Nigeria: Catholic Bishop relishes unity after 2015 general elections

THE Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Very Rev. Fr. Hassan Kukah, has said that in spite of challenges in the country, it would remain a united entity after the 2015 general elections.

Kukah stated this in Sokoto on Wednesday during a news conference on the Golden Jubilee celebration of the diocese which comprised Sokoto, Zamfara , Katsina and Kebbi states.

He said that the election in 2015 may come with some challenges for the country "'but Nigeria will come out of them secure and safer".

"All those talking about the possible division of the country in 2015 don't know what it takes to create a new country," he said.

He attributed prevailing Boko Haram insurgency to "years of hypocrisy," and urged that the issue should be dealt with as a criminal matter.

According to the cleric, the issue of religious violence should be clearly dealt with in the country to allow Nigerians to see themselves as equal citizens.

"The earlier we do this, the better for Nigerians and Nigeria. Nigerians must bequeath quality leadership for the nation.

"There has to be Nigeria first before thinking of becoming a President; there is no prophecy about 2015.

"Politics is a contest and we should not allow it to deteriorate; the outcome should be accepted in good faith," he appealed.

Kukah also expressed optimism in the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct free, fair and acceptable elections in 2015.

He promised that the diocese would continue to help in providing educational and medical services to the people through its schools and clinics spread across the four states under it.

-The Guardian Nigeria

Mauritius: 24 new ministers sworn in

Totally 24 ministers on Wednesday were sworn in before the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Kailash Puryag.

Half of them are new faces in politics and have never held any political responsibility, but new Mauritian Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth said he has full trust in them.

"The fact that many of them have never been a minister does not mean they will not be able to take up the challenge or are incompetent," he said after the swearing in ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Reduit, in the center part of the island.

The prime minister also ruled out any transition period for his new team.

He confirmed that ethnic considerations were taken before forming his cabinet.

"The constitution of Mauritius speaks about the protection of all ethnic communities. One should not be ashamed of speaking about it and yes it was taken into consideration on the setting up of the new government," Anerood Jugnauth said.

Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo, who was finance minister in the 1990s, has been appointed at the same post 24 years later after being sacked by the same Anerood Jugnauth.

"I have not yet taken cognizance of the state of the economy of the country," he underlined pressed by questions of the press but vows that all incentives promised in the electoral campaign will be fulfilled by the new government.

The first cabinet meeting is scheduled for this coming Friday and the first Parliamentary sessions have been fixed for next Monday.

-African Quarters

Zambia: Journalists molested in run-up to 2015 polls

A media organization on Wednesday called on political parties in Zambia to restrain their members from venting their anger and frustrations on journalists ahead of the presidential election next January as the journalists were only doing their work of informing the public.

Journalists have been targets of attacks and beatings by members of various political parties, especially the governing Patriotic Front (PF) as campaigns heat up ahead of a presidential election on Jan. 20. Members of the governing party are accusing journalists from some local media of writing 'bad things' against the party's candidate Edgar Lungu.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia Chapter said political parties should stop beating journalists and refrain from acts of censorship because an independent media was key to free and fair elections.

"In order for citizens to make an informed decision, they need information and therefore, elections are highly dependent on the free flow of information, something which the media in Zambia is trying so hard to provide," said Hellen Mwale, president of the association, in a statement.

"However, the current onslaught by some political parties on media workers and institutions is very worrying," she said.

The media body has so far recorded six reports of harassment and media rights violations during the campaigns. They include attacks on two photojournalists, two attacks on a television crew from a private station and the storming of offices of the state broadcaster by some politicians who threatened the journalists.

The media body has also expressed concern that a government minister has banned the airing of news on a community radio station in northern Zambia and threatened to dismiss all the staff for allegedly biased coverage.

"Further, we wish to appeal to all the political parties who have been involved in this vice to address the outbreak of violence against the media and acts of censorship because the media are simply being beaten for reporting the truth and providing information to the electorate," she added.

Zambia is scheduled to hold a presidential election on Jan. 20 necessitated by the death of President Michael Sata on Oct. 28.

- XINHUA

Zambia: Ruling party removes acting president ahead of polls

The drama concerning the leadership of Zambia's current ruling party and its selection of a presidential candidate took an unexpected turn on Tuesday night, as an emergency meeting by the party's Central Committee voted to remove Acting President Guy Scott as the party's Vice President.

