Politics

Chad votes in favour of junta-backed new constitution

Published

12 months ago

December 25, 2023

In a referendum held last month, Chadians approved a new constitution that has drawn criticism for potentially strengthening the position of junta chief Mahamat Idriss Deby.

The government commission that organized the referendum announced on Sunday that 86% of voters had approved it. The reported voter turnout was roughly 64%.

The referendum, according to Chad’s military authorities, is an important first step towards elections that will take place the following year, a long-awaited return to democratic governance. They took control of the country in 2021 after former president Idriss Deby was slain in combat with rebels.

Chad has been a unitary state since independence, and the new constitution will preserve this status, although some opponents have advocated for the establishment of a federal state because it would promote growth.

Following the unexpected death of his father, Idriss Déby Itno, president since 1990, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno took over as head of the Transitional Military Council (Conseil Militaire de Transition, CMT) in April 2022.

Several opposition parties demanded a boycott of the election, claiming the junta had excessive influence over the process.

Deby had originally promised an 18-month transition before elections, but last year, his government passed resolutions postponing the polls until 2024 and allowing him to run for president in the final vote.

Security forces have allegedly arbitrarily detained protestors, many of whom reported being subjected to torture and other forms of mistreatment while in custody. There have also been reports of excessive force, such as live ammunition and tear gas, to disperse opposition-led demonstrations across the nation.

Related Topics:#CHAD Featured Referendum

Click to comment

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.