vote against the ruling party would be considered hostile districts and could be discriminated against in terms of resource allocation.
This forms the backdrop to the 1992 Constitution when the drafters insisted on a non-partisan local government system.
However, if the current local government administration was squeaky clean of partisan politics it would present water tight case for a system of elected MMDCEs. But the present system is a far cry from the ideal.
“Any political party that comes into power manipulates the decentralised institutions to its advantage,’’ cried Kyei Baffour, former President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) and a veteran local councillor since 1988.
“It is the party at the constituency level that handles applications for appointments, short lists the candidates, interviews them and submits the candidates to the President, because the president cannot go round 276 constituencies to appoint individuals,’’ said Baffour.
So, political party involvement in local governments is constantly lurking in the background contrary to constitutional prohibition.
It is perhaps because of the widespread perception that local government administration is tainted by partisan politics that majority of Ghanaians have voted with all their limbs to want to opt for election of MMDCEs, as the NCCE study shows.
Survey results
According to the survey, nearly 69 per cent (68.6) of the respondents say the district assemblies are partisan in their operations. So, the argument goes, they could as well lift the veil of pretentions and open the floodgates to party politics.
The NCCE study indicates that nearly 70 per cent (69.4) of the respondents would prefer to have a system of elected rather than appointed MMDCEs as opposed to 30.6 per cent who would like to maintain the practice of appointing them.
But a former minister of local government, Professor Kwamina Ahwoi, cautions that it would be accelerating into a fog if party politics is introduced in the local level.
“At the national level, we are able to debate away polarisation but if we take partisanship to the local level, it will not be polarisation, it will be physical violence which would be very, very difficult to contain,’’ Professor Ahwoi, warned.
“Right now it is said there is partisanship at the local level; it is true, but because we are aware that it is illegal, we are very concerned how we do it,’’ says Ahwoi.
In his view, an open fight between two assembly members would be less likely to take on political overtones but would turn nasty if members were elected on party lines.
When Galileo was brought before the Inquisitors and forced to denounce his then “heretical” theory of the earth moving around the sun and not the other way round as was the belief at that time, he recanted but as he was rising to leave, he is said to have tapped the ground gently and said, “And yet it moves.’’
And like the Inquisitors in Galileo’s time, those denying today that political parties control district assemblies by stealth are probably waiting for further scientific evidence to change their views.
Perhaps Ghanaians should be allowed to move away from the 22- year-old local government system which appears to be dysfunctional.
Or could the country end up reaping widespread violence as Professor has warned?
The writer is the National Project Co-ordinator for Open Governance, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII)
Electing MMDCEs and assembly members; Could it throw the country into a cycle of violence?
A new study by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has revealed that a majority of Ghanaians would prefer electing their Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) by popular vote, but experts warn that the system could lead to political violence across the country.
The postponed District and Municipal elections have now finally taken place. One issue was mercifully not on the ballot box, though: Should District and Municipal Chief Executives be elected by popular vote along party lines or shall we maintain the current system of being appointed by the president?
There is now a groundswell of popular opinion in support of scrapping the existing system and replacing it with elected MMDCEs, on the grounds that it does not sit well with democratic principles.
Presidential appointed MMDCEs, they argue, would be more inclined to serve the interests of the appointing authority instead of those of the constituents. Instead, MMDCE’s should be elected by popular vote just like members of parliament are, in order to ensure accountability.
Survey on effectiveness of district assemblies
The debate was given a helpful timely boost in August with the publication of a survey, “Assessing the Effectiveness of District Assemblies in Ghana’s Democracy,’’ by the NCCE, in early August. The study’s objective is to identify the causes of the ineffectiveness bedevilling the District Assemblies’ operations in order to find solutions. There is widespread public perception that partisanship is a cog in the wheel of operations of the district assemblies.
The report was launched to a heavily packed audience on August 19, 2015 at the Kofi Annan ICT Centre on August 19. The issue of whether MMDCEs should be elected by popular vote or continue to be appointed by presidential powers became an engagingly lively discussion at the launching ceremony.
Answers in the Constituion
But should it matter if there is partisanship in the district assemblies? The answer to that question takes us to provisions enshrined in the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution.
That Constitution provided for a decentralised local government administration structure in order to encourage grassroots participation in decision-making. But the constitution also handed Ghanaians a weird local government system.
For starters, the President appoints 30 per cent of the members of all the 276 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, plus MMDCEs who hold executive power in the districts. The President is a party man and invariably selects those to be appointed from the ruling party, yet the Constitution explicitly forbids party politics in local government administration.
So in the end we have a topsy-turvy local government system, captured in the colourful words of Professor Kwamena Ahwoi: “A partisan central government system superimposed on a non-partisan local system, and that partisan central government is to implement its programmes through the non-partisan local government system.’’ How do we square the circle?
If party politics is introduced in local government elections, the fear is that given the damaging political polarisation already in the country, districts which vote against the ruling party would be considered hostile districts and could be discriminated against in terms of resource allocation.
This forms the backdrop to the 1992 Constitution when the drafters insisted on a non-partisan local government system.
However, if the current local government administration was squeaky clean of partisan politics it would present water tight case for a system of elected MMDCEs. But the present system is a far cry from the ideal.
“Any political party that comes into power manipulates the decentralised institutions to its advantage,’’ cried Kyei Baffour, former President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) and a veteran local councillor since 1988.
“It is the party at the constituency level that handles applications for appointments, short lists the candidates, interviews them and submits the candidates to the President, because the president cannot go round 276 constituencies to appoint individuals,’’ said Baffour.
So, political party involvement in local governments is constantly lurking in the background contrary to constitutional prohibition.
It is perhaps because of the widespread perception that local government administration is tainted by partisan politics that majority of Ghanaians have voted with all their limbs to want to opt for election of MMDCEs, as the NCCE study shows.
Survey results
According to the survey, nearly 69 per cent (68.6) of the respondents say the district assemblies are partisan in their operations. So, the argument goes, they could as well lift the veil of pretentions and open the floodgates to party politics.
The NCCE study indicates that nearly 70 per cent (69.4) of the respondents would prefer to have a system of elected rather than appointed MMDCEs as opposed to 30.6 per cent who would like to maintain the practice of appointing them.
But a former minister of local government, Professor Kwamina Ahwoi, cautions that it would be accelerating into a fog if party politics is introduced in the local level.
“At the national level, we are able to debate away polarisation but if we take partisanship to the local level, it will not be polarisation, it will be physical violence which would be very, very difficult to contain,’’ Professor Ahwoi, warned.
“Right now it is said there is partisanship at the local level; it is true, but because we are aware that it is illegal, we are very concerned how we do it,’’ says Ahwoi.
In his view, an open fight between two assembly members would be less likely to take on political overtones but would turn nasty if members were elected on party lines.
When Galileo was brought before the Inquisitors and forced to denounce his then “heretical” theory of the earth moving around the sun and not the other way round as was the belief at that time, he recanted but as he was rising to leave, he is said to have tapped the ground gently and said, “And yet it moves.’’
