Politics

Result collation begins in Sierra Leone

Published

1 year ago

June 26, 2023

Result collation begins in Sierra LeoneVote counting and result collation are underway in Sierra Leone after the presidential and parliamentary elections which held last Saturday.

Preliminary results are anticipated within 48 hours after Saturday’s election in which incumbent President Julius Maada Bio ran for a second term against a backdrop of mounting public resentment over the country’s economic woes.

International observers are worried about a lack of transparency in the tallying of ballots amid reports of violence in some regions and the death of an opposition party volunteer.

The election observer mission of the European Union expressed worry over the “extremely polarized political atmosphere” and advocated for transparent vote counting to increase voter confidence.

During the build-up to the election, demonstrators, largely supporters of the opposition party, All People’s Congress (APC), accused the electoral commission and its chairman, Mohamed Konneh of alleged bias in favour of the ruling party.

Violence also broke out again on Sunday as supporters gathered at the APC headquarters as police shot tear gas at supporters. A woman who had no pulse lying in a pool of blood next to a window that had a fist-sized hole in it was sighted at the scene.

Meanwhile, the main opposition candidate, Kamara questioned the independence of election officials before the poll, expressing concerns about the possibility of vote-rigging.

“Rest assured that I and the APC party would not and shall not accept any skewed, manipulated, and unverified results,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

A runoff between the top two is likely if none of the candidates secured 55% of the votes cast.

Related Topics:Elections Featured Sierra Leone

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.