Metro

Gabon’s military junta frees ousted President Bongo from house arrest

Published

8 months ago

September 7, 2023

Leaders of Gabon’s military junta have announced the release of ousted President Ali Bongo one week after he was overthrown in a coup and placed under house arrest.

In a national broadcast by military spokesman, Col. Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, on behalf of newly sworn-in Head of State, Gen. Brice Oligui Nguema, the junta said Bongo, who suffered a stroke in 2018, was “free to leave the country and travel abroad” to seek medical attention.

“Given his state of health, the former President of the Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba has freedom of movement. He can travel abroad if he wishes to carry out his medical checks,” Col. Manfoumbi said.

The release of Bongo, who has been battling with health issues since he suffered the stroke, is coming on the back of concerns raised by several international bodies including the African Union and East African regional bloc, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), which suspended Gabon’s membership during an extraordinary summit in Djibloho, Equatorial Guinea, on Wednesday.

The 63-year-old Bongo, who has been in power for 14 years, had cried out, calling on his friends around the world to “make noise” following his arrest and that of his son and wife.

He came into office in 2009, succeeding his father, Omar, who ruled the country for some 41 years, and has been accused of ruling the country with an iron-fist defined by kleptocracy.

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Metro

President Tinubu finally returns to Nigeria amid speculations over his absence

Published

3 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

After spending the last two weeks out of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has finally returned to the country.

Tinubu, who returned to Nigeria on Wednesday morning, had departed the country two weeks ago, on April 23, for The Netherlands for a three-day official visit, honouring an invitation from the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte.

While in the European country, Tinubu participated in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum, which brought together heads of conglomerates and organisations in both countries.

After his engagements in The Netherlands, Tinubu, according to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, proceeded to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend a World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development which held between April 28–29.

However, after the summit, the president did not return to the country as he was said to have proceeded to London for a private visit which gave room to speculations over his health.

The Nigerian Presidency did not also help matters as there was no official statement on the President’s engagements, nor were they willing to douse the tension created by his absence, leading to Nigerians raising posers with the hashtag #WhereisTinubu.

In a tweet on Tuesday evening, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had revealed that Tinubu would be back in the country on Wednesday.

“President Bola Tinubu, along with his aides, will return to Nigeria tomorrow from Europe,” he had written.

The recent foreign trip was Tinubu’s 20th since assuming office on May 29, 2023, effectively logging 96 days abroad, which has made him one of Africa’s most globe-trotting leaders.

In his less than one year in office, President Tinubu has visited Paris, France (thrice); London, the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic, New Delhi, India.

He has also taken a trip to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal; Doha, Qatar; and The Hague, The Netherlands.

Metro

Lack of awareness on Cyber Security Act persists, prompting calls for enhanced sensitization in Kasama

Published

22 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Despite the enactment and implementation of the Cybersecurity Act, a segment of society in Northern Province’s Kasama District remains unaware of its existence and provisions.

When asked about media freedom and the Cyber Security Act, taxi driver, Evans Simfukwe, expressed ignorance and called for more sensitization on the law.

Responding in Bemba to a reporter, Simfukwe, who acknowledged using social media handles such as Facebook, questioned the meaning of media freedom and how it influenced societal decisions.

“First, I want to ask what media freedom means? If the law is in place, then it’s fine,” Simfukwe told Zambia Monitor in an interview in Kasama.

However, he quickly emphasized his understanding of freedom of speech and urged that the law should not be used to silence him and others who wish to speak and advise the government on various issues in the country.

Simfukwe highlighted that people should be allowed to voice their concerns, such as the current economic conditions leading to increased living costs.

“We must be free to speak because there is a lot of economic hardship we are going through. One issue is mealie meal; we have the right to speak. Fuel is another thing making work difficult,” he stated.

Regarding the Cyber Security Act, Simfukwe advised his fellow social media users to be mindful of their posts if the law truly exists, to avoid conflicts with it.

He also urged the government to listen to what people are saying on social media and avoid silencing every critical voice providing advice on the economy and other social issues.

Catherine Mumba, a mobile money agent, echoed Simfukwe’s sentiments, expressing her lack of knowledge about media freedom and the Cyber Security Act despite using social media.

She suggested increasing sensitization on the law or translating it into vernacular languages for those who can use social media but may not understand it in English.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.