Politics

Tunisia’s President Saied sacks 57 judges, accuses them of corruption

Published

2 years ago

June 2, 2022

Tunisia’s President Kais Saied has sacked 57 high court judges after publicly accusing them of corruption and protecting terrorists, in a move his opponents say is to pave the way for him to take control of the North African country’s judiciary.

In a televised address on Wednesday, Saied said he had “given opportunity after opportunity and warning after warning to the judiciary to purify itself” but that the judiciary failed to live up to what was expected of them.

Among those sacked according to an official government gazette, was Youssef Bouzaker, the former head of the Supreme Judicial Council whose members were replaced early this year as Saied moved to take control of the judiciary.

Before dissolving the Judicial Council, the body had acted as the main guarantor of Tunisia’s judicial independence since the 2011 revolution that introduced democracy and Saied’s changes prompted accusations he was interfering in the judicial process.

In sweeping moves meant to perpetuate himself in power since last year, President Saied has suspended the Tunisian parliament, fired the Prime Minister and seized control of the election body.

Late last year, Saied also dismissed the government and seized executive power in a move his opponents called a coup, before setting aside the 2014 constitution to rule by decree and dismissing the elected parliament.

He has continued to justify his actions by saying his moves were needed to save Tunisia from crisis and his intervention initially appeared to have widespread public support after years of economic stagnation, political paralysis and corruption.

Saied, who has also replaced the independent electoral Commission with members he personally picked with himself as the head of the Commission, has also said he will introduce a new constitution this month which will be put to a referendum in July.

However, almost all of Tunisia’s political parties have rejected the move along with the powerful UGTT labour union, saying that public sector workers would go on a nationwide strike on June 16, to protest against Saied’s political moves to entrench himself as a dictator amidst high cost of living and loss of jobs.

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Politics

African leaders want record World Bank financing to address climate change

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Ahead of a World Bank conference scheduled for later this year, African leaders on Monday called for rich countries to commit to record contributions to a low-interest World Bank facility for developing nations.

The leaders stressed that most African countries depend on the fund to sponsor development and combat climate change.

At a meeting in Japan in December, donors will promise to give money to the International Development Association (IDA), a World Bank organization that gives loans with low-interest rates and long terms.

“We call on our partners to meet us at this historic moment of solidarity and respond effectively by increasing their IDA contributions… to at least $120 billion,” Kenya’s President William Ruto told a meeting of African leaders and the World Bank to discuss IDA funding.

African economies were facing a “deepening development and debt crisis that threatens our economic stability, and urgent climate emergencies that demand immediate and collective action for our planet’s survival,” Ruto said.

He talked about the terrible floods in Kenya and the serious drought in Southern African countries like Malawi. If donors promise the least amount that African leaders have asked for, it will be a new high.

The previous high was $93 billion, which was raised in 2021. IDA loans are given out every three years, and donors usually give their money at a world meeting before the loan is given out.

The World Bank said that IDA lends money to 75 poor countries around the world at low interest rates. More than half of these countries are in Africa. Governments use the money to improve access to healthcare and energy, put money into farms, and build important things like roads.

The president of the World Bank, Ajay Banga, promised to cut down on the “burdensome” rules that guide lending to countries under the IDA. This would make the process more efficient and get money to countries that need it more quickly.

“We believe a simpler and reimagined IDA can be deployed with more focus to make a meaningful impact,” he said.

Politics

Burkina Faso investigating reports of northern killings

Published

1 day ago

April 28, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A government spokesman has revealed that Burkina Faso is looking into reports that 223 people were killed by the Burkinabe army in two villages in the north in February.

The killing was first reported by the Human Rights Watch (HRW), causing a rift between the junta-led West African state and some foreign media that published the report. The HRW report released on Thursday said that the military had executed residents of Nodin and Soro, including at least 56 children, as part of a campaign against civilians suspected of working with jihadist terrorists. The report was based on interviews with witnesses, members of civil society, and other groups.

Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo, a spokesman for the government, said that HRW’s claims were “peremptory” and that the junta was not unwilling to look into the claimed crimes.

“An investigation has been launched into the killings in Nodin and Soro,” Ouedraogo said in a late-evening statement, quoting a statement from a regional prosecutor on March 1.

Since Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s militaries took over in a series of coups from 2020 to 2023, violence in the area has gotten worse. This is because of the ten-year fight with Islamist groups related to Al Qaeda and Islamic State.

Attacks on Burkina Faso got much worse in 2023, with more than 8,000 people killed, according to the U.S.-based crisis-monitoring group ACLED.