Login to BlackFacts.com using your favorite Social Media Login. Click the appropriate button below and you will be redirected to your Social Media Website for confirmation and then back to Blackfacts.com once successful.
Enter the email address and password you used to join BlackFacts.com. If you cannot remember your login information, click the “Forgot Password” link to reset your password.
Ivory Coast's government on Tuesday accused the opposition of "plotting" against the state after it vowed to set up a rival government following bruising presidential elections won in a landslide by the incumbent, Alassane Ouattara.
The standoff pitched the West African nation deeper into a three-month-old crisis that has claimed several dozen lives, triggering EU appeals for calm and dialogue.
Hours after 78-year-old Ouattara was declared victor with more than 94 percent of the vote, Justice Minister Sansan Kambile accused the opposition of "acts of assault and plotting against the authority of the state."
The Abidjan public prosecutor has been asked to investigate, Kambile said, warning that "all options are on the table."
Opposition leader Pascal Affi N'Guessan had told reporters late Monday that opposition parties and groups were forming a "council of national transition."
"This council's mission will be to... create a transitional government within the next few hours," N'Guessan said.
The goal, he said, was to "prepare the framework for a fair, transparent and inclusive presidential election."
Ouattara's landslide in Saturday's vote had been widely expected -- two opposition leaders had called for a boycott of the ballot and a civil disobedience campaign.
But the protests and bloody clashes have also stirred traumatic memories of a crisis a decade ago that tore the country apart and dealt it lasting economic damage.
Around 3,000 people died after then-president Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept defeat by Ouattara.
N'Guessan late Monday said the "transitional council" would be led by opposition veteran Henri Konan Bedie, 86, a former president and long-term adversary of Ouattara.
"Keeping Mr Ouattara as head of state could lead to civil war," he warned.
- Confrontation -
In Abidjan, the economic capital, security forces blocked off roads close to Bedie's villa.
They fired teargas to disperse small groups of supporters and journalists outside, preventing the staging of a press conference called to follow up Monday night's announcement.
In Daoukro, an opposition stronghold 235 kilometres (146 miles) north of Abidjan, anti-Ouattara protesters were manning barricades.
"These results are a farce, " said one, who gave his name as Firmin. "We are going to carry on with civil disobedience until Ouattara steps down."
In contrast, Ouattara supporters sang his praises, saying he had strived to end instability in the world's top cocoa producer and revive its battered economy.
"He has worked hard for the country. He has to carry on, not just for us, but for our children," said Hamed Dioma, a scrap-metal worker in a rundown district of Abidjan.
"We are going to party."
Anger sparked by Ouattara's quest for a third term has revived memories of past feuds left mostly unreconciled after a 2002 civil war split the country in two.
Thirty people died in clashes before Saturday's vote, often between local ethnic groups allied to the opposition and Dioula communities seen as close to Oua
\t On Friday, internet and international calls were cut off across the West African nation in anticipation of the election results, according to locals and international observers in the capital, Conakry.
\t This was the third time that Conde matched-up against Diallo. Before the election, observers raised concerns that an electoral dispute could reignite ethnic tensions between Guinea's largest ethnic groups.
In April 2000, experts estimated some 150,000 people, or more than one-quarter of the population, needed food aid. The UN agreed to spend $2.7 million to increase the city of Djiboutis port facilities since it is a crucial regional grain terminus. In 2002, Djibouti became a key U.S. military base used to combat terrorism. In 2005, President Guelleh, running unopposed, was reelected.
In parliamentary elections in Feb. 2008, which were boycotted by the three main opposition parties, the ruling Union for the Presidential Majority won 94.1% of the vote, taking all 65 seats.
In 2010, Parliament approved a constitutional amendment that allowed the president to run for a third term. However, it reduced the term from six years to five. Presidential elections in 2011 saw incumbent Ismail Omar Guelleh win a third term with 80.6% of the vote and a turnout of 69.7%. The opposition participated in parliamentary elections in Feb. 2013, the first time since its boycott in 2003. However, the governing Union for the Presidential Majority won 49 out of 65 seats, and the opposition denounced the results.