And like the Inquisitors in Galileo’s time, those denying today that political parties control district assemblies by stealth are probably waiting for further scientific evidence to change their views.
Perhaps Ghanaians should be allowed to move away from the 22- year-old local government system which appears to be dysfunctional.
Or could the country end up reaping widespread violence as Professor has warned?
The writer is the National Project Co-ordinator for Open Governance, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII)
The postponed District and Municipal elections have now finally taken place. One issue was mercifully not on the ballot box, though: Should District and Municipal Chief Executives be elected by popular vote along party lines or shall we maintain the current system of being appointed by the president?
There is now a groundswell of popular opinion in support of scrapping the existing system and replacing it with elected MMDCEs, on the grounds that it does not sit well with democratic principles.
Presidential appointed MMDCEs, they argue, would be more inclined to serve the interests of the appointing authority instead of those of the constituents. Instead, MMDCE’s should be elected by popular vote just like members of parliament are, in order to ensure accountability.
Survey on effectiveness of district assemblies
The debate was given a helpful timely boost in August with the publication of a survey, “Assessing the Effectiveness of District Assemblies in Ghana’s Democracy,’’ by the NCCE, in early August. The study’s objective is to identify the causes of the ineffectiveness bedevilling the District Assemblies’ operations in order to find solutions. There is widespread public perception that partisanship is a cog in the wheel of operations of the district assemblies.
The report was launched to a heavily packed audience on August 19, 2015 at the Kofi Annan ICT Centre on August 19. The issue of whether MMDCEs should be elected by popular vote or continue to be appointed by presidential powers became an engagingly lively discussion at the launching ceremony.
Answers in the Constituion
But should it matter if there is partisanship in the district assemblies? The answer to that question takes us to provisions enshrined in the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution.
That Constitution provided for a decentralised local government administration structure in order to encourage grassroots participation in decision-making. But the constitution also handed Ghanaians a weird local government system.
For starters, the President appoints 30 per cent of the members of all the 276 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, plus MMDCEs who hold executive power in the districts. The President is a party man and invariably selects those to be appointed from the ruling party, yet the Constitution explicitly forbids party politics in local government administration.
So in the end we have a topsy-turvy local government system, captured in the colourful words of Professor Kwamena Ahwoi: “A partisan central government system superimposed on a non-partisan local system, and that partisan central government is to implement its programmes through the non-partisan local government system.’’ How do we square the circle?
If party politics is introduced in local government elections, the fear is that given the damaging political polarisation already in the country, districts which vote against the ruling party would be considered hostile districts and could be discriminated against in terms of resource allocation.
This forms the backdrop to the 1992 Constitution when the drafters insisted on a non-partisan local government system.
However, if the current local government administration was squeaky clean of partisan politics it would present water tight case for a system of elected MMDCEs. But the present system is a far cry from the ideal.
“Any political party that comes into power manipulates the decentralised institutions to its advantage,’’ cried Kyei Baffour, former President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) and a veteran local councillor since 1988.
“It is the party at the constituency level that handles applications for appointments, short lists the candidates, interviews them and submits the candidates to the President, because the president cannot go round 276 constituencies to appoint individuals,’’ said Baffour.
So, political party involvement in local governments is constantly lurking in the background contrary to constitutional prohibition.
It is perhaps because of the widespread perception that local government administration is tainted by partisan politics that majority of Ghanaians have voted with all their limbs to want to opt for election of MMDCEs, as the NCCE study shows.
Survey results
According to the survey, nearly 69 per cent (68.6) of the respondents say the district assemblies are partisan in their operations. So, the argument goes, they could as well lift the veil of pretentions and open the floodgates to party politics.
The NCCE study indicates that nearly 70 per cent (69.4) of the respondents would prefer to have a system of elected rather than appointed MMDCEs as opposed to 30.6 per cent who would like to maintain the practice of appointing them.
But a former minister of local government, Professor Kwamina Ahwoi, cautions that it would be accelerating into a fog if party politics is introduced in the local level.
“At the national level, we are able to debate away polarisation but if we take partisanship to the local level, it will not be polarisation, it will be physical violence which would be very, very difficult to contain,’’ Professor Ahwoi, warned.
“Right now it is said there is partisanship at the local level; it is true, but because we are aware that it is illegal, we are very concerned how we do it,’’ says Ahwoi.
In his view, an open fight between two assembly members would be less likely to take on political overtones but would turn nasty if members were elected on party lines.
When Galileo was brought before the Inquisitors and forced to denounce his then “heretical” theory of the earth moving around the sun and not the other way round as was the belief at that time, he recanted but as he was rising to leave, he is said to have tapped the ground gently and said, “And yet it moves.’’
And like the Inquisitors in Galileo’s time, those denying today that political parties control district assemblies by stealth are probably waiting for further scientific evidence to change their views.
Perhaps Ghanaians should be allowed to move away from the 22- year-old local government system which appears to be dysfunctional.
Or could the country end up reaping widespread violence as Professor has warned?
The writer is the National Project Co-ordinator for Open Governance, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII)
Uganda: Electoral body releases new nomination timetable
Uganda’s Electoral Commission has revised its timetable for political parties to nominate their presidential candidates ahead of the 2016 presidential, legislative and local elections.
The electoral body said recently that the nomination process would be held November 3-4 at the Mandela National Stadium in the capital, Kampala.
The commission also said only four presidential aspirants out of the 49 who filled out nomination forms had met all the commission’s requirements.
Nominations for district chairpersons and councilors are scheduled for November 16-20, while nomination for parliamentary aspirants is planned for December 2-3, according to the electoral commission.
Jotham Taremwa, spokesman for the commission, said official campaigns for presidential elections would begin November 9 and end in February.
“We tried to emphasize the need for the aspirants to follow the guidelines issued to them and ensure that they don’t charge up the environment," Taremwa said. "The environment remains calm, remains peaceful as we prepare to nominate and then flag them off for official campaigning.”
“We work closely with the political parties through the national consultative forum," he said. "We have periodical meetings with party leaders in that forum, and whichever issues that may bring in misunderstandings, they try to be ironed out during that forum. Where there is need, we invite and interact with them and discuss and understand one another.”
Ugandans have expressed concern about next year’s vote following what they say has been frequent use of force by the security agencies to prevent opposition leaders from addressing rallies or meeting their supporters.
They also contend that if not checked, the violence could undermine the credibility of the outcome of the presidential election, which they said could plunge the country into chaos.
Taremwa said the electoral commission planned to work with political parties, security services and international development partners to ensure a peaceful general election.
“We are going to have periodical meetings in which any issues that are raised, we are able to openly discuss them and agree on the way forward,” he said.
“[The election] is not going to be violent, because security is on alert to secure the electoral environment," he said. "So we are not bothered. There could be cases of isolated [violence], but not necessarily to affect the election environment and the electoral process.”
Uganda has had a turbulent political history and has seldom had a peaceful transfer of power.
VOA
The electoral body said recently that the nomination process would be held November 3-4 at the Mandela National Stadium in the capital, Kampala.
