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Liberia: CDC Promises to Turn 2023 Setback Into 2029 Comeback

Monrovia — As part of efforts to strengthen the former ruling party after a slim defeat by the Unity Party in last year’s Presidential Election, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has embarked on what it terms as a comeback retreat in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County. The retreat, slated from April 24 to 29, […]

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Nigeria: Tinubu Blunders, Appoints New REC From Akwa Ibom As Tenure of Current One Yet to Expire

Mr Tinubu nominated Etekamba Umoren as the REC from Akwa Ibom while the current REC from the state, Monday Udo-Tom, has until January 2024 before his five-year tenure expires. President Bola Tinubu has committed a blunder by nominating Etekamba Umoren from Akwa Ibom State as a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) when the tenure of the […]

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Africa: DRC Misses Another Opportunity to Build a Democracy

After accusations of an ‘electoral coup’ in 2018, the country’s December 2023 polls were equally lacking in legitimacy. Following President Félix Tshisekedi’s contested victory in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) December 2023 elections, democracy hangs in the balance. Amid allegations of irregularities and voter disenfranchisement, Tshisekedi’s re-election underscores deep problems with the country’s […]

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Zimbabwe’s Election Widens Gender Gap in Politics

Bulawayo — Zimbabwe’s recent election has exposed weak gender policies both at the political party and governmental levels as women were sidelined despite the fact that they make up more than half of the 6.5 million electorate. Zimbabwe held its presidential, parliamentary and local municipality elections on August 23 and 24. Only 22 women were […]

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West Africa: Ecowas – Why Withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso Signals Fresh Trouble for the Sahel

On 27 January 2024, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced their plan to withdraw from membership of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), despite repeated efforts at reconciliation. Diplomacy scholar Nicholas Westcott explains how the decision may be the latest symptom of a deepening crisis in the Sahel, the area south of the […]

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Senegal: Respect Democracy and Stop Violence Against Protesters

Restrictions on free expression and the use of violence against protesters following Senegal’s President Macky Sall’s decision to postpone the February 25 elections are against the government’s human rights obligations, global civil society alliance CIVICUS  said today. Several protesters have been arrested, including opposition figure Aminata Toure, with police using tear gas against demonstrators. Authorities […]

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Sierra Leone: Ponder My Thoughts – IOD (Sl): Onboarding Boards for Good Corporate Governance in Sl

I was recently priviledged to chair the launching of the newly formed Institute of Directors (Sierra Leone)-IOD (SL) at the New Brookfields Hotel on April 13th, 2023. The theme for the launching was “Effective Corporate Governance for the development of Sierra Leone”. The Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines Corporate Governance as the “procedures and […]

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Nigeria: The Posthumous ‘Benevolence’ of Abacha

For the past several years, the joke in Abuja is that whenever Nigeria encounters dire financial straits, the late General Sani Abacha looks down on us from beyond and drops a hefty sum into the national coffers. While I disagree with a friend who insists that Nigeria may have used Abacha for money rituals, more […]

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Nigeria: Finally, Govt Issues Elumelu’s Transcorp Power Discharge Certificate for 972MW Power Plant in Delta

The federal government has formally presented the post-privatisation Discharge Certificate to Transcorp Power Limited, the owner of the 972 megawatts (MW) thermal power generation plant located in Ughelli, Delta State. This was just as the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, reviewed the current power situation in the country and concluded that serious private sector […]

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South Africa: President Ramaphosa Responds to SONA Debate

In response to the debate on his State of the Nation Address last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted that many people cannot find jobs and even those with jobs wonder if they will be able to provide for their families, as the cost of living increases. Meanwhile, load shedding continues to have a devastating impact […]

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Liberia: Report Cleared Boakai’s Police Nominee

A special investigation into the 2011 election violence did clear President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s top police nominee Atty. J. Nelson Freeman of committing a crime in discharging his weapon. The former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) is opposed to Atty. Freeman’s nomination by President Boakai as Deputy Police Inspector General for Operations. Following Freeman’s […]

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Nigeria: Court Dismisses Another Petition Challenging Tinubu’s Victory

It makes the second petition to be withdrawn against Mr Tinubu’s victory within the first week of the Presidential Election Petition Court’s sitting. The Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja on Wednesday dismissed another petition filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) seeking to upturn Bola Tinubu’s victory as Nigeria’s president-elect. A five-member panel of […]

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Liberia: Rep. Bility Expresses Dismay Over House’s Decision to Grant President Boakai’s Budget Approval Request

Representative Musa Hansan Bility (District #7, Nimba County), has expressed his disappointment and frustration over the House of Representatives’ decision to grant President Joseph Boakai’s request to approve US$41.3 million for the use in February to avoid government shutdown. The decision was reached on Tuesday following recommendation from the joint committee on Ways, Means, Finance […]

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Liberia: Boakai Accused of Violating Executive Law On Ministerial Appointments

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has been accused of violating a national law that has guided the presidency for over half a century in the appointment of cabinet ministers that could be a reflection of national unity and integration. The appointment of cabinet ministers from various counties has been brought into question by Nimba County District […]

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Nigeria: It’s Been Bumpy 8 Years, but We’ve Built Foundation for Prosperous Nigeria – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, reminisced about the last eight years of his administration, saying the journey has been rough, but his administration has laid the foundation for a prosperous Nigeria. Buhari made the comments in his speech at a gathering of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) in Abuja, read by his Chief of Staff, Professor […]

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South Africa: Flooding in Eastern Cape – Municipality Blames Residents, Residents Blame Municipality

1,200 people evacuated in Nelson Mandela Bay after heavy rains Large parts of the Eastern Cape were flooded after heavy rains at the weekend. The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality says the flooding there is the fault of residents who throw rubbish into stormwater drains. Meanwhile in Qumrha, north of East London, flooded residents blamed the […]

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Congo-Kinshasa: Congo Style – How Two Dictators Shaped the DRC’s Art, Architecture and Monuments

What kind of art is left behind by totalitarian regimes? A new free-to-read book called Congo Style: From Belgian Art Nouveau to African Independence explores the visual culture, architecture and heritage sites of the country today known as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It does so by exploring two now-notorious regimes: King Leopold II […]

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Ethiopia: Amid Allegations of Extrajudicial Killings, More Than 200 Tigrayan Ex-ENDF Soldiers Languish in Prison, Families Cry Out for Justice

Addis Abeba — The two-year war in the Tigray region has not only left physical scars but has also caused deep emotional wounds for countless families in the area. Letay Asfaw, a mother grieving for her two sons–one imprisoned and the other lost forever–is one such case. “My son, Tewolde, was not only a courageous […]