See also Encyclopedia: Djibouti
U.S. State Dept. Country Notes: Djibouti
Ministry of the Economy, Finances, and Privitization Planning http://www.ministere-finances.dj/ (in French).
Leaders from Ivory Coast's ruling party have agreed at a closed-door meeting to press President Alassane Ouattara to seek a third term in October's election following the sudden death of Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibal.
Africa urged to buy local products to support startups
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 0:01
By JAMES KARIUKI
Mr Tony Elumelu.
FILE PHOTO | Tony Elumelu has urged Kenyans and the general African community to adopt homegrown solutions and support enterprises that engage local populace in economic activities.
Speaking in a virtual New York Forum Institute-convened roundtable Mr Elumelu ( above with President Kenyatta) said the Covid-19 pandemic provides Africans with an opportunity to come up with own solutions for their socio-economic problems.
We need a martial plan that galvanises the entire continent into a major source of solutions that is less dependent on the ‘circularity of debt’ from developed nations,” said Mr Elumelu who is the chairman of the Nigeria-headquartered UBA bank, a pan-African lender with subsidiaries in Kenya and 19 other African countries.
The roundtable attended by Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta, Niger’s Mahamadou Issoufou, Alassane Ouattara(Cote d’Ivoire), Macky Sall (Senegal) and Sierra Leone’s Julius Bio vouched for entrenchment of homegrown solutions that locals relate with easily.
Kenya | FactMonster
Home /
Kenya
Previous Next
Index
Kenya Main Page
Kenya Wins Independence After a Long Struggle
Economic Woes, Corruption, and Disasters Stifle Development
Hopes for Reform Under New Administration Are Dashed
Ethnic Violence Follows Disputed Presidential Election
Kenyan Forces Invade Somalia to Fight Islamist Militants
Four Prominent Kenyans Charged with Crimes against Humanity
Kenyan Troops Storm Somalian Port
Khartoum — Sudan's Attorney General, Tajelsir El Hibir says that the remaining International Criminal Court (ICC) suspects might not necessarily stand trial in The Hague, because of \"sovereignty and other legal issues\".
On Monday, Radio Dabanga reported that former Darfur janjaweed leader Ali Abdelrahman (aka Kushayb*), made his first appearance before International Criminal Court (ICC) Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala in The Hague to hear charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Arrest warrants
In 2007, the ICC issued arrest warrants against former Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Ahmed Haroun, and former janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb for numerous counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The court issued a first arrest warrant against Omar Al Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in 2009.
In 2011, the ICC confirmed the charges of war crimes brought by the court's prosecutor against Abdallah Banda, former leader of the Justice and Equality rebel movement, and committed him to trial.
New York Times: \"Interviews with more than two dozen party officials, strategists and voters in areas like these help explain what recent polls have found: that Mr. Trump’s strategy is alienating independent and even some conservative voters — particularly women and better-educated Americans —
BY BLESSED MHLANGA ZANU PF political commissar Victor Matemadanda has claimed that the statement he made at the party’s annual conference last December where he was quoted as saying “if elections fail, we will use any other means necessary” to retain power was not an incitement to commit public violence. Instead, Matemadanda claims he meant that the ruling party was prepared to form a transitional government in the event that elections failed to deliver a clear result. In his answering affidavit filed at the High Court in Harare after being taken to court by the Electoral Resource Centre (ERC) for contravening the Electoral Act, Matemadanda said his remarks were not meant to demean public elections. “The statement that is the basis of this application, if interpreted by a reasonable person, is by no means a threat of violence. Clearly, I stated that “if elections fail”, which is a real possibility in any society, then other means necessary would be employed. However, this does not mean that I do not believe in elections for that would make my position as the political commissar redundant, given that my main task is to mobilise and campaign for the support of the electorate,” Matemadanda submitted. He claimed that he meant that Zanu PF could engage in a power-sharing deal with the opposition if elections were to fail. “I meant any means necessary within the confines of the law. These means may include dialogue, litigation, transitional government or the tried and tested government of national unity. It is, therefore, surprising how the applicant has interpreted the statement ‘any means necessary’ as a synonym of violence, which is wrong and this honourable court should dismiss it as such,” Matemadanda said in his defence. