IGIHE

Category: Rubrique

  • Uhuru: Unity Key to EAC Growth

    Uhuru: Unity Key to EAC Growth

    {{Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has said political unity is the best way of cementing gains made by the East African Community ( EAC).}}

    President Kenyatta, who is the East African Community Summit Chairman, said on Monday that EAC is on course in establishing a political federation.

    Already, the Summit is considering various structures in view of the political realities of the region.

    “Our standing cooperation in our common life constitutes the foundation necessary for the federation we desire,” noted the President while addressing the East African Legislative Assembly ( EALA) in Arusha, Tanzania.

    He disclosed that a committee of EALA has submitted its views on the Revised Draft Model Structure, roadmap and action plan for East African Political Federation for consultations at the partner-states level.

    He expressed confidence that the summit, after evaluating the responses to the plans, will issue clear directions for the road ahead.

  • President Nkurunziza to Seek Another Term—-Minister

    President Nkurunziza to Seek Another Term—-Minister

    {{President Pierre Nkurunziza will seek another (third) presidential term in the 2015 elections; Burundi’s Interior Minister Edouard Nduwimana has announced complicating the third term debate further.}}

    On Thursday last week, Nkurunziza’s ruling party was beaten in the national assembly after efforts to review the constitution failed to attract the required quorum of 85 votes but obtained only 84.

    However, the country’s interior minister very loyal to president Nkurunziza has unilaterally announced that the president will be candidate in 2015.

    President Nkurunziza has never publicly expressed intentions to seek third term as president of the east African nation which has had enough share of civil wars.

    The rejection last week by the national assembly to review the country’s constitution has suddenly accelerated pro Nkurunziza announcements showing publicly that the party leader will seek another term in office in 2015.

    {{Interior Minister says Constitutional Court must ” decide”}}

    “What we are denouncing today is that there are people who want to believe that the issue of another term (for Nkurunziza) is closed. This is not true. My advice to politicians who will be the presidential candidates is to prepare knowing that they have in front of them to be the current president candidate. This will be the Constitutional Court to decide one way or another and Burundians must respect this decision , “said Edouard Nduwimana.

    For the opposition party , the Union for National Progress ( UPRONA ) , the appeal to the Constitutional Court is a new attempt to ” force passage ” from the president.

    According to Article 96 of the Constitution of March 2005, based on the Arusha Accords having helped end the civil war in Burundi ( 1993-2006) , the president ” is elected by direct universal suffrage for a term of five years renewable once . ”

  • Juba Drops Preconditions Ahead of Talks with Rebels

    Juba Drops Preconditions Ahead of Talks with Rebels

    {{The South Sudanese government has dropped its demand that a grouping of seven politicians who were arrested at the start of the current conflict be barred from participating in peace talks in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.}}

    On Thursday – one day before the scheduled resumption of the next round of talks – South Sudan’s ruling SPLM demanded that the East African regional bloc IGAD, who are mediating the talks, limit negotiations to the two warring factions: the SPLM and the South Sudanese army (SPLA); and the rebels – known as the SPLM/A in Opposition, which was formed in December from army defectors and disaffected politicians.

    The government accuses former vice-president turned rebel leader Riek Machar of attempting to oust president Salva Kiir in a coup, although the allegations have been repeatedly denied by all the accused.

    The government had threatened to boycott the talks over the participation of the seven senior political figures who after their release decided to form a third bloc rather than join Machar, despite having similar political grievances. However, it has since backed down after IGAD – the Intergovernmental Authority on Development – rejected its demands.

    The trial of four senior SPLM officials still on detention has begun in Juba. They have been charged with treason and plotting to overthrow the government.

    The group of seven, who are joined by Rebecca Nyandeng, the widow of SPLM founder and the party’s former chairman John Garang, will now be allowed to participate as a third bloc as they did in the previous round of talks, which produced a tenuous ceasefire deal.

    Attempts to involve South Sudanese civil society in the talks have not been welcomed by either side despite analysts warning that a successful deal will need to reflect more than just the military realities in Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile – the states where most of the fighting has taken place.

    No official timetable has been set for the resumption of negotiations, but they are expected resume before the end of the week.

    {sudantribune}

  • South Africa’s ANC Confident of Win

    South Africa’s ANC Confident of Win

    {{The ruling African National Congress will win the elections in May and achieve two-thirds in the Parliament of South Africa, showed an opinion poll yesterday.}}

    According to the survey carried out by the Sunday Times newspaper and Ipsos agency, the historic party of Nelson Mandela will receive 66,1% of the votes, while the main opposition party, Democratic Alliance will reach 22,9%.

