Politics

Senegalese govt bans Tiktok as protests continue

Published

1 year ago

August 2, 2023

The Senegalese government has announced a ban on social media application, TikTok a day after it dissolved the political party of opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko.

The communication minister, Moussa Bocar Thiam, Monday announced restriction on internet coverage in the West African country after violent protests erupted between security officials and supporters of Sonko.

The latest episode of power struggle between Sonko and President Macky Sall began on Monday following the arrest of Sonko after his clash with security over claim by him that he was filmed while returning from mosque for prayers last Friday.

In the southern city of Ziguinchor, where Sonko is the mayor, opposition rallies on Monday night resulted in the deaths of two people, and on Tuesday, two people were burned to death when attackers threw gasoline bombs onto a passenger bus.

“The TikTok application is the social network favoured by people with bad intentions to spread hateful and subversive messages,” Thiam said in a statement on Wednesday.

“TikTok is the social network preferred by malicious people to spread hateful and subversive messages threatening the stability of the country. As a result, TikTok is suspended until further notice in Senegal”.

The app has become a tool for spreading “hateful and subversive messages” by individuals “that threaten to destabilize the country,” the minister added.

At least 16 people were killed in riots across the nation in June after Sonko was given a two-year prison term for acting immorally toward minors under the age of 21. He is yet to begin his term of service.

The embattled politician has remained keen on contestimg in the 2024 election and has openly vowed to disrupt the election if disqualified.

Related Topics:Featured Protest Protest Tiktok Senegal Sonko TikTok

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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.