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) fought in Matemadanda’s corner, saying the matter should be dismissed on a technicality. In her opposing affidavit, Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba said ERC was not a voter and, therefore, did not have the right to bring the matter before the courts. “The applicant has no locus standi to approach the court for the relief sought in this matter. The issue pursued by the applicant, that of intimidation of voters, is a matter that speaks to and ought to be pursued by individual voters who, in consequence of the words attributed to Matemadanda, have suffered intimidation as defined by the Electoral Act,” she submitted. Further she noted that Zec had referred the matter for investigation to the police and any order coming from the court would be subject to interference with the operations of the independent body. ERC said the statement made by Matemadanda should never be taken lightly as the country had had violent elections in the past. The electoral watchdog cited the violent manner in which Zanu PF refused to cede power after being defeated by the opposition MDC-T in 2008. “His (Matemadanda) utterances cannot be taken lightly. They carry the force of authority and directive to members of the ruling party, war veterans and those that fall under his minis
Kanye West has announced officially, via social media that is, that hes throwing in his hat for president of the United States. This comes after []
And now just emerging from no contact with voters, there are concerns about whether the election calendar and roadmap as set by the National Electoral Commission in December 2018 is still viable considering the time \"lost.\"
\"The Commission has to fulfil Section 8 of the Presidential Elections Act and Section 9 of the Parliamentary Elections Act that provide appointment of nomination days and time,\" reads the commission document, \"for campaigns for presidential elections to commence latest by first week of September 2020 nomination of presidential candidates must have been completed latest third week of August.\"
The first round of nominations must have been completed latest third week of July 2020, while nominations and campaigns for parliamentary elections \"should commence latest by second week August 2020.\"
Sam Rwakoojo, the Secretary to the Electoral Commission told The EastAfrican that the roadmap has been disrupted and some special interest group elections that should have been held around this time (end of May to beginning of June) can't take place, yet they contribute to the national elections and the consequences of those delays are not clear at the moment.
Mr Rwankoojo said no concrete proposals can be generated on specific dates for certain activities because, \"we don't know yet how this disease and lockdown will go,\" he said, adding that while the Constitution is clear on when to hold certain processes, the only available leg room is to determine which activities or elections can be held together to remain within the confines of the law.
Benin gears up to hold local elections without key opposition parties Sunday as the authorities push ahead with the vote despite the coronavirus threat and calls for a delay.
But critics say the health risks are too high for a vote that opponents of President Patrice Talon insist should not be happening in the first place.
Benin, traditionally seen as one of the region's most stable democracies, has been mired in a political crisis since a disputed parliamentary poll last April sparked mass protests.
Parties allied to the president won all the seats at the polls last year after opposition groups were effectively banned from standing.
Opponents have called on voters to boycott the poll over the political situation and the risks from coronavirus.
Main opposition parties in the Oromia region – Abiy’s home region – have kicked against the HoF decision calling it a unilateral and illegal extension of the term of government.
“A political consensus whereby the views of the opposition political parties were taken into consideration and a climate of trust and fruitful collaboration was promoted would have been more likely to create an environment where the promised peaceful and comprehensive democratic transformation of Ethiopia would have been possible,” their statement read in part.
He has serially insisted that he did not fear elections and was ready to hand over power if he loses
\tThe Council of Constitutional Inquiry held public hearings last month on possible next steps, though critics said these were insufficiently inclusive of opposition voices.
Dawud Ibsa, chairman of the opposition Oromo Liberation Front, told AFP Wednesday that the House of Federation vote “does not have any constitutional basis”.
If major opposition parties reject the recommendations from the Council of Constitutional Inquiry, “protests or election boycotts could become a reality, reducing the chances of successful competitive polls in 2021,” said William Davison of the International Crisis Group (ICG), a conflict-prevention organisation.