    The newly-founded and controversial radical leftist political party Economic Freedom Fighters, led by Julius Malema is shown in third place with 3,7% of voters’ intention.

    Most of those surveyed said that the Nkandla case (a probe on state money used in the residence of president Jacob Zuma) was not an issue directly related to ANC, founded as a political organisation in 1912.

    In the public poll 3 500 voters were surveyed by Ipsos and Sunday Times in the nine provinces.

    —Prensa Latina

  • Guinea Bissau Politicians Gearup for Campaigns

    Guinea Bissau Politicians Gearup for Campaigns

    {{Campaigning in volatile Guinea Bissau is underway ahead of a much-delayed April 13 vote that many hope will draw a line under chronic instability in the country.}}

    The canvassing will go on without the participation of the country’s national radio station after staff begun a 30-day strike.

    Official campaigning started Saturday and runs until the eve of the election where 800,000 eligible voters are to pick a new president and 102 legislators.

    International observers have been positive about the peaceful campaigning so far and urged parties to maintain the order.

    Thirteen presidential candidates and 15 political parties are participating in the election in a country marked with frequent coups.

    Most politicians kicked off campaigns in their strongholds while a lot of activity was also visible in Bafata, Gabu, Oio and Bissau which are the most populated cities in one of West Africa’s least inhabited countries.

    The largest crowds have been observed at rallies of the leading and oldest party, the PAIGC which is led by José Mário Vaz, one of the most popular politicians in the country.

    The country’s interim leadership and the electoral commission have also urged politicians and the electorate to avoid violence.

    In a speech to launch the campaign period, interim President Serifo Nhamadjo, who will not vie, challenged candidates to exhibit fair play and accept the results of the ballot.

    “I would want people to transform this campaign into a violence-free democratic fete to be characterised by peace, tolerance and respect for each other,” President Nhamadjo said.

    He said an estimated 4,923 local security forces will be deployed alongside the international peacekeepers to keep the peace.

    Mr Nhamadjo has led a transitional regime since a coup destabilized the country two years ago.

    NMG

  • Arab Summit Opens as Leaders Struggle with Rifts

    Arab Summit Opens as Leaders Struggle with Rifts

    {{Arab leaders struggling with an array of foreign policy disputes opened an annual summit on Tuesday to try to forge a common stand on regional crises such as Syria’s war, and on what many of them see as the menace of Iranian-U.S. rapprochement.}}

    The gathering in Kuwait follows an unprecedented row among members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) alliance of Gulf Arab states over Qatari support for Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, and a verbal spat between Iraq and Saudi Arabia over violence in Iraq’s Anbar province.

    The annual meeting of the 22-member League of Arab States is expected to agree on more humanitarian action in response to Syria’s war, which has entered its fourth year and put a severe strain on neighboring countries hosting refugees.

    However the row among Gulf Arab states is unlikely to take centerstage at Tuesday’s gathering.

    Gulf states tend to keep their disagreements private, making a decision by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain earlier this month to recall their ambassadors from Qatar especially sensitive.

    Kuwait, which kept its ambassador in Doha, has offered to mediate in the dispute and is anxious to see the summit take place without further divisions.

    Shortly before the summit opened Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, smiling broadly, stood between Saudi Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, holding hands with them in an apparent attempt to convey a mood of reconciliation.

    {reuters}

  • President Bouteflika Campaigns for 4th Term

    President Bouteflika Campaigns for 4th Term

    {{Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said Saturday his ailing health does not “disqualify” his bid to run for a fourth term in polls next month.}}

    “The difficulties linked to my health do no appear to disqualify me in your eyes or plead in favour of me giving up the heavy responsibilities which have, in part, affected my health,” he said in a message to the Algerian people on the eve of the start of campaigning, carried by national news agency APS.

    Mr Bouteflika, who is 77 and has been in office since 1999, was hospitalised in Paris last year for three months after suffering a mini-stroke.

    Opponents say he is not fit to run in the April 17 presidential election, while others charge that the vote will be rigged and protests against his re-election have multiplied in the runup to the vote.