The commission also said only four presidential aspirants out of the 49 who filled out nomination forms had met all the commission’s requirements.
Nominations for district chairpersons and councilors are scheduled for November 16-20, while nomination for parliamentary aspirants is planned for December 2-3, according to the electoral commission.
Jotham Taremwa, spokesman for the commission, said official campaigns for presidential elections would begin November 9 and end in February.
“We tried to emphasize the need for the aspirants to follow the guidelines issued to them and ensure that they don’t charge up the environment," Taremwa said. "The environment remains calm, remains peaceful as we prepare to nominate and then flag them off for official campaigning.”
“We work closely with the political parties through the national consultative forum," he said. "We have periodical meetings with party leaders in that forum, and whichever issues that may bring in misunderstandings, they try to be ironed out during that forum. Where there is need, we invite and interact with them and discuss and understand one another.”
Ugandans have expressed concern about next year’s vote following what they say has been frequent use of force by the security agencies to prevent opposition leaders from addressing rallies or meeting their supporters.
They also contend that if not checked, the violence could undermine the credibility of the outcome of the presidential election, which they said could plunge the country into chaos.
Taremwa said the electoral commission planned to work with political parties, security services and international development partners to ensure a peaceful general election.
“We are going to have periodical meetings in which any issues that are raised, we are able to openly discuss them and agree on the way forward,” he said.
“[The election] is not going to be violent, because security is on alert to secure the electoral environment," he said. "So we are not bothered. There could be cases of isolated [violence], but not necessarily to affect the election environment and the electoral process.”
Uganda has had a turbulent political history and has seldom had a peaceful transfer of power.
VOA
Guinea: Main opposition leader pulls out of presidential vote
[Reuters] Guinea's main opposition leader Celloun Dalein Diallo withdrew on Wednesday from the presidential election, alleging fraud, and will not recognize the outcome, his campaign director said.
The decision came as the national election commission began to announce early results from a vote held on Sunday that is expected to return incumbent Alpha Conde to a second five-year term.
Figures from three of the capital Conakry's five communes showed Conde won 55 percent, 60 percent and 49 percent of the vote. All results must be ratified by the West African country's constitutional court.
Guinea has a history of political violence linked to ethnic tensions, including protests during the 2010 campaign that brought Conde to power. Police in the capital on Wednesday fired tear gas at protesters while the government called for calm.
"However the results turn out, we will see that they have nothing to do with reality. In any case, we will not recognize them," said Diallo campaign director Aboubacar Sylla.
Diallo's decision would not impede the vote count or the declaration of results, but analysts said it could help to tarnish perceptions of the validity of the election, especially among his supporters.
Early radio announcements said Conde held a sizeable lead. Most analysts, though, expected the results to be close enough to require a second round runoff, most likely against Diallo. It was not immediately clear how his withdrawal would affect the process.
Millions of voters, or around 75 percent of the population, cast their votes in Guinea's second free election in nearly 60 years since independence.
Conde spent years in opposition to military leaders and was imprisoned and exiled. His election in 2010 ended two years of military rule. A year earlier, security forces killed over 150 people in a stadium in Conakry and raped dozens of women.
Sunday's voting was calm and won praise from international observers, though one monitor urged caution in declaring the election fair on the whole before results had been announced.
SHOT IN THE HIP
Tension has been mounting amid allegations by Conde's challengers of fraud. Last Friday, at least two people were killed and 33 injured in fighting between supporters of Conde and his main rival Diallo.
On Wednesday, anti-riot police in the suburb of Koloma Soloprimo fired tear gas and warning shots as protesters began building street barricades, residents said.
"It is heating up over here. We are all hiding in our houses," said resident Souleymane Bah.
A Reuters reporter saw three people with gunshot wounds at a local clinic after security forces and the opposition clashed overnight.
One of the injured, Bachir Barry, said he was hit in the hip as he was walking from the market.
"We are calling on everyone to give up on the street (protests). If the institutions are not respected, then there is no rule of law," Foreign Minister François Lonseny Fall said at a meeting attended by media and foreign diplomats on Wednesday.
Justice Minister Cheick Sako said at the same meeting that those caught protesting would face criminal charges.
Dozens of anti-riot police vehicles patrolled opposition neighborhoods, where burnt-out tyres and rocks littered the streets following the clashes late on Tuesday.
The decision came as the national election commission began to announce early results from a vote held on Sunday that is expected to return incumbent Alpha Conde to a second five-year term.
Figures from three of the capital Conakry's five communes showed Conde won 55 percent, 60 percent and 49 percent of the vote. All results must be ratified by the West African country's constitutional court.
Guinea has a history of political violence linked to ethnic tensions, including protests during the 2010 campaign that brought Conde to power. Police in the capital on Wednesday fired tear gas at protesters while the government called for calm.
"However the results turn out, we will see that they have nothing to do with reality. In any case, we will not recognize them," said Diallo campaign director Aboubacar Sylla.
Diallo's decision would not impede the vote count or the declaration of results, but analysts said it could help to tarnish perceptions of the validity of the election, especially among his supporters.
Early radio announcements said Conde held a sizeable lead. Most analysts, though, expected the results to be close enough to require a second round runoff, most likely against Diallo. It was not immediately clear how his withdrawal would affect the process.
Millions of voters, or around 75 percent of the population, cast their votes in Guinea's second free election in nearly 60 years since independence.
Conde spent years in opposition to military leaders and was imprisoned and exiled. His election in 2010 ended two years of military rule. A year earlier, security forces killed over 150 people in a stadium in Conakry and raped dozens of women.
Sunday's voting was calm and won praise from international observers, though one monitor urged caution in declaring the election fair on the whole before results had been announced.
SHOT IN THE HIP
Tension has been mounting amid allegations by Conde's challengers of fraud. Last Friday, at least two people were killed and 33 injured in fighting between supporters of Conde and his main rival Diallo.
On Wednesday, anti-riot police in the suburb of Koloma Soloprimo fired tear gas and warning shots as protesters began building street barricades, residents said.
"It is heating up over here. We are all hiding in our houses," said resident Souleymane Bah.
A Reuters reporter saw three people with gunshot wounds at a local clinic after security forces and the opposition clashed overnight.
One of the injured, Bachir Barry, said he was hit in the hip as he was walking from the market.
"We are calling on everyone to give up on the street (protests). If the institutions are not respected, then there is no rule of law," Foreign Minister François Lonseny Fall said at a meeting attended by media and foreign diplomats on Wednesday.
Justice Minister Cheick Sako said at the same meeting that those caught protesting would face criminal charges.
Dozens of anti-riot police vehicles patrolled opposition neighborhoods, where burnt-out tyres and rocks littered the streets following the clashes late on Tuesday.
Guinea: Conde leads in initial results of disputed vote
(AFP) - Early results from Guinea's disputed presidential vote showed incumbent Alpha Conde leading the first round, as his main rival said he would pull out of the election.
The opposition has said that Sunday's vote, only the second democratic presidential poll since Guinea gained independence in 1958, was marred by widespread fraud and mismanagement, and have demanded a re-run.