Guinea Bissau was warned on Saturday to prepare for a possible increase in coronavirus cases by the head of its response commission, as a team of Cuban health workers arrived to help the nation tackle the pandemic.
Almost all cases (94%) have been recorded in the capital Bissau.
Former health minister Magda Nely Robalo, who was appointed to take charge of the response, urged people to continue preventive measures as she welcomed the 23 Cuban doctors and health workers who came at the request of the Bissau government.
Robalo said Guinea Bissau was facing major challenges due to the weakness of its health system.
Over 170 of Bissau's 2,000 health workers have contracted coronavirus, according to the World Health Organisation, while health authorities have raised the alarm over a lack of oxygen to treat patients.
[Radio Dabanga] New York -- The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) has expresses its \"deep concern\" for the well-being of 72 people arbitrarily detained and held incommunicado without charge by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)\".
Only several days into the year 2020 and we are already witnessing events that will change the course of history.
June 10: Speaker Keria replaced
\tEthiopia’s upper parliamentary chamber, the House of Federation (HoF), on Wednesday elected a new speaker following the resignation of Keria Ibrahim.
June 8: Speaker of Ethiopia’s upper parliament quits over postponed polls
\tKeria Ibrahim, speaker of Ethiopia’s upper parliamentary chamber, the House of federation, has quit her position citing a looming constitutional blank with postponed elections.
Privately-owned Addis Standard said Keria’s resignation was on the outcome of a Council of Constitutional Inquiry on deferred elections.
The former speaker belongs to the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, TPLF, a former coalition partner of the now defunct Ethiopia Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front, EPRDF; which brought Abiy to power in 2018.
TPLF is currently the ruling party in the northern Tigray region but technically in opposition with the federal government.
THE Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T was yesterday forced to change its extra-ordinary congress date from September 4 to July 31 following legal advice from its lawyer Lovemore Madhuku. BY BLESSED MHLANGA The faction had to revert to its earlier July 31 date after Madhuku advised that any date after that would render the congress illegal. Insiders said Khupe had to call Madhuku to address her standing committee members on the technicalities relating to timelines set by the March 30 Supreme Court ruling which ordered her to organise a congress to resolve the long-running leadership wrangle between her and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa. The highest court on the land, however, indicated that its ruling could be moot since it had been overtaken by events after both Khupe and Chamisa contested the July 2018 presidential elections under different MDC banners. “Standing committee has just ended and extra-ordinary congress will now be held on July 31. Effectively, Khupe has lost her right to call for congress within the three months required by the court. For the congress to be legal, party interim chairman Morgen Komichi has to call it,” a source at the meeting said. According to the March 30 Supreme Court ruling, Khupe was supposed to call for the congress within three months, failing which Komichi would take over and organise it. Party acting spokesman Khaliphani Phugeni had promised to issue a statement within an hour after the meeting, but had not done so at the time of going to print. The MDC-T had last Wednesday announced that it would hold its congress from September 4 to 6, saying this was within the timelines set by the Supreme Court.
The post Khupe changes congress date appeared first on NewsDay Zimbabwe.
Sudan’s ruling body ratified a law banning the widespread practice of female genital mutilation, the justice ministry announced Friday, handing the movement for women’s rights in the African country a long-sought victory.
The Sovereign Council passed a set of sweeping amendments to the country’s criminal code late Thursday, including one that criminalized the deep-rooted practice. The draft law had been approved by the transitional government that came to power last year following the ouster of Omar al-Bashir.
A U.N.-backed survey in 2014 estimated 87% of Sudanese women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 have been subjected to the procedure. Most undergo an extreme form known as infibulation, which involves the removal and repositioning of the labia to narrow the vaginal opening.
Anyone found guilty of performing the procedure will be sentenced to up to three years in prison, according to a copy of the new law obtained by The Associated Press.
Female genital mutilation “degrades the dignity of women,” the justice ministry declared in its statement. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok hailed the decision as “an important step in reforming the justice system.”
