Politics

Comoros’s President Assoumani sworn in for 4th term

Published

7 months ago

May 28, 2024

As he took office for a fourth term on Sunday, President Azali Assoumani of Comoros promised to pursue peace and quickly expand the economy. This came after a contentious January election that his rivals say was marred by voter fraud.

After the electoral authority certified him re-elected to another five-year term with 63% of the vote, violent demonstrations broke out in the nation, a group of three islands off the coast of Mozambique, leaving one person dead and at least 25 injured.

With 800,000 people living there, Comoros has seen 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. It is also a key hub for irregular migration to the neighbouring French island of Mayotte.

Leaders of the opposition declared that the most recent presidential poll was rigged, citing cases of ballot stuffing and voting that concluded earlier than the scheduled closing time. The claims were refuted by the government.

“Disputes after the elections are not a Commorian exception. I thank the Commorians for the renewed trust, I will not disappoint you,” Assoumani, wearing a green and yellow sash, said at a ceremony in a stadium in the capital Moroni.

“After this inauguration, I invite civil society, the opposition and all political actors to put aside differences in favour of peace and democracy,” said the former army officer, adding he would grow the economy at 5% per year.

In 1999, a coup brought Assoumani to power for the first time. After resigning in 2002, he went on to win elections fourteen years later. Assoumani is eligible to run for reelection in 2019 since constitutional amendments made in 2018 eliminated the necessity that the presidency alternate between the nation’s three main islands every five years.

Related Topics:Comoros Featured President Assoumani

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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.