Politics

Madagascar’s election to proceed despite anti-Rajoelina protests

Published

1 year ago

November 13, 2023

Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, will seek re-election on Thursday despite protests about his alleged ineligibility championed by opposition groups.

The Electoral Body confirmed on Monday that the election would go ahead on Thursday for the first-round ballot, just days after the leader of the lower house of parliament, a member of the president’s party, called for the vote to be suspended as the conditions were not right.

There are thirteen contenders in the presidential race, three of whom include the wealthiest man on the island, Rajoelina and two other former presidents, Marc Ravalomanana and Hery Rajaonarimampianina, who all have long-standing rivalries that have been reignited by the contest.

Ravalomanana and Rajaonarimampianina are two of the ten rival candidates who have expressed a desire to postpone the vote.

Opposing candidates have also demanded the establishment of a special court to hear cases involving votes and the appointment of new officials to lead the electoral commission.

Rajoelina’s political opponents have been holding regular protests for the past six weeks, and they claim that Rajoelina should be disqualified because he obtained French nationality in 2014. The protestors have been dispersed by police using tear gas. However, Rajoelina argues that the head of state is not required by the constitution to be solely of Malagasy nationality.

At a campaign rally on Sunday in the capital, Antananarivo, he urged supporters to vote,9008 and dismissed the opposition’s calls for delays as a political tactic.

“The Malagasy people do not want any more destabilisation. We don’t want another crisis,” he told thousands of supporters who were wearing the orange colours of his political party, Young Malagasy People Ready.

Last month, the United Nations alleged that the human rights office of Malagasy security forces had used “unnecessary and disproportionate force” against peaceful protesters and called for respect for freedom of expression and assembly, but the government claims it only adopted minimum force to maintain order.

With reserves of gold, nickel, and cobalt, a population of about 30 million—only 11 million voters—registered for the election. A two-round method is used to elect the president of Madagascar; if no candidate obtains a majority of the vote in the first round, a run-off election will be held.

Related Topics:Elections Featured Madagasca

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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.