The ratification achieved a decades-long goal of women’s rights advocates and represented a win for the country’s technocratic leaders, who have been struggling to push democratic changes and roll back al-Bashir’s legacy despite the persistent power of army generals in Sudan.
Under Hamdok, women have been appointed to four government ministries. Last fall, authorities overturned unpopular Islamist laws passed under al-Bashir that dictated women’s dress and criminalized drinking alcohol. Another amendment adopted Thursday allows Sudanese mothers to travel with their children outside the country without permission from their spouses.
During al-Bashir’s rule some Sudanese clerics said forms of female genital mutilation, or FGM, were religiously allowed, arguing that the only debate was over whether it was required or not.
While many were elated by the the law’s long-awaited passing, rights groups warned that the practice remains deeply entrenched in the region’s conservative society and that enforcement poses a steep challenge.
In neighboring Egypt, for example, where genital cutting was banned in 2008 and elevated to a felony in 2016, a government survey still found that nearly nine of every 10 Egyptian women had undergone the procedure.
Other veteran activists questioned the timing of the ratification, saying the coronavirus pandemic puts them at a disadvantage since they cannot mobilize awareness campaigns or police training in a country under lockdown.
“Currently there are fuel shortages and long daily power cuts as well as rising infections of COVID-19,” said Nahid Toubia, a leading Sudanese women’s health rights activist specializing in FGM. “Communication and people’s mobility are severely hampered. These are not the conditions where advocacy for legislating against FGM is a priority or even possible.”
Still the move, both symbolic and
Madagascar lies in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa opposite Mozambique. The worlds fourth-largest island, it is twice the size of Arizona. The countrys low-lying coastal area gives way to a central plateau. The once densely wooded interior has largely been cut down.
Multiparty republic.
The Malagasy are of mixed Malayo-Indonesian and African-Arab ancestry. Indonesians are believed to have migrated to the island about 700. King Andrianampoinimerina (1787–1810) ruled the major kingdom on the island, and his son, Radama I (1810–1828), unified much of the island. The French made the island a protectorate in 1885, and then, in 1894–1895, ended the monarchy, exiling Queen Rànavàlona III to Algiers. A colonial administration was set up, to which the Comoro Islands were attached in 1908, and other territories later. In World War II, the British occupied Madagascar, which retained ties to Vichy France.
An autonomous republic within the French Community since 1958, Madagascar became an independent member of the community in 1960. In May 1973, an army coup led by Maj. Gen. Gabriel Ramanantsoa ousted Philibert Tsiranana, president since 1959. Cdr. Didier Ratsiraka, named president on June 15, 1975, announced that he would follow a socialist course and, after nationalizing banks and insurance companies, declared all mineral resources nationalized. Repression and censorship characterized his regime. Ratsiraka was reelected in 1989 in a suspicious election that led to riots as well as the formation of a multiparty system in 1990. In 1991, Ratsiraka agreed to share power with the democratically minded opposition leader, Albert Zafy, who then overwhelmingly won the presidential elections in Feb. 1993. But Zafy was impeached by Parliament for abusing his constitutional powers during an economic crisis and lost the 1996 presidential election to Ratsiraka, who again became president in Feb. 1997.
The Dec. 2001 presidential election between incumbent president Didier Ratsiraka and Marc Ravalomanana, the mayor
Bir Lehlou (Saharawi Republic) — The Saharawi National Commission for Human Rights (CONASADH), called on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to urgently intervene for the release of Saharawi political prisoners in Morocco, to protect them from possible Covid-19 infection.
Here is the complete text of the letter sent by CONASADH to ICRC of which Saharawi.net received a copy:
\"Request of urgent intervention for the release of Saharawi political prisoners in various Moroccan jails
It is with deep concern that the Saharawi National Commission for Human Rights (CONASADH) addresses you this letter hoping to draw your attention to the dangerous conditions in which Saharawi political prisoners are living in various Moroccan prisons, especially with the alarming spread of Covid-19 infections all over the world, including in Morocco.