    But in his message, Bouteflika insisted that he decided to stand in answer to persistent calls from the Algerian people to seek a fourth term.

    wirestory

  • Kabila Might Extend Rule After 2016

    Kabila Might Extend Rule After 2016

    {{Controversy has emerged following hints that DR-Congo’s President Joseph Kabila might be attempting to return to office even after he completes the non renewable two terms in 2016.}}

    A member of the ruling party surprised the national assembly when he suddenly proposed an amendment to the country’s constitution.

    He is proposing that DR-Congo adopts new forms of electing the president citing South Africa and Angola where the president is elected by members of the national assembly and not the entire citizenship.

    Whether President Kabila leaves power in 2016 at the end of his second term remains a question at the centre of debate in this troubled rich country.

    The new proposal will uphold article 220 of the country’s constitution which provides for only two presidential terms.

    Analysts predict that if such a motion to reform the constitution is successful, majority would be in favour of changing the method of voting for president.

    The reform would require creation of a position of Vice President and the presidential term would be increased to seven years as opposed to the current five years.

    If successful, the reform would be effected in 2015 a year before President Kabila concludes his two terms in office and technically he would be candidate.

    However, others think that President Kabila should respect the Constitution in its present form and to hand to save democracy and ensure peace.

    Meanwhile, others are calling for a national census to determine the country’s population. A census in DRC was last held three decades ago.

  • President Nkurunziza’s 3rd Term Project Blocked

    President Nkurunziza’s 3rd Term Project Blocked

    {{In Burundi, members of the ruling party CNDD- FDD have suffered a setback after their attempts failed to have the country’s constitution reformed.}}

    They needed atleast 85 votes in favour of constitutional reform but only got 84 votes. This means the deal to push forward the third term project for Pierre President Nkurunziza has been technically blocked.

    The country’s assembly can not reconvene on the same issue within a year.

    As required the National Assembly was convened to vote for the new Draft constitution but hit a snag for lack of quorum.

    President Pierre Nkurunziza’s party CNDD- FDD which dominates the country’s parliament is accused of pushing for constitutional changes that might create room for the incumbent to seek another term in office.

    Revision of the Constitution requires a majority of four fifths (4/5) of the vote, the ruling party in Burundi needed four little voices to reach the magic number of 85 votes so that the project could be approved.

    However, when the national assembly convened there was wrangling all day and finally the three opposition members poached by the authority agreed to vote “For” on condition that they would be given a ministerial post, which was done.

    CNDD- FDD party thought they had found another opposition member. Despite striking a deal, the opposition party member withdrew at the last minute. Only 84 members vote ‘Yes’ yet it needed at least 85 votes which means the rejection of the reform.

    According to the Speaker of the House , this decision can not be represented within one year.

    The Burundian Interior Minister Edouard Nduwimana , who defended the text, did not hide his disappointment; announcing that it was still possible for the president to use the referendum to pass the review, which would pave the way for a third presidential term .

  • S. African Opposition Politician Gives Zuma 20 Days to Resign

    S. African Opposition Politician Gives Zuma 20 Days to Resign

    {{President Jacob Zuma should resign within 20 days, EFF leader Julius Malema said on Thursday.}}

    “Zuma should step down. If he fails to do so within 20 days, the EFF will march to the Union Buildings… and we will not leave the premises until he resigns,” Malema told supporters outside the Sunnyside police station in Pretoria.

    He said he had laid charges of corruption, theft, fraud and racketeering against Zuma with the Sunnyside police.

    This was prompted by the release on Wednesday of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s final report on the upgrades to Zuma’s private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.

    In her report, Madonsela found Zuma “unduly benefited from the enormous capital investment” in the Nkandla upgrades, totalling R246m.

    Malema said the charges were laid against Zuma, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and architect Minenhle Makhanya, among others.

    Madonsela found that Makhanya had made R16.5m as Zuma’s architect and as the public works department’s principal agent for the Nkandla project.

    Malema said the racketeering charge was added “because Zuma operated with criminals”.

    “Let me help the police here… Zuma does not allow electronic transfers, I have worked with him. He doesn’t take cheques either.”

    He said Zuma should be charged following Madonsela’s report and be arrested.

    Zuma’s children should also be investigated and a lifestyle audit conducted.

    “He has a son who collects the cash for him. All his children must be investigated,” Malema told cheering supporters.

    He accused the ANC of arrogance, and said it had been protecting one man since 2005.

    “They are arrogant and have become a law unto themselves. The police should show that no one is above the law.”

    – SAPA