Metro

Burkina Faso’s junta leader overthrown in second coup eight months after

Published

2 years ago

October 1, 2022

Burkina Faso’s military leader, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, was on Friday, ousted in a coup led by one of his trusted allies, Captain Ibrahim Traore, eight months after he had overthrown the democratically elected President Roch Kabore in January.

Earlier on Friday, there were reports of gunfire in the capital Ougadougou, especially around the presidential palace and junta headquarters, while major street in the capital were reportedly taken over by soldiers.

According to the new junta leaders, the coup led by 34-year-old Traore who was previously head of anti-jihadist special forces unit “Cobra” in the northern region of Kaya, was necessary to restore peace to the jihadist-wracked country since Damiba could not deliver on his mandate.

While announcing the coup on Burkina’s Faso’s state television, a spokesman for the new military junta said it decided to remove Damiba due to his inability to rein in the Islamist jihadists.

“People of Burkina Faso, fellow citizens, since 24 January 2022, faced by the continually worsening security situation, we the officers and junior officers of the national armed forces were motivated to take action with the desire to protect the security and integrity of our territory,” the spokesman said in the broadcast.

“We have decided to take our responsibilities, driven by a single ideal: the restoration of security and integrity of our territory.

“Our common ideal was betrayed by our leader in whom we had placed all our trust. Far from liberating the occupied territories, the once peaceful areas have come under terrorist control.”

The new junta also announced the closure of air and land borders from midnight, as well as the suspension of the constitution and the dissolution of the government and transitional legislative assembly, while a curfew from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am was also put in place.

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Metro

Zambia: President Hichilema sacks three Constitutional Court judges

Published

12 hours ago

October 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Zambian President, Hakainde Hichilema, has finally sacked three Constitutional Court judges whom he had earlier placed on suspension.

The affected judges, whose sacks are with immediate effect according to a statement by State House Chief Communications Specialist, Clayson Hamasaka, are Anne Sitali, Mungeni Mulenga, and Palan Mulonda.

Hamasaka, who announced the decision in a statement on Sunday evening, stated that the President acted on a recommendation from the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC).

“The removal of the judges is in exercise of the powers vested in the President under Article 143 (b) and (c) of the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia,” said Hamasaka.

Before their dismissal, the three judges had been suspended by President Hichilema who had then sought a judicial review from the Lusaka High Court, arguing that their suspension violated the principle of res judicata, meaning the case had already been settled.

The judges had also contended that the complaint, initially filed by Moses Kalonde, stemmed from the 2016 presidential election petition between Hichilema and former President Edgar Lungu, which was concluded in 2017.

They had sought to quash the JCC’s decision to reopen the matter, asserting that earlier complaints, resolved by Emmanuel Mtonga, Alfred Chims Mbewe, and Douglas Syakalima, had settled it.

The judges also requested a stay of the JCC proceedings, scheduled for 30 September, and the suspension itself, pending the High Court’s decision.

The judges had also called for an expedited hearing, with costs to be borne by the Attorney General, represented by Messrs Sam Chisulo and Company.

However, the court quickly dismissed their case, ruling that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Metro

Nigeria confirms supplying 24-hr power to Togo, Benin, Niger

Published

18 hours ago

October 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Despite its inability to provide steady electricity for Nigerians amid regular collapse of the national grid, Nigeria’s electricity regulatory body, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), says Nigeria supplies 24-hour electricity to neighbouring Togo, Benin and Niger.

The Managing Director and CEO of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, who disclosed this in an interview programme on Sunday night, confessed that the three neighbouring countries enjoyed regular power supplied by Nigeria.

“We supply Togo, Benin, and Niger. They get power from Nigeria on a 24-hour basis, and they are paying for it,” Abdulaziz stated during the programme.

When he was asked why many Nigerians do not enjoy uninterrupted power like the residents of the countries, the TCN CEO said there are some Nigerians who enjoy 24-hour electricity.

“Nigerians are getting 24-hour supply, but it’s not everyone. Those in Band A receive 20-22 hours of power supply.”

Abdulaziz however, expressed optimism about achieving a consistent electricity supply across Nigeria within five years.

“I am telling you we can get consistent power supply in less than five years. The new minister is looking at the problems, he is not doing cosmetic showdowns.

“If there is a system collapse, it doesn’t mean all the problems are from TCN, it can be from generation, it can be from transmission it can be from distribution. Some of these can also come from disaster. You cannot say it is the fault of the TCN just like that. TCN are in charge of managing the grid.

“People have to understand the difference between the TCN and Nepa. When we were Nepa, we were the ones doing the generation, transmission, distribution and marketing.

“But now we are only doing one leg which is transmission. But there could be issues in all other sectors which are the generation and the distribution. But people only know Nepa and they think TCN is NEPA and they put the blame on TCN.

“Most of the equipment we use is over 50 years old. Electricity is now expensive in Nigeria, we feel it is expensive because we are getting it at a cheaper price. If you go to other African countries, go to Burkina Faso, Senegal, Niger; Nigeria is cheaper,” he stated.