The dire conditions of the Moroccan prisons and the alarming lack of the minimum hygienic environment necessary for the protection of prisoners is a permanent threat to the lives of political prisoners, whose only crimes, as evidenced by all international organization, are related to their political views and peaceful activities, as human rights defenders.
The Moroccan regime of occupation arrested those Saharawi political prisoners simply because they were defending theirs and their people's rights to self-determination and independence, which are recognized to them by the UN and other international and regional organizations and instruments.
For all these reasons, Mr. President, CONASADH calls on you and on your organization to immediately and urgently intervene for the release of Saharawi political prisoners and to put an end, not only to their ordeals and possible threats to their lives, but also to a long continuing violation of the international humanitarian law in Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa.
OPPOSITION MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has psyched up hard-pressed Zimbabweans to liberate themselves from the heavy Zanu PF yoke which he claims has shrunk the democratic space and deprived citizens of the much-needed breath.
“It’s not about me or the MDC Alliance, it is about the people of Zimbabwe, the democratic space is being choked by Zanu PF and it is time we act, draw a line in the sand or we will be choked to death,” he said.
But Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa last week shot down reports of human rights abuses and dictatorship by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, saying there was no repression in the country to justify protests.
The clampdown on human rights defenders climaxed last week with the arrest of Chamisa’s lawyer Thabani Mpofu for allegedly falsifying the signature of a “non-existent” Simbarashe Zuze in a Constitutional Court challenge over the appointment of Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi.
Chamisa, who was accused of receiving advice and funding from former members of the vanquished G40 faction of Zanu PF in the run-up to the 2018 harmonised elections, said clueless leaders thrived on labelling opponents.
Anti-government demonstrations gripped several countries in the Middle East in early 2011, and protests in Libya followed those in Egypt, Tunisia, and Bahrain. The crackdown by the government in Libya, however, was the most vicious. The protesters took to the streets on Feb. 16 in Benghazi, the countrys second-largest city, demanding that Qaddafi step down. The next day, declared the Day of Rage, saw the number of demonstrations burgeon throughout the country. Security forces began firing on protesters, and by Feb. 20 Human Rights Watch estimated that as many as 200 people had been killed by troops. Several government officials and diplomats defected, and members of the military joined the ranks of the opposition as the government attacks on civilians grew increasingly brutal. Some reports had fatalities numbering near 1,000 or more. Qaddafi refused to resign, but offered to double the salaries of public workers and freed some Islamic militants from jail. Protesters dismissed the move as a hollow gesture and continued their actions throughout the country. Qaddafi enlisted the help of mercenaries as the number of defections by troops swelled. He cast blame for the uprising on the West, which he claimed wants to assume control of Libyas oil, and Islamic radicals who want to expand their base.
On Feb. 27, the UN Security Council voted to impose sanctions on Qaddafi and several of his close advisers. The sanctions included an arms embargo on Libya, a travel ban on Qaddafi and other leaders, and the freezing of Qaddafis assets. The Security Council also requested that the International Criminal Court investigate reports of widespread and systemic attacks on citizens. The UN sanctions followed unilateral action by the U.S., and the European Union also sanctioned Libya. By Feb. 28, rebels had taken control of Benghazi and Misurata and were closing in on Tripoli. The rebels organized a military and formed an executive committee, the Transitional National Council, illustrating that they could establish a
The Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 is a joint initiative between the People's Republic of China, the Republic of South Africa in its capacity as the Chair of the African Union (AU), and the Republic of Senegal in its capacity as the Co-Chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
We recognize the importance of public health issues to global peace and security and the well-being of people around the world, particularly the fact that Africa is extremely vulnerable to the ravages of this virus and needs solidarity and support, including resources from various parties to bolster its response to the pandemic and to support its economic and social development.
We welcome the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution on COVID-19 response, which expresses deep concerns about the negative impacts and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizes the importance of global collaboration, and calls for intensified international cooperation, unity, solidarity and joint efforts to contain and mitigate the pandemic, and to pay particular attention to the needs of people in vulnerable situations.