Preliminary results from around a quarter of the ballots cast showed Conde comfortably ahead of main rival Cellou Dalein Diallo with the six other candidates trailing behind, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) said late Wednesday.
Diallo's spokesman Aboubacar Sylla said the former prime minister would "put an end to his participation in the current electoral process", dismissing it as a "travesty of an election".
Diallo himself had earlier dubbed the vote "a masquerade, a massive fraud throughout the day".
His party would "use all legal means, including peaceful demonstrations... to protest against the denial of democracy and justice for which the current authorities are to blame", Sylla said.
It was not immediately clear what Diallo's withdrawal would mean if the election goes to a second round run-off.
The election commission has been criticised by the opposition and by European Union observers for its poor organisation of the poll.
EU observer mission chief Frank Engel said the many logistical and organisational problems "confirmed the lack of preparation".
In a statement earlier, the commission said turnout was extremely high at almost 75 percent and described the atmosphere as being "characterised by serenity, calm and exceptional enthusiasm".
Spokesman Amadou Salif Kebe added that the commission hoped to have received results from the country's 14,000 polling stations by late Friday. Once they are in, the commission has 72 hours to tally them.
The first free presidential vote in 2010, won by Conde, 77, in a run-off against Diallo, 63, was tainted by accusations of fraud and violence, as were legislative polls three years later.
Fearing a replay of that unrest, International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said she was following the situation "closely" and warned that anyone encouraging crimes could face prosecution.
"Anyone who commits, orders, incites, encourages or contributes in any other way to the commission of atrocity crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the ICC is liable to prosecution either in Guinea or at the Court in The Hague," she said in a statement.
Guinea's Foreign Minister Francois Lounceny Fall meanwhile told diplomats that the government was "concerned about demonstrations and statements that we believe could threaten social peace."
Days before voting opened in the presidential race, opposition parties had already warned of vote-rigging and accused the electoral commission of mismanaging the poll.
Conde spent nearly three decades in exile in France, where he led opposition to Guinea's dictatorial first president Ahmed Sekou Toure.
The founder of the Rally of Guinean People (RPG) spent several months in jail under the regime of Sekou Toure's military successor Lansana Conte.
AFP
The opposition has said that Sunday's vote, only the second democratic presidential poll since Guinea gained independence in 1958, was marred by widespread fraud and mismanagement, and have demanded a re-run.
Preliminary results from around a quarter of the ballots cast showed Conde comfortably ahead of main rival Cellou Dalein Diallo with the six other candidates trailing behind, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) said late Wednesday.
Diallo's spokesman Aboubacar Sylla said the former prime minister would "put an end to his participation in the current electoral process", dismissing it as a "travesty of an election".
Diallo himself had earlier dubbed the vote "a masquerade, a massive fraud throughout the day".
His party would "use all legal means, including peaceful demonstrations... to protest against the denial of democracy and justice for which the current authorities are to blame", Sylla said.
It was not immediately clear what Diallo's withdrawal would mean if the election goes to a second round run-off.
The election commission has been criticised by the opposition and by European Union observers for its poor organisation of the poll.
EU observer mission chief Frank Engel said the many logistical and organisational problems "confirmed the lack of preparation".
In a statement earlier, the commission said turnout was extremely high at almost 75 percent and described the atmosphere as being "characterised by serenity, calm and exceptional enthusiasm".
Spokesman Amadou Salif Kebe added that the commission hoped to have received results from the country's 14,000 polling stations by late Friday. Once they are in, the commission has 72 hours to tally them.
The first free presidential vote in 2010, won by Conde, 77, in a run-off against Diallo, 63, was tainted by accusations of fraud and violence, as were legislative polls three years later.
Fearing a replay of that unrest, International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said she was following the situation "closely" and warned that anyone encouraging crimes could face prosecution.
"Anyone who commits, orders, incites, encourages or contributes in any other way to the commission of atrocity crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the ICC is liable to prosecution either in Guinea or at the Court in The Hague," she said in a statement.
Guinea's Foreign Minister Francois Lounceny Fall meanwhile told diplomats that the government was "concerned about demonstrations and statements that we believe could threaten social peace."
Days before voting opened in the presidential race, opposition parties had already warned of vote-rigging and accused the electoral commission of mismanaging the poll.
Conde spent nearly three decades in exile in France, where he led opposition to Guinea's dictatorial first president Ahmed Sekou Toure.
The founder of the Rally of Guinean People (RPG) spent several months in jail under the regime of Sekou Toure's military successor Lansana Conte.
AFP
Burkina Faso: Elections to be held November 29 after failed coup
(AFP) - Burkina Faso's presidential and parliamentary elections, delayed because of a failed coup, will now take place on November 29, two candidates said Tuesday after a meeting with the country's interim authorities.
"The date of November 29 has been set by all Burkina Faso's political players for the organisation of legislative and presidential elections," Ablasse Ouedraogo said.
Fellow presidential candidate Roch Marc Christian Kabore, confirmed the date which is to be approved at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The polls, seen as a major step in the impoverished west African country's road to democracy, were originally scheduled for October 11 but had to be put back after a short-lived putsch by elite troops loyal to deposed leader Blaise Compaore.
The presidential guard (RSP) announced a coup in the restive west African country on September 17, bringing the country to the edge of chaos for six days before the bid collapsed with its leaders admitting they did not enjoy popular support.
The RSP disarmed and was formally disbanded at a ceremony in the capital Ouagadougou earlier this month.
Compaore was ousted in a popular uprising last year after 27 years in power. A number of close aides and supporters have been arrested over the attempted coup.
Last week President Michel Kafando led up to 3,000 people in a memorial service to remember victims of the would-be coup which left 14 dead and 251 injured.
AFP
"The date of November 29 has been set by all Burkina Faso's political players for the organisation of legislative and presidential elections," Ablasse Ouedraogo said.
Fellow presidential candidate Roch Marc Christian Kabore, confirmed the date which is to be approved at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The polls, seen as a major step in the impoverished west African country's road to democracy, were originally scheduled for October 11 but had to be put back after a short-lived putsch by elite troops loyal to deposed leader Blaise Compaore.
The presidential guard (RSP) announced a coup in the restive west African country on September 17, bringing the country to the edge of chaos for six days before the bid collapsed with its leaders admitting they did not enjoy popular support.
The RSP disarmed and was formally disbanded at a ceremony in the capital Ouagadougou earlier this month.
Compaore was ousted in a popular uprising last year after 27 years in power. A number of close aides and supporters have been arrested over the attempted coup.
Last week President Michel Kafando led up to 3,000 people in a memorial service to remember victims of the would-be coup which left 14 dead and 251 injured.
AFP
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Guinea: EU urges opposition to seek redress in court not streets
(AFP) - EU election observers Tuesday slammed the poor organisation of Guinea's first-round presidential ballot this weekend but urged the opposition to take its complaints to the courts rather than onto the streets.
