Côte d' Ivoire's Gbagbo, Ouattara set off on last poll mile
Côte d' Ivoire's presidential run-off contestants have begun campaigning in earnest in what is expected to be a competitive affair after the country's Electoral Commission confirmed that the poll would be held on November 28.Youssouf Bakayoko the Election Commission official, also apologised for setting an earlier date of November 14, attributing this to the country's Constitutional Council which endorsed the first round results, saying its mandate did not extend to setting the electoral calendar .The council's boss, Prof Paul Yao Ndré, endorsed last Saturday, the first round results which gave incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo first place with 38% votes while former premier Alassane Ouattara garnered 32 % votes. Former president Henri Konan Bedié came in third with 25% votes, and has since declared that he will form an alliance with Ouattara in a bid to unseat President Gbagbo. The alliance also includes two other pro-Houphouetist parties which have also endorsed the appeal by Mr Bedié to cast their votes for Mr Ouattara. President Gbagbo has also reportedly won the support of about four other smaller parties out of the 14 that contested the first round of the presidency on 31 October 2010.Mr Ouattara has assured the international community that he will respect the verdict of the polls and asked his rival to do the same following the expected proclamation of the final results by early December. It is expected that a massive turnout will again characterise the polls as was seen during the first round when observers said an estimated 80% of the electorate turned out.
Sudan: Country at a crossroads.
The tensions in Sudan have been raising in recent weeks, ahead of a referendum next year on possible independence for the south of the country - a consequence of peace deal in 2005 that ended a long civil war. Earlier this week, ministers in charge of the armed forces from both the north and the south held a joint press conference to stress a new war was not an option. Many analysts say a return to conflict around the time of the referendum or afterwards are a real possibility. On Friday 12 November 2010, Colonel Phillip Aguer, southern army spokesman said that, northern plane bombed its territory, injuring several people. The incident took place when the northern armed forces were pursuing Darfur rebels near the border he said. A northern army spokesman confirmed that troops had engaged the rebels, he argued that, the fighting had taken place 23km (14 miles) north of the border, but he did not believe that a bomb had landed in south.
Guinea poll candidate Diallo alleges major irregularities
Guinea Electoral Commission officials have acknowledged receipt of a fraud petition instigated over the 7 November 2010 run-off poll by the perceived frontrunner, Mr Cellou Dalien Diallo. Mr Diallo, a former premier who won the first round election with 44% of the poll, submitted a strongly-worded petition that alleged polling officials had been involved in massive vote rigging in all but a few strategic districts of the capital. He is demanding a recount of the vote. National Independent Election Commission officials said that they were "seriously" examining the petition as they pursue the vote. The Commission chair Gen Siaka Toumani Sangaré, said that the matter will be handled with all seriousness it deserves and dealt with in accordance with the electoral code of ethics. Mr Diallo is running against veteran opposition leader Alpha Condé, who came in second during the first round in June with 18% vote.
Africa's media bosses to meet in Cameroon
The African’s Media Leaders Forum (AMLF) will take place on November 18 – 19, 2010 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The forum will bring together the continent’s top media owners and operators across all platforms: print, broadcast, online and new media. It is the flagship programme of the African Media Initiative (AMI), a Pan-African Initiative that seeks to promote democratic governance, social development and economic growth by strengthening the continent’s media sector. “Funding African Media in an Age of Uncertain Business Models”.is the theme of this year’s forum. The guest speakers expected at the forum include Mr Youssouf Ouedraogo, the former Burkina Faso Prime Minister and Special Adviser to the AfDB President, Mr Linus Gitahi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nation Media Group, and Mr Trevor Ncube, the CEO Mail & Guardian.
Ms Victoire Ingabire who was arrested in Kigali in October to stay in detention, High Court rules
On Friday 12 November 2010, Rwanda's High Court rejected an appeal against detention by opposition politician Victoire Ingabire, who is accused of terrorism, said one of her lawyers, Mr. Gatera Gashabana. "The first ruling is upheld. All that remains now is for us to fix a date for the substantive trial, as soon as possible" The prosecutor general, Martin Ngoga, claims to have solid evidence of Ingabire's alleged terrorist activities, including proof of financial transfers to the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu rebel movement based in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and considered by Kigali as a terrorist group. Her party FDU accuses the Rwandan authorities of fabricating evidence against its leader with the sole aim of preventing her from participating in the political life of the small central African country.
Human Right in DRC: Eight in DRC court for killing of human rights man
The trial has started of eight police officers charged with the murder of prominent human rights activist in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The eight ate accused of killing Mr. Floribert Chebeya, head of the charity Voix des sans Voix, in June this year. His body was found bound and gagged in the back of his car after being called to a meeting with Police Chief Gen John Numbi, which did not take place .Gen. Numbi has since been suspended but does not face any charges.
Central African Republic: President Bozize to take on big rival Patasse in presidential election
The Independent Electoral Commission has approved four of six candidates who want to run in January's presidential poll. They include President Bozize and Mr Ange-Felix Patasse, who ruled from 1998 until 2003, when Mr Bozize, his former chief of staff, overthrew him in a coup. Mr Bozize was then elected president in 2005.Other two candidates whose applications were accepted were former defence minister Jean Jacques Demafouth, who became a rebel but has signed peace accords, and Mr Jean Innocent Wilite, the candidate of a small political party. The dossiers of all four candidates will be forwarded to the Constitutional Court for validation, stated Mr Vondo, the Commission’s spokesman. However, he did not explain why the other candidates, Mr Cleophas Azouroute, who is close to Bozize, and Mr Lambert Kouet Fode, a businessman, were rejected. A leading opposition politician, Mr Martin Ziguele, prime minister from 2001 to 2003 and president of the powerful Movement for the Liberation of the Centrafrican People (MLPC), did not appear on the list.