China commends the solidarity and support extended by African countries, the AU and other regional organizations for China's COVID-19 response and appreciates the establishment of the AU COVID-19 Strategy and the appointment of Special Envoys to mobilize international support for Africa's efforts to address the economic challenges faced as a consequence of the pandemic, and further commends the resilience African countries have demonstrated and the positive results thus achieved in curbing the spread of the virus by adopting preventive measures.
We fully recognize the positive role of China-Africa investment and financing cooperation in promoting development and improving people's lives in Africa, and call on the international community to work in solidarity and collaboration, share best practices, and provide more material, technical, financial and humanitarian support to help African countries overcome the impact of COVID-19 and achieve independent and sustainable development.
Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital fired tear gas for a second straight day on Wednesday to break up violent protests outside parliament over proposed changes in the judiciary.
The proposals come from the Common Front for Congo (FCC), a coalition close to Kabila, who remains a behind-the-scenes force in national politics.
But Tshisekedi's party on Monday lambasted it as a ploy to \"undermine the independence of the judiciary and increase the power of the justice ministry\".
Separately, four influential grassroots organisations on Wednesday issued a joint statement warning that the country's next presidential elections in 2023 were at risk of \"manipulation\" because of moves to appoint a new head of the national electoral commission.
The joint statement warned against any attempt by the FCC-dominated parliament to push through Nangaa's successor, and called on the public to oppose \"any Machiavellian plan aimed at thrusting us into endless electoral crises.\"
This West African nation on the Gulf of Guinea, between Togo on the west and Nigeria on the east, is about the size of Tennessee. It is bounded by Burkina Faso and Niger on the north. The land consists of a narrow coastal strip that rises to a swampy, forested plateau and then to highlands in the north. A hot and humid climate blankets the entire country.
Republic under a multiparty democratic rule.
The Abomey kingdom of the Dahomey, or Fon, peoples was established in 1625. A rich cultural life flourished, and Dahomeys wooden masks, bronze statues, tapestries, and pottery are world renowned. One of the smallest and most densely populated regions in Africa, Dahomey was annexed by the French in 1893 and incorporated into French West Africa in 1904. It became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958, and on Aug. 1, 1960, Dahomey was granted its independence within the Community.
Gen. Christophe Soglo deposed the first president, Hubert Maga, in an army coup in 1963. He dismissed the civilian government in 1965, proclaiming himself chief of state. A group of young army officers seized power in Dec. 1967, deposing Soglo. In Dec. 1969, Benin had its fifth coup of the decade, with the army again taking power. In May 1970, a three-man presidential commission with a six-year term was created to take over the government. In May 1972, yet another army coup ousted the triumvirate and installed Lt. Col. Mathieu Kérékou as president. Between 1974 and 1989 Dahomey embraced socialism, and changed its name to the Peoples Republic of Benin. The name Benin commemorates an African kingdom that flourished from the 15th to the 17th century in what is now southwest Nigeria. In 1990, Benin abandoned Marxist ideology, began moving toward multiparty democracy, and changed its name again, to the Republic of Benin.
By the end of the 1980s, Benins economy was near collapse. As its oil boom ended, Nigeria expelled 100,000 Beninese migrant workers and closed the border with Benin. Kérékous socialist collectivization of
Democrats are not letting go of the idea of nominating former first lady Michelle Obama as the vice president for the 2020 presidential elections.
Now, a recent poll conducted by CBS and YouGov found that 64% of Democrats would like to see Michelle Obama as the Democratic Vice President pick.
Sharing in the desire to nominate Obama for vice president is The Committee to Draft Michelle Obama.
The committee’s mission is to generate public interest for Michelle Obama’s vice-presidential candidacy by driving media attention and building on existing grassroots support.
Related: Former Obama Campaign Staffer Karine Jean-Pierre Joins Biden Campaign
And they are rallying others to join its mission to pique Obama’s interest in running.