At a highly-awaited press conference after the tense Sunday ballot, the European Union observer mission chief, Frank Engel, said the many logistical and organisational problems that surfaced "confirmed the lack of preparation" by Guinea's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).
Opposition leaders on Monday called for a re-run of the vote, condemning the ballot as fraudulent even before the results were in and pledging to take to the streets in protest.
But Engel, who commended the fact that election day remained peaceful despite the glitches, said "the disputes that might arise in Guinea should be transferred to the judges rather than lived out in the street."
It was only the second democratic presidential election in the west African country since independence in 1958 and saw a strong turnout of around 60 percent, the observers said.
Welcoming voter participation and lack of violence on election day, Engel said "the October 11 vote was an exemplary ballot for this country."
The first free presidential vote in 2010, won by incumbent President Alpha Conde, was tainted by violence and accusations of fraud, as were legislative polls three years later.
But opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo dubbed Sunday's vote "a masquerade, a massive fraud throughout the day."
Some polling stations opened late, others were short of envelopes. Some voters turned up without voter ID cards while others failed to find their names on electoral registers. Some lists were neither in alphabetical nor numerical order.
- 'We will demonstrate' -
"We cannot accept this ballot, we request it be annulled. We will not accept the results of this vote," Diallo said at a press conference Monday also attended by the six other candidates challenging the incumbent head of state.
"We will not give in, we have the right to demonstrate, we will demonstrate."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the peaceful vote and urged all sides to refrain from any action that could lead to violence ahead of the release of the official results, expected in the coming days.
While the other six candidates questioned the vote, none called for protest, and the single woman running for election, Marie Madeleine Dioubate, urged her supporters to "stay calm, stay off the streets".
Even before voting opened, opposition parties had warned of fraud and vote-rigging and accused the CENI of mismanaging the poll.
"No one wants the country to burn, no one wants citizens to clash, stones against stones, sticks against sticks, but the scene has been set... so that is where we end up," said former prime minister Lansana Kouyate, one of three ex premiers standing in the poll.
Conde was elected five years ago to head the mineral-rich but impoverished nation after returning from three decades in exile to defeat Diallo, a former prime minister who remains his closest rival.
The 77-year-old incumbent campaigned on his track record of reforms to the army and judiciary and improved supply of hydroelectric power.
His foes have accused him of poor management, including the handling of the Ebola crisis, and said he wields too much power in isolation while stirring up tension among ethnic groups.
At a highly-awaited press conference after the tense Sunday ballot, the European Union observer mission chief, Frank Engel, said the many logistical and organisational problems that surfaced "confirmed the lack of preparation" by Guinea's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).
Opposition leaders on Monday called for a re-run of the vote, condemning the ballot as fraudulent even before the results were in and pledging to take to the streets in protest.
But Engel, who commended the fact that election day remained peaceful despite the glitches, said "the disputes that might arise in Guinea should be transferred to the judges rather than lived out in the street."
It was only the second democratic presidential election in the west African country since independence in 1958 and saw a strong turnout of around 60 percent, the observers said.
Welcoming voter participation and lack of violence on election day, Engel said "the October 11 vote was an exemplary ballot for this country."
The first free presidential vote in 2010, won by incumbent President Alpha Conde, was tainted by violence and accusations of fraud, as were legislative polls three years later.
But opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo dubbed Sunday's vote "a masquerade, a massive fraud throughout the day."
Some polling stations opened late, others were short of envelopes. Some voters turned up without voter ID cards while others failed to find their names on electoral registers. Some lists were neither in alphabetical nor numerical order.
- 'We will demonstrate' -
"We cannot accept this ballot, we request it be annulled. We will not accept the results of this vote," Diallo said at a press conference Monday also attended by the six other candidates challenging the incumbent head of state.
"We will not give in, we have the right to demonstrate, we will demonstrate."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the peaceful vote and urged all sides to refrain from any action that could lead to violence ahead of the release of the official results, expected in the coming days.
While the other six candidates questioned the vote, none called for protest, and the single woman running for election, Marie Madeleine Dioubate, urged her supporters to "stay calm, stay off the streets".
Even before voting opened, opposition parties had warned of fraud and vote-rigging and accused the CENI of mismanaging the poll.
"No one wants the country to burn, no one wants citizens to clash, stones against stones, sticks against sticks, but the scene has been set... so that is where we end up," said former prime minister Lansana Kouyate, one of three ex premiers standing in the poll.
Conde was elected five years ago to head the mineral-rich but impoverished nation after returning from three decades in exile to defeat Diallo, a former prime minister who remains his closest rival.
The 77-year-old incumbent campaigned on his track record of reforms to the army and judiciary and improved supply of hydroelectric power.
His foes have accused him of poor management, including the handling of the Ebola crisis, and said he wields too much power in isolation while stirring up tension among ethnic groups.
Guinea: EU Observer mission says election credible but disorganised
Guinea's presidential election on Sunday was valid but there were severe logistical difficulties, according to EU election observers.
This comes after opposition called the vote fraudulent and demanded a re-run. They also threatened to protest, something the observers urged against.
The final result is expected in the next few days.
It was the country's second democratic presidential election since it gained independence from France in 1958.
The EU's chief observer, Frank Engel, said he hoped Guineans remember this as a "milestone" in their "young democratic institutions".
But he also said there were many shortcomings, including problems with voter registration.
Mr Engel added that the lack of transparency had led him to lose confidence in the electoral commission, and that he would be watching to see the results were announced in a suitable way.
The EU observers have asked that any grievances are directed at the courts, not aired on the streets.
Several people were killed in clashes during the election campaign.
Alpha Conde was standing for a second term after becoming president in 2010 in the country's first democratic election.
Mr Conde had spent the previous decades fighting authoritarian regimes, during which time he was both exiled and imprisoned.
This comes after opposition called the vote fraudulent and demanded a re-run. They also threatened to protest, something the observers urged against.
The final result is expected in the next few days.
It was the country's second democratic presidential election since it gained independence from France in 1958.
The EU's chief observer, Frank Engel, said he hoped Guineans remember this as a "milestone" in their "young democratic institutions".
But he also said there were many shortcomings, including problems with voter registration.
Mr Engel added that the lack of transparency had led him to lose confidence in the electoral commission, and that he would be watching to see the results were announced in a suitable way.
The EU observers have asked that any grievances are directed at the courts, not aired on the streets.
Several people were killed in clashes during the election campaign.
Alpha Conde was standing for a second term after becoming president in 2010 in the country's first democratic election.
Mr Conde had spent the previous decades fighting authoritarian regimes, during which time he was both exiled and imprisoned.
Source: BBC
Guinea: Opposition calls for re-run of presidential vote
The leader of Guinea’s main opposition Union of Democratic Forces party is calling for fresh elections, saying Sunday’s presidential balloting was fraudulent.
Cellou Dalein Diallo said the opposition will not accept the results, which are expected to be announced either Tuesday or Wednesday, because the voting was characterized by massive rigging in favor of incumbent leader Alpha Conde.
