Politics

Son of Ugandan president withdraws from 2026 election

Published

3 months ago

September 22, 2024

The son of Uganda’s long-serving president, Yoweri Museveni, announced on Saturday that he had given up on his ambition to seek the presidency in the upcoming 2026 election, and urged his followers to back his father instead of him.

Despite not officially announcing his candidature, President Museveni, who has served as the nation’s leader for 38 years, is generally anticipated to seek reelection.

“I would like to announce that I will not be on the ballot paper in 2026,” said Muhoozi Kainerugaba in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

“I fully endorse President Yoweri Museveni in the next elections,” he said, urging his supporters to back his father for a seventh term.

Although he is currently in charge of the nation’s armed forces, Kainerugaba is also well-known for his divisive remarks and is anticipated to succeed his father as head of state in the future. In 2022, Museveni expressed regret to Kenya following his son’s threat to invade the neighbouring country via Twitter.

The opposition has long charged Museveni with trying to install a monarchy on the country; the president disputes this.

The 80-year-old Museveni has ruled Uganda since 1986, and to prolong his reign, he twice amended the constitution.

Human rights advocates and those who oppose him politically, such as pop singer-turned-politician Bobi Wine, have long charged Museveni with abusing security forces to imprison, threaten, or torture opponents. Museveni refutes these allegations.

In the most recent presidential election (2021), wine finished second. He protested the results, claiming that his supporters had been kidnapped, intimidated, and ballots stuffed. It was Uganda’s fairest vote ever, according to Museveni.

A tendency towards the “sit-tight” phenomenon in African political leadership has been pronounced with Yoweri Museveni having spent 38 years in power. Togo, Rwanda, Congo, Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Djibouti, Zimbabwe, and Cameroon. Guinea and Cote D’Ivoire also have a recent history of long-serving presidents while in Eritrea has been no presidential election since independence in 1993.

Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

5 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

6 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.