Metro

Sudanese protesters demonstrate against military, demand return to civilian rule

Published

2 years ago

August 27, 2022

Thousands of Sudanese protesters on Friday, poured into the streets of the capital Khartoum as well as other major cities of Omdurman and Bhari, to demand a full return to civilian rule.

The demonstrators who blocked major roads in the cities while protesting against the military despite the presence of security forces, vowed never to call off the protests until the military junta hand over power to a democratically elected government.

The protesters closed a number of main and tertiary roads in the centre of the capital with concrete barriers, tree trunks and burning tyres.

The protests were organised by the Local Resistance Committees Coordinators which has been insistent in their demands for the military to relinquish power.

Before a lull in demonstrations in the past few months, Sudan had witnessed an almost daily protests calling for a return to democratic civilian rule and rejecting measures imposed by Army Commander Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan which included dismissing Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s transitional government.

Al-Burhan who overthrew long time dictator Omar al-Bashir, had declared a state of emergency in a move critics described as a “military coup” while he has repeatedly defended his measures by alluding to them as meant to “correct the course of the transitional phase”, and pledged to hand over power through elections or a national consensus later in the year.

Click to comment

Metro

President Tinubu finally returns to Nigeria amid speculations over his absence

Published

49 mins ago

May 8, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

After spending the last two weeks out of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has finally returned to the country.

Tinubu, who returned to Nigeria on Wednesday morning, had departed the country two weeks ago, on April 23, for The Netherlands for a three-day official visit, honouring an invitation from the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte.

While in the European country, Tinubu participated in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum, which brought together heads of conglomerates and organisations in both countries.

After his engagements in The Netherlands, Tinubu, according to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, proceeded to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend a World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development which held between April 28–29.

However, after the summit, the president did not return to the country as he was said to have proceeded to London for a private visit which gave room to speculations over his health.

The Nigerian Presidency did not also help matters as there was no official statement on the President’s engagements, nor were they willing to douse the tension created by his absence, leading to Nigerians raising posers with the hashtag #WhereisTinubu.

In a tweet on Tuesday evening, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had revealed that Tinubu would be back in the country on Wednesday.

“President Bola Tinubu, along with his aides, will return to Nigeria tomorrow from Europe,” he had written.

The recent foreign trip was Tinubu’s 20th since assuming office on May 29, 2023, effectively logging 96 days abroad, which has made him one of Africa’s most globe-trotting leaders.

In his less than one year in office, President Tinubu has visited Paris, France (thrice); London, the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic, New Delhi, India.

He has also taken a trip to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal; Doha, Qatar; and The Hague, The Netherlands.

Metro

Lack of awareness on Cyber Security Act persists, prompting calls for enhanced sensitization in Kasama

Published

20 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Despite the enactment and implementation of the Cybersecurity Act, a segment of society in Northern Province’s Kasama District remains unaware of its existence and provisions.

When asked about media freedom and the Cyber Security Act, taxi driver, Evans Simfukwe, expressed ignorance and called for more sensitization on the law.

Responding in Bemba to a reporter, Simfukwe, who acknowledged using social media handles such as Facebook, questioned the meaning of media freedom and how it influenced societal decisions.

“First, I want to ask what media freedom means? If the law is in place, then it’s fine,” Simfukwe told Zambia Monitor in an interview in Kasama.

However, he quickly emphasized his understanding of freedom of speech and urged that the law should not be used to silence him and others who wish to speak and advise the government on various issues in the country.

Simfukwe highlighted that people should be allowed to voice their concerns, such as the current economic conditions leading to increased living costs.

“We must be free to speak because there is a lot of economic hardship we are going through. One issue is mealie meal; we have the right to speak. Fuel is another thing making work difficult,” he stated.

Regarding the Cyber Security Act, Simfukwe advised his fellow social media users to be mindful of their posts if the law truly exists, to avoid conflicts with it.

He also urged the government to listen to what people are saying on social media and avoid silencing every critical voice providing advice on the economy and other social issues.

Catherine Mumba, a mobile money agent, echoed Simfukwe’s sentiments, expressing her lack of knowledge about media freedom and the Cyber Security Act despite using social media.

She suggested increasing sensitization on the law or translating it into vernacular languages for those who can use social media but may not understand it in English.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.