Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) on Thursday released the full results of the 10 October general election. The body further confirmed a run-off vote between the two top candidates for the presidency, which it has set for 7 November. Ex-football star George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) will face current vice-president, Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity …
Read More »Thousands protest Somalia’s deadliest attack
Thousands of Somalis led by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed have staged a demonstration in Mogadishu following Saturday’s terror attack. Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Mogadishu on Wednesday in defiance of Saturday’s blasts that claimed more than 300 lives. Somalia’s deadliest attacks to date reportedly came in retaliation for a joint raid by the country’s government and the US …
Read More »Kenya: Election commissioner resigns, flees ahead of presidential poll
A senior official of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has resigned from her job a week before a repeat presidential election, saying the election body was under siege and could not hold a credible election. “The commission in its current state can surely not guarantee a credible election on 26 October 2017,” Roselyn Akombe, an IEBC commissioner, said …
Read More »Cameroon: The long history of Anglophone discord
Since October 2016, protests and strikes related to sectoral demands have escalated into a crisis over the economic and political marginalisation of Cameroon’s Anglophone minority. The crisis reached a new low at the weekend of 30 September-1 October when at least 17 people were shot dead by security forces and 50 wounded, according to Amnesty International. Mbom Sixtus, freelance journalist …
Read More »US changes application date for 2019 Diversity Visa Lottery
The United States Department of State will restart the registration period for the 2019 Diversity Visa Lottery after it was marred by technical issues. The new registration period opens for electronic entries on 18 October 2017 at 6 p.m. GMT, and closes on 22 November 2017 at 6 p.m. GMT. The official website of the US Department of State issued …
Read More »Shock and revulsion over Mogadishu bombing
The bomb was as enormous as the flecks of torn skin smudging the ground are miniscule. Entire overcrowded buses were blown up, every passenger killed. No one in the vicinity was spared: shopkeepers at the side of the road selling khat; office managers; children fooling around or running errands for parents; a medical student about to graduate; mothers; fathers; sisters; …
Read More »Liberia: George Weah, VP Boakai for run-off
It is not yet victory for former soccer star George Weah in the Liberian election as he would need to go for a run-off against incumbent Vice-President Joseph Boakai. Weah, who ran on the platform of the opposition CDC party, ended up with 39 per cent of the votes, 11 per cent less than the 50 per cent needed to …
Read More »The Relevance of Rosa Parks in Berlin
The wood-frame house that was once home to the civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks has been sitting as an art exhibit in a garden in the Wedding neighbourhood of Berlin since 2016. The symbol of the American civil rights era has attracted many visitors including Germany’s Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel. Clementine Ewokolo Burnley writes on the relevance of the house to …
Read More »Morocco replaces Kenya as 2018 CHAN hosts
Morocco has replaced Kenya as hosts of the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN), the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Sunday. The Emergency Committee of the body chaired by its president, Ahmad Ahmad, met on Saturday in Lagos, Nigeria, and unanimously decided to grant the organization of the fifth edition of the football competition to the Royal Moroccan Football …
Read More »Interview: Kenya’s opposition leader speaks to German media organisation
The withdrawal of NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga from the upcoming election rerun raises major political and constitutional challenges for Kenya. The country has seen many opposition rallies against the electoral commission that threaten public peace and security leading to government banning demonstrations altogether in the centres of Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. It is currently unclear if there will be …
Read More »Geoge Weah and VP set to contest Liberia’s presidential run-off
Former international football star George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai held commanding leads in provisional presidential election results announced on Saturday, setting up a likely run-off next month between the two men. Weah and Boakai lead the 20-candidate field to succeed President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in what would be Liberia’s first democratic transfer of power in more than 70 …
Read More »Yaya Touré says he’s been abused by racists, supports initiative
Manchester City star Yaya Touré has announced his support for the Football People action weeks and the thousands across Europe and beyond that during the period unite to tackle discrimination in football and promote social inclusion. Speaking in a short film produced to support the campaign, which runs until 19 October, Touré said: “I have been abused by racism and …
Read More »Germany: Asylum-seekers’ chances vary from state to state
Success rates for asylum applications in Germany vary widely from state to state, according to a new report by Funke Mediengruppe. But the varying rates raise questions over how Germany processes asylum requests. Iraqis much more likely to get asylum in Bremen than in Berlin, official figures show. For example, the protection rate for Iraqi refugees in Bremen during the …
Read More »Liberia: George Weah leads as early election results are released
Former international football star George Weah has taken the lead in the early election results announced by Liberia’s electoral commission on Thursday evening. The National Elections Commission (NEC) Chairman Jerome Korkoya announced the results of 1,232 polling places out of the 5,390 in the 15 counties. Weah led in 11 counties including Grand Kru, Sinoe, River Gee and Grand Gedeh …
Read More »Liberians anxiously await election results
Vote counting is underway in Liberia where large number of voters turned out on Tuesday to vote for a new president and lawmakers. The National Elections Commission (NEC) in its last press statement at the close of polls said there was a high turnout in the largely peaceful process. Election officers and party agents stayed overnight to count ballots. NEC …
Read More »Opinion: Africa will change when the African mindset changes
Despite the fact that Africa has a growing consumer market, a rapid evolution in technology, and robust growth prospects, people still tend to focus on the negative, argues Zandre Campos*. The history of the African continent is long and complicated and it has impacted the current generation of Africans. Today, many Africans tend to have a very negative mentality. Despite …
Read More »Liberians go to the polls to elect Sirleaf’s successor
Liberians head to the polls on Tuesday (10 October) to elect a successor to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who will step down after 12 years at the helm of Africa’s oldest republic. Over two million Liberian voters will participate at the general election to choose a president out of 20 candidates and 73 lawmakers out of the 986 aspirants. Among …
Read More »Super Eagles first African team to qualify for Russia 2018
Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, have become the first African country to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Russia after taking an unassailable lead atop Group B. The team beat Zambia’s Chipolopolo in the city of Uyo, southern Nigeria, to secure their qualification. The only goal of the game was scored by Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi. He came on …
Read More »Kolo Toure named assistant manager of Cote d’Ivoire
Kolo Toure has been appointed as an assistant coach to the Cote d’Ivoire national team. The former Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City defender will work under ex-Belgium coach Marc Wilmots, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) has announced. He was already an assistant manager at the last club he played for, Celtic. He hung his boot earlier in September 2017 after …
Read More »Nigerian shows how migrants are putting down roots in Croatia
Prince Wale Soniyiki, a refugee from Nigeria, says his own story shows how migrants can find their place in Croatia – if the country gives them a chance. In Croatia, just 30 refugees have jobs. Prince Wale Soniyiki wants to change that. He found work via a TV show and a former army leader, now he wants to help other …
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