Another opposition leader, Sydia Toure of the Union of Republican Forces, told VOA Sunday that more than 20 percent of ballot papers and 30 percent of envelopes were not available at polling stations and the military came out in large numbers to vote for President Conde.
Diallo said there should be a new election for the peace and stability of Guinea.
“The organization of election was not good; we had many problems – material problems; we had organizational problems; we had security problems. In my local of Gaoual, we had more material problems. We need new election. I don’t know when we can have it, but for our peace, for the security of Guinea we need to have new election,” he said.
Asked where the money would come from to hold fresh elections, Diallo said the problem with holding credible elections in Guinea is not about money but rather the lack of good organization.
“I don’t know if this is just the problem of money. It’s the problem of volunteering; it’s the problem of organization. We need about $10 or $20 million dollars. It’s not more for our peace, for our security, for good governance, and for our democracy. That’s not much money,” Diallo said.
With 7 opposition candidates in Sunday’s election, Diallo dismissed any suggestion the opposition could be held partly responsible if President Conde wins the election on the first ballot.
“No, it’s not the problem of more candidates because if you had one candidate that’s not the solution for beating the president because we have a system. But our president and government used the system for fraud,” said Diallo.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon Monday welcomed what he called peaceful conduct of the presidential election.
A statement said the “Secretary-General encourages all political leaders and national stakeholders to maintain the peaceful atmosphere that prevailed on Election Day and to refrain from any statements that may lead to violence or unrest.
The Secretary-General reiterated his call on national stakeholders to resolve any disputes that might arise peacefully, through established legal procedures.
The European Union’s election observer mission in Conakry is expected to hold a news conference later Tuesday on the conduct of the election.
VOA
Cellou Dalein Diallo said the opposition will not accept the results, which are expected to be announced either Tuesday or Wednesday, because the voting was characterized by massive rigging in favor of incumbent leader Alpha Conde.
Another opposition leader, Sydia Toure of the Union of Republican Forces, told VOA Sunday that more than 20 percent of ballot papers and 30 percent of envelopes were not available at polling stations and the military came out in large numbers to vote for President Conde.
Diallo said there should be a new election for the peace and stability of Guinea.
“The organization of election was not good; we had many problems – material problems; we had organizational problems; we had security problems. In my local of Gaoual, we had more material problems. We need new election. I don’t know when we can have it, but for our peace, for the security of Guinea we need to have new election,” he said.
Asked where the money would come from to hold fresh elections, Diallo said the problem with holding credible elections in Guinea is not about money but rather the lack of good organization.
“I don’t know if this is just the problem of money. It’s the problem of volunteering; it’s the problem of organization. We need about $10 or $20 million dollars. It’s not more for our peace, for our security, for good governance, and for our democracy. That’s not much money,” Diallo said.
With 7 opposition candidates in Sunday’s election, Diallo dismissed any suggestion the opposition could be held partly responsible if President Conde wins the election on the first ballot.
“No, it’s not the problem of more candidates because if you had one candidate that’s not the solution for beating the president because we have a system. But our president and government used the system for fraud,” said Diallo.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon Monday welcomed what he called peaceful conduct of the presidential election.
A statement said the “Secretary-General encourages all political leaders and national stakeholders to maintain the peaceful atmosphere that prevailed on Election Day and to refrain from any statements that may lead to violence or unrest.
The Secretary-General reiterated his call on national stakeholders to resolve any disputes that might arise peacefully, through established legal procedures.
The European Union’s election observer mission in Conakry is expected to hold a news conference later Tuesday on the conduct of the election.
VOA
Monday, October 12, 2015
Rwanda: Opposition leader continues fight on against third term bid
[Peter Clottey] The leader of Rwanda’s main opposition Green Party says next week his organization will officially appeal to President Paul Kagame to urge him not to contravene the constitution by seeking another term.
A recent court ruling paves the way for Kagame to amend the constitution and seek another seven-year term.
The constitution only allows a president two seven year terms. Kagame’s second term is set to expire in 2017, but supporters want term limits removed from the constitution to allow Kagame to seek another term.
The Supreme Court recently ruled that amending the constitution to remove the current two-term limit for presidents is legal, as long as the process respects the law.
But opposition Green Party leader, Frank Habineza, who petitioned the court to block the constitutional changes, said he has not given up the fight to thwart efforts of the ruling party to amend the constitution.
“We are not going to give up. We are continuing a peaceful democratic struggle. We have decided that next week we are going to appeal to the president of the republic because ...He is the guardian of the constitution and the guarantor of national unity ...We are going to make it clear to him that what is taking place is actually a violation of the constitution,” said Habineza.
"We are organizing a nationwide campaign to make sure that we sensitize Rwandans that they should not vote for any change of the constitution if the parliament approves the referendum... We are also in the [process] of submitting another case in the African Court of Justice and African Court of Human and People’s Rights as well as the East African Court of Justice.”
He said the Green Party would also urge Kagame not to submit himself as a candidate to lead the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) party in the next presidential election.
Habineza also called for the international community to follow the lead of the U.S. government’s opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment to pressure the ruling party and its supporters not to change the constitution.
The U.S. State Department has expressed opposition to the calls to amend the constitution to enable another Kagame term.
“The international community should be more serious and more willing to helping in providing sustainable peace and security in the Great Lakes Region, and we think that maintaining presidential term limits is one of the ways of proving for peace sustainably,” said Habineza.
VOA
A recent court ruling paves the way for Kagame to amend the constitution and seek another seven-year term.
The constitution only allows a president two seven year terms. Kagame’s second term is set to expire in 2017, but supporters want term limits removed from the constitution to allow Kagame to seek another term.
The Supreme Court recently ruled that amending the constitution to remove the current two-term limit for presidents is legal, as long as the process respects the law.
But opposition Green Party leader, Frank Habineza, who petitioned the court to block the constitutional changes, said he has not given up the fight to thwart efforts of the ruling party to amend the constitution.
“We are not going to give up. We are continuing a peaceful democratic struggle. We have decided that next week we are going to appeal to the president of the republic because ...He is the guardian of the constitution and the guarantor of national unity ...We are going to make it clear to him that what is taking place is actually a violation of the constitution,” said Habineza.
"We are organizing a nationwide campaign to make sure that we sensitize Rwandans that they should not vote for any change of the constitution if the parliament approves the referendum... We are also in the [process] of submitting another case in the African Court of Justice and African Court of Human and People’s Rights as well as the East African Court of Justice.”
He said the Green Party would also urge Kagame not to submit himself as a candidate to lead the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) party in the next presidential election.
Habineza also called for the international community to follow the lead of the U.S. government’s opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment to pressure the ruling party and its supporters not to change the constitution.
The U.S. State Department has expressed opposition to the calls to amend the constitution to enable another Kagame term.
“The international community should be more serious and more willing to helping in providing sustainable peace and security in the Great Lakes Region, and we think that maintaining presidential term limits is one of the ways of proving for peace sustainably,” said Habineza.
VOA
Uganda: Police allegedly strip naked leading opposition figure
The Ugandan Police force reportedly stripped a leading female opposition party leader naked publicly while arresting her Saturday afternoon.
