AFRICA

Cameroon government declares ‘war’ on secessionist rebels

Crackdown comes after Anglophone insurgents kill soldiers and police officers, reports Mbom Sixtus* from Yahoundé The secessionist crisis in Cameroon’s western region is deepening, with the government promising to crack down hard after Anglophone militants shot dead four soldiers and two policemen last week. The soldiers were killed in an ambush on a military convoy outside the town of Mamfe …

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Feature: Is Zimbabwe’s new president up to the task?

Thousands of Zimbabweans from all walks of life celebrated the inauguration of the country’s new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, a man in whom many are placing their hopes for the future. Can he live up to the expectations of his countrymen and women? After a tumultuous two weeks of political brinkmanship, Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in on 24 November as Zimbabwe’s …

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New president takes over in Zimbabwe

Emmerson Mnangawa has been sworn in as interim President of Zimbabwe, replacing long-serving ruler Robert Mugabe, who resigned under pressure this week. The former vice president, whose sack sparked the crisis that led to Mugabe’s forced resignation, was inaugurated into office at a colourful ceremony in the National Sports Stadium in the capital, Harare, on Friday. The event was witnessed …

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Zimbabwe enters new era as Robert Mugabe goes

Zimbabwe enters a new chapter of his modern history as its leader since its independence in 1980 resigns amid a deep political crisis that now seems peacefully resolved. Singing has replaced sighing on the streets of Zimbabwe with the news of President Robert Mugabe’s resignation on Tuesday. The country has been holding its breath since the veteran leader refused to bow …

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German organisation warns of civil war in Cameroon

Following a series of politically-motivated murders in Cameroon in the past week, the Society for Threatened Peoples (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker, GfbV) has warned against an escalation of violence and a possible civil war in the country. “The dispute over the discrimination of the English-speaking minority in the central African state must be urgently resolved through political negotiations in order …

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Sirleaf says Liberia’s democracy in danger as court postpones polls

Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Tuesday said democracy in the West African country was being threatened, a day after the Supreme Court put a presidential runoff on hold over fraud allegations. Former footballer George Weah was initially set to face Vice-President Joseph Boakai on Tuesday to determine who will replace the former Nobel Peace Prize laureate. A successful vote …

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Ex-Nigerian president gets UN appointment

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria has been appointed into the United Nations High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation along with 17 other current and former global leaders. UN Secretary-General, Antonio Gutierrez, had in September announced the establishment of the board to provide him with advice on mediation initiatives and back specific mediation efforts around the world. The Board is composed …

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Violence causes thousands to flee Cameroon for Nigeria

Thousands of people have sought refuge in Nigeria after fleeing the Anglophone regions of Cameroon due to new violence there, according to UN Refugee Agency UNHCR. The UNHCR is collaborating with local authorities in Nigeria to “provide assistance to asylum and protection seekers from Cameroon, who have arrived in Southeastern Nigeria in the past month”. “Thousands have fled to Nigeria …

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Liberia: Supreme Court to rule on run-off election on Monday

Liberia’s apex court has reserved ruling on the challenge to the presidential run-off election for Monday after listening to submissions by aspirant and leader of the Liberty Party, Charles Brumskine. Brumskine, who finished third in the 10 October poll, petitioned the court alleging fraud in the conduct of the election. His party said widespread fraud had marred the outcome of …

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Kenya: Odinga calls for new election as Kenyatta wins rerun

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has been declared winner of last week’s rerun presidential election which was boycotted by main opposition leader Raila Odinga. Kenyatta garnered 7,483,895 votes representing 98.26%, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairman Wafula Chebukati announced on Monday. National Super Alliance (NASA) candidate, Odinga, garnered only 0.96% of the vote despite his boycott. Total valid votes were …

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Forty percent of world’s population will be African – UN report

A new UN report has said that four in 10 people on earth will be African by 2100. This demographic change requires investment in health and education in order to avoid potentially staggering humanitarian crises. Elizabeth Schumacher of Deutsche Welle (DW) reports. The population of Africa is set to soar, according to a study released by the United Nations Children’s …

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Low voter turnout, violence mar Kenya’s repeat presidential election

Kenya’s electoral commission has announced an estimated 48 per cent voter turnout after the country’s presidential election rerun on Thursday, which was marred by opposition boycott, protests and deadly clashes. The Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said 35,564 polling stations opened for the election out of the 40,883 in the 47 counties nationwide. Voting in four counties, which are opposition …

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US worried about Togo as Gambian minister backpedals on resignation call

The United States says it is concerned about the increasingly deteriorating political situation in Togo. The use of excessive force by security forces on protesters was of particular concern to the American government. A statement issued by a US Department of State spokesperson, Heather Nauert, said violence and restrictions on rights of people troubling to the US. “We are particularly …

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Account Verification: Give Nigerians abroad more time, Dabiri-Erewa urges

Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, has called for more time for Nigerians in Diaspora to obtain their Bank Verification Number (BVN). Dabiri-Erewa also urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to put modalities and logistics in place to make it easier for Nigerians …

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Togo president must resign immediately, says Gambian foreign minister

Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé should resign immediately and the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should persuade him to step down, Gambia’s Foreign Minister Ousainou Darboe has said. Darboe’s comments, during an interview with the news agency Reuters, are an early sign that opinion is shifting against Gnassingbé who took power in 2005 following …

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