Kenya will hold its general election on 9 August in a major test of stability in a country where elections are frequently marred by allegations of fraud and ethnic and politically motivated violence. The worst example of this was the 2007 elections in which at least 1 100 people were killed and over 500 000 displaced in … Read more
By JACOB KUBEKA – With barely 10 days to the Governorship election in Osun state, South-West Nigeria, there are fears that the activities of cultists and political thugs in some local government areas could threaten the peaceful and credible conduct of the election, if not contained. This warning is contained in Yiaga Africa’s pre-election report, … Read more
Since his appointment as MD/CEO of First Bank of Nigeria Limited in 2016, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan has completely transformed the financial institution and has made it attractive to every strata of the society. From an institution that used to be perceived as an old-generation bank, FirstBank is now a darling to all as it leverages … Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with senior officials from the African Union (AU) on 3 June and sought to deny Russia’s role in the developing food security crisis in Africa. This follows a series of accusations exchanged between Russia and its Western rivals blaming one another for the developing situation. The root of this is … Read more
By Garba Shehu – Unpacking the main takeaways from President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, starts with the gain from a side event, not the 15th Conference Of Parties to the United Nations Conference on Combating Desertification, UNCCF, which was the main event, considering the significance of what the President set out to … Read more
By Ken Obayagbon – Within the receding months, certain groups – political and socio-cultural groups including professional bodies – have been mounting pressure on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta to throw his hat into the ring for the 2023 presidential election. Aside these groups, certain noteworthy individuals from Delta and across the length and breadth … Read more
Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Monday declared his intention to run for the presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress for the 2023 poll. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo early Monday morning declared his intention to bid for the ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election, ending months of … Read more
By GILBERT MWIJUKE – A weather-beaten, tumbled down and neglected mansion is all that remains in the Rukooki suburb of Kasese town in