Zaina Fatuma, a member of the Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC) National Executive Committee, was stripped and manhandled while being arrested by police at Kanyaryeru in Kiruhura.
The police had blocked the party’s presidential flag-bearer Dr. Kizza Besigye along the Masaka-Mbarara highway from proceeding to Rukungiri where he was expected to hold a rally.
The party members were ambushed by police, roughed up and detained for hours by General Kale Kayihura’s police forces.
Besigye who was moving in a convoy with a number of party officials was later carted off to Kaguta Road Police station in Kiruhura district where he was interrogated. Others including lawmakers Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, Paul Mwiru, Geoffrey Ekanya, Patrick Amuriat and FDC Party Chairman Wasswa Birigwa were also arrested.
Some of those arrested were reportedly released only after the intervention of foreign diplomats who are closely monitoring the rapidly deteriorating political situation in Uganda.
Fatuma’s pictures quickly spread like wild fire on social media and sparked anger against the police from both the opposition and human rights defenders.
Ugandans expressed fear over what lies ahead as the country moves closer to the 2016 presidential election.
Source: africanspotlight.com
Zaina Fatuma, a member of the Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC) National Executive Committee, was stripped and manhandled while being arrested by police at Kanyaryeru in Kiruhura.
The police had blocked the party’s presidential flag-bearer Dr. Kizza Besigye along the Masaka-Mbarara highway from proceeding to Rukungiri where he was expected to hold a rally.
The party members were ambushed by police, roughed up and detained for hours by General Kale Kayihura’s police forces.
Besigye who was moving in a convoy with a number of party officials was later carted off to Kaguta Road Police station in Kiruhura district where he was interrogated. Others including lawmakers Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, Paul Mwiru, Geoffrey Ekanya, Patrick Amuriat and FDC Party Chairman Wasswa Birigwa were also arrested.
Some of those arrested were reportedly released only after the intervention of foreign diplomats who are closely monitoring the rapidly deteriorating political situation in Uganda.
Fatuma’s pictures quickly spread like wild fire on social media and sparked anger against the police from both the opposition and human rights defenders.
Ugandans expressed fear over what lies ahead as the country moves closer to the 2016 presidential election.
Source: africanspotlight.com
Guinea: Vote count starts after peaceful presidential election
[Reuters] Millions of Guineans voted peacefully on Sunday in the West African country's second free election since the West African country's independence from France nearly 60 years ago.
Guinea - Africa's leading producer of bauxite, the raw material for aluminum - has a history of election violence linked to ethnic tensions, including in a 2010 vote that brought President Alpha Conde to power after military rule.
The 77-year-old Conde is widely expected to win a second mandate, although the results were expected to be close enough to require a second round, probably against main rival Cellou Dalein Diallo.
The streets were calm in the capital Conakry and elsewhere after clashes this week between security forces and supporters of rival parties that left several dead and dozens injured.
Plainclothes policemen stood vigil at schools and petrol stations transformed into voting booths where some waited for hours in the rain to cast their ballots.
Casting his vote in the Conakry neighborhood of Boulbinet, Conde, dressed in a white tunic, reiterated an earlier call for calm. "I hope things go well because Guinea needs peace, Guinea needs unity," he told reporters.
At some polling stations, voting began only a few minutes behind schedule but in others there were complaints that paperwork and officials had not arrived by late morning.
Some voters' names were absent from the register.
"They told me to leave, they told me not to vote because they can't find my name or picture on the electoral list," lamented Abdulaye Barry, at voting station number eight.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) admitted on Saturday that about 7 percent of the electorate or hundreds of thousands of voters had not received cards, although it was not clear if this was deliberate or whether it had disadvantaged a particular party. It later extended voting by two hours to allow those affected by organizational delays to participate.
Reuters
Guinea - Africa's leading producer of bauxite, the raw material for aluminum - has a history of election violence linked to ethnic tensions, including in a 2010 vote that brought President Alpha Conde to power after military rule.
The 77-year-old Conde is widely expected to win a second mandate, although the results were expected to be close enough to require a second round, probably against main rival Cellou Dalein Diallo.
The streets were calm in the capital Conakry and elsewhere after clashes this week between security forces and supporters of rival parties that left several dead and dozens injured.
Plainclothes policemen stood vigil at schools and petrol stations transformed into voting booths where some waited for hours in the rain to cast their ballots.
Casting his vote in the Conakry neighborhood of Boulbinet, Conde, dressed in a white tunic, reiterated an earlier call for calm. "I hope things go well because Guinea needs peace, Guinea needs unity," he told reporters.
At some polling stations, voting began only a few minutes behind schedule but in others there were complaints that paperwork and officials had not arrived by late morning.
Some voters' names were absent from the register.
"They told me to leave, they told me not to vote because they can't find my name or picture on the electoral list," lamented Abdulaye Barry, at voting station number eight.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) admitted on Saturday that about 7 percent of the electorate or hundreds of thousands of voters had not received cards, although it was not clear if this was deliberate or whether it had disadvantaged a particular party. It later extended voting by two hours to allow those affected by organizational delays to participate.
Reuters
Guinea: Polls close ,Opposition alleges fraud
[Chris Stein] Polling in Guinea’s presidential election ended Sunday evening. Voters were choosing between giving President Alpha Conde a second term, or replacing him with one of seven opposition challengers.
While looting and clashes between rival political supporters erupted in Guinea earlier in the week, there was no sign of trouble in Conakry as the polls opened. The head of the African Union delegation monitoring the vote, Dileita Mohamed Dileita, called voting peaceful.
He says that based on what he saw today, the elections took place under very good conditions.
Guinea’s opposition parties decried the election as fraudulent. Saturday evening, leading opposition candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo told VOA he had no confidence in the electoral commission. He said he and the six other opposition challengers would reject the polls if they believed they were rigged.
In Conakry’s Kaloum neighborhood, some polling stations had closed by the 6pm cutoff time. But others were still filled with voters waiting to cast their ballots. Fodé Sanou, the presiding officer of one of the polling stations where voting was still onging, said he had to extend voting hours by 90 minutes because of issues with the voter list.
This list wasn’t in alphabetical order, he says. So in order to find a voter, we had to go name-by-name through the list. That’s what caused the backup.
Preliminary results are expected later in the week.
VOA
While looting and clashes between rival political supporters erupted in Guinea earlier in the week, there was no sign of trouble in Conakry as the polls opened. The head of the African Union delegation monitoring the vote, Dileita Mohamed Dileita, called voting peaceful.
He says that based on what he saw today, the elections took place under very good conditions.
Guinea’s opposition parties decried the election as fraudulent. Saturday evening, leading opposition candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo told VOA he had no confidence in the electoral commission. He said he and the six other opposition challengers would reject the polls if they believed they were rigged.
In Conakry’s Kaloum neighborhood, some polling stations had closed by the 6pm cutoff time. But others were still filled with voters waiting to cast their ballots. Fodé Sanou, the presiding officer of one of the polling stations where voting was still onging, said he had to extend voting hours by 90 minutes because of issues with the voter list.