The Central Committee voted on the resolution for Scott's removal during an emergency meeting held at Lusaka's Blue Nile Lodge.

Guy Scott, whose takeover of power following the death of President Michael Sata has been the subject of extensive controversy, had earlier today written a letter to Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda, which argued that the country's highest court must not allow nomination papers to be filed for candidate Edgar Lungu until the court challenge by competitor Miles Sampa had been exhausted before the courts.

In his letter to the Acting Chief Justice Chibesakunda, who is several years beyond the legal retirement age but had held on to her position due to direct blood relations to the late President Sata, Guy Scott argued "please note that any attempt to bring forward the nomination of any candidate before the end of legal processes should not be entertained."

In response, the Lungu camp also wrote a letter to the Acting Chief Justice, pointing out that under the constitution the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is a fully independent institution that cannot take instructions from the Supreme Court, and that Edgar Lungu was indeed the duly elected candidate.

"As Party President neither, the Central Committee nor myself were consulted by my Vice-President, Dr. Guy Scott before this letter could be written to yourself," Lungu's letter to Chibesakunda reads. "Therefore the letter written to yourself must be ignored in totality as it has no authority or blessing of the President, or the Central Committee and can best be described as an act of gross indiscipline."

Following the emergency Central Committee meeting following these events, Lungu signed another letter, this time directly to Guy Scott, notifying him of the resolution regarding his immediate removal as the party's Vice President, describing his action as "gross indiscipline" that has "threatened the Peace, Law and Order in the Party and the Nation."

"You are aware that I was elected PF President by the General Conference held on 30th November 2014 at the Mulumgushi Rock of Authority in Kabwe," Lungu states in his letter to Scott. "This Consent Judgment remains valid and binding on all members of the Patriotic Front and has not been discharged or set aside by any court of law. You are also aware that the High Court upheld this decision through a Consent Judgment issued on 3rd December 2014."

Lungu's letter to Scott concludes: "In pursuance of Article 19 (c) and 61(j) of the Party Constitution you are hereby informed that you have been removed from the position of the position of Vice-President with immediate effect and will henceforth remain an ordinary member of the party."

-Zambia Reports

Zambia: Ex-Justice minister forms party ahead of polls

Former Zambia Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba has announced the formation of a party after resigning from the governing party.

Mr Kabimba, who was fired as Justice minister and secretary-general of the governing Patriotic Front by late President Michael Sata, was reported to be positioning himself for the top job before pressure mounted to knock him out.

The governing party was now already running a divided presidential campaign with interim leader Guy Scott opting out.

“I have no doubt in my mind that we”ll form government in 2016,” Mr Kabimba flanked by a horde of supporters told reporters in the capital Lusaka.

Mr Kabimba said his party, Rainbow Party, would deliver “unity, economic revolution and freedom”.

The elite now have become the enemies the masses, he said.

Whilst in the governing party, Mr Kabimba was a famed disciplinarian and for that he was loathed and loved in almost equal measure.

WEAKEN THE MILITANCY

His move is likely to weaken the militancy of the governing party which he presided over from 2006 to August 28, 2014 until he was dismissed by Sata.

Mr Kabimba and the late Sata were close allies but were said to have fallen after the shock dismissal.

Zambia is due for a Presidential election on January 20, 2015 prompted by Sata’s death on October 28 in a London Hospital.

Meanwhile, the United States Ambassador to Zambia Eric Schultz  paid a courtesy call on MMD presidential candidate Rupiah Banda to discuss the upcoming elections.

Mr Schultz discussed issues concerning peace and unity in Zambia, peaceful campaigns and fostering economic growth in Zambia.

The Ambassador also met with Patriotic Front candidate Edgar Lungu and his party officials where issues surrounding the elections were discussed. Ambassador Schultz has also met with acting Scott.

Zambia is drenched in unprecedented political chaos with political party crisis and regionally balanced grouping taking centre stage following the death of Sata.

Last month, a court in Lusaka ruled that Defence and Justice Minister Edgar Lungu is the presidential flag bearer for the governing party the Patriotic Front.

Two factions emerged in the governing party and nominated two candidates to be presidential candidates.

Mr Lungu was nominated by the first conference while Commerce Deputy Minister Miles Sampa was nominated by the second conference held at the same venue on the following day.

-AFP