Politics

Zambia: Amid allegations of repression of dissent, President Hichilema pushes back

Published

1 year ago

November 11, 2023

The Zambian government has maintained that President Hakainde Hichilema is open to being accountable and transparent in the management of public affairs.

The Chief Government Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa, stressed that the president’s stand on democratic accountability was why Halichima repealed the law on defamation of the President when he assumed office.

On Friday, the Minister of Information and Media informed journalists in Lusaka that the Head of State had made sure the Access to Information Bill was brought before the legislature for consideration and potential enactment. The minister demanded that the president be commended for making sure that he kept his word when he was in opposition.

“It is important for us as governments. Through the President, we walk the talk. This is what Hichilema promised through campaigns way back in 2006 and 2011,” Mweetwa said. He also stated that the Public Order Act, which had been undergoing consultations, would shortly be presented to Parliament as well.

“I want to take this opportunity to indicate that the Public Order Act (POA) is within the processes that will see the same brought before the doors of Parliament,” he said.

Mweetwa went on to say that to cut down on discussion and guarantee that the bill was quickly signed into law, a few key provisions were being adjusted in discussions with interested parties.

The Zambian president has been accused of highhandedness and stifling dissenting political voices in the southern African country.

Related Topics:Featured President Hakainde Hichilema Zambia

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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.