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Egypt’s President al-Sisi in trouble for purchasing plane worth $500m amidst economic crisis

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President Abdul Fatah al-Sisi of Egypt is in the eyes of the storm following the purchase of a brand new presidential jumbo jet at the cost of $500 million amid in a country undergoing serious economic crisis.

The purchase of the plane has triggered fierce debates in the country as opposition figures see the move as insensitive especially as the country is going through a severe economic crisis.

Egypt acquired the Boeing 747-8 aircraft last week from Shannon of Ireland, where it was undergoing painting work by International Aerospace Coatings (IAC) after purchasing it from German airliner, Lufthansa.

An Egyptian opposition leader who condemned the purchase of the Boeing 747-8 aircraft at $500 million on Saturday, said the country’s presidency does not need such a plane at a time the country is struggling to generate foreign currency for imports and to tackle inflation which has been hitting the country hard for years.

However, Egyptian MP Mustafa Al-Bakri who rose in support of the President, said the reports that the plane cost $500 million were mere propaganda from the opposition Muslim Brotherhood.

Al-Bakri said the aircraft was bought for $240 million, following a report by Boeing that the current 28-year-old presidential Airbus A340 would be unfit for use by 2023.

But an expert of Constitutional Law, Nour Farahat said Egyptians would only accept the narrative of Al-Bakri if he can prove his claims by providing the public with a report from Boeing about the expiry of the presidential plane, as well as details about the purchase of the new one.

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Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

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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.

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Egyptian court upholds ex-presidential candidate Ahmed Tantawy’s sentence

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Former presidential candidate, Ahmed Tantawy, and his campaign manager, Mohamed Abou El-Diar, were found guilty of faking election paperwork, and given a one-year jail term with labour by an Egyptian court, Tantawy’s legal team announced Tuesday.

Last year, Tantawy was the most well-known candidate to run against Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for a third term, winning 89.6% of the vote.

To avoid receiving the necessary number of public endorsements to be on the ballot, he halted his campaign before to the election, alleging harassment and arrests directed at hundreds of his family members and associates.

Egyptian authorities criticised Tantawy’s tactic of distributing unapproved copies of endorsement forms to garner popular support, but they denied any misconduct.

Egypt’s Misdemeanour Appeals Court upheld the May court ruling on Monday, which prohibits Tantawy from seeking public office for five years and mandates that he pay a fine of 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($395).

Tantawy’s defence team member and well-known human rights attorney Khaled Ali said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the appeals procedure was riddled with anomalies.

Ali said lawyers struggled for months to confirm court dates, with hearings appearing absent from official schedules and case files missing from court registries.

The public prosecution was not immediately available to comment on the ruling or on Ali’s allegations over the process.

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