This list wasn’t in alphabetical order, he says. So in order to find a voter, we had to go name-by-name through the list. That’s what caused the backup.
Preliminary results are expected later in the week.
VOA
Friday, October 9, 2015
Guinea: Weekend election to go on despite violent clashes
[Reuters] Guinea's President Alpha Conde said Thursday that he had no plans to postpone this weekend's election, dismissing a request from the opposition for more time to fix alleged irregularities.
Conde is tipped to win a second term despite the West African country's prolonged battle with Ebola and a slump in metal prices that has sapped revenue in the bauxite producer.
His challengers have asked for the vote to be delayed, citing problems with voter distribution cards and the inclusion of minors on the electoral register.
"If the CENI [Independent National Electoral Commission] says they are ready, there is no reason to delay them [elections]," Conde told reporters. CENI said on Wednesday that there were no grounds for postponing the presidential vote.
Guinea has a history of electoral violence, and analysts worry that controversy around the electoral process will reignite long-standing tensions between Conde's supporters and those of his main rival, Cellou Dalein Diallo.
On Thursday, supporters of Conde's Rally of the Guinean People and Diallo's backers clashed in Conakry's Kenien district, injuring several people, witnesses said.
This followed clashes in the Forest Region over the weekend between backers of the same two parties, which draw support from the Malinke and Peuhl ethnic groups.
Reuters
Conde is tipped to win a second term despite the West African country's prolonged battle with Ebola and a slump in metal prices that has sapped revenue in the bauxite producer.
His challengers have asked for the vote to be delayed, citing problems with voter distribution cards and the inclusion of minors on the electoral register.
"If the CENI [Independent National Electoral Commission] says they are ready, there is no reason to delay them [elections]," Conde told reporters. CENI said on Wednesday that there were no grounds for postponing the presidential vote.
Guinea has a history of electoral violence, and analysts worry that controversy around the electoral process will reignite long-standing tensions between Conde's supporters and those of his main rival, Cellou Dalein Diallo.
On Thursday, supporters of Conde's Rally of the Guinean People and Diallo's backers clashed in Conakry's Kenien district, injuring several people, witnesses said.
This followed clashes in the Forest Region over the weekend between backers of the same two parties, which draw support from the Malinke and Peuhl ethnic groups.
Reuters
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Rwanda: Supreme court dismisses challenge to Kagame's third-term bid
(AFP) - Rwanda's Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a legal challenge to constitutional changes designed to allow President Paul Kagame to run for a third term.
"No article is unamendable," said Chief Justice Sam Rugege, throwing out the case brought by the Democratic Green Party. "The petition... has no basis and is hereby dismissed."
The Green Party is the only political group to openly challenge plans to amend Article 101 of Rwanda's constitution, which limits presidential terms to two.
Kagame won elections in 2003 and 2010 -- each time scoring more than 90 percent of the vote -- but has run the country since his rebel army ended the genocide in 1994.
More than 3.7 million people -- over 60 percent of voters -- signed a petition calling for the necessary constitutional changes to allow Kagame to stand again in 2017, a move rubber-stamped by both houses of parliament.
A seven-member commission set up last month to review the proposed amendments has not yet presented its findings.
On Thursday judge Rugege said his ruling was in the interests of democracy and in line with the constitution.
"There are clear procedures to ensure that constitution amendment is not abused," he said.
"Denying the free will of the people to choose how they are governed is not democratic, rather it is the opposite," the judge said.
The move comes amid a wider controversy in Africa over efforts by leaders to change constitutions in order to stay in office. The United States last month repeated its opposition to a possible third term for Kagame.
AFP
"No article is unamendable," said Chief Justice Sam Rugege, throwing out the case brought by the Democratic Green Party. "The petition... has no basis and is hereby dismissed."
The Green Party is the only political group to openly challenge plans to amend Article 101 of Rwanda's constitution, which limits presidential terms to two.
Kagame won elections in 2003 and 2010 -- each time scoring more than 90 percent of the vote -- but has run the country since his rebel army ended the genocide in 1994.
More than 3.7 million people -- over 60 percent of voters -- signed a petition calling for the necessary constitutional changes to allow Kagame to stand again in 2017, a move rubber-stamped by both houses of parliament.
A seven-member commission set up last month to review the proposed amendments has not yet presented its findings.
On Thursday judge Rugege said his ruling was in the interests of democracy and in line with the constitution.
"There are clear procedures to ensure that constitution amendment is not abused," he said.
"Denying the free will of the people to choose how they are governed is not democratic, rather it is the opposite," the judge said.
The move comes amid a wider controversy in Africa over efforts by leaders to change constitutions in order to stay in office. The United States last month repeated its opposition to a possible third term for Kagame.
AFP
DRC: UN urges timely, credible polls next year
[Margaret Besheer] The top U.N. diplomat in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is urging the government to take all necessary measures to ensure national elections happen on time next year and are transparent, credible and inclusive.
In Martin Kobler’s final briefing Wednesday to the U.N. Security Council, he said political tensions were running high ahead of the scheduled November 2016 legislative and presidential elections.
Kobler, whose term as the secretary-general's special representative to the DRC will soon end, warned that human rights violations were increasing, with more than 2,200 recorded violations this year affecting more than 5,000 people. He said state agents committed half of these abuses.
“I am concerned by the increasing number of human rights violations related to the electoral process, particularly violations of freedom of peaceful assembly," he said. "Reducing political space ahead of the elections will undermine the credibility of the electoral process.”
Kobler has overseen the U.N.’s 22,000-member peacekeeping force in Congo since August 2013. His tenure saw the rise and defeat of M23 rebels in the country’s east and continued threats from the Rwandan Hutu rebel group kwown as the FDLR and the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces.
The German diplomat said he was leaving the mission with satisfaction, but also with concern that fragile gains could be reversed.
He urged the government to work with the United Nations on a gradual exit strategy for the peacekeeping mission, saying, “We cannot, and must not, exit hastily.”
VOA
In Martin Kobler’s final briefing Wednesday to the U.N. Security Council, he said political tensions were running high ahead of the scheduled November 2016 legislative and presidential elections.
Kobler, whose term as the secretary-general's special representative to the DRC will soon end, warned that human rights violations were increasing, with more than 2,200 recorded violations this year affecting more than 5,000 people. He said state agents committed half of these abuses.
“I am concerned by the increasing number of human rights violations related to the electoral process, particularly violations of freedom of peaceful assembly," he said. "Reducing political space ahead of the elections will undermine the credibility of the electoral process.”
Kobler has overseen the U.N.’s 22,000-member peacekeeping force in Congo since August 2013. His tenure saw the rise and defeat of M23 rebels in the country’s east and continued threats from the Rwandan Hutu rebel group kwown as the FDLR and the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces.
The German diplomat said he was leaving the mission with satisfaction, but also with concern that fragile gains could be reversed.
He urged the government to work with the United Nations on a gradual exit strategy for the peacekeeping mission, saying, “We cannot, and must not, exit hastily.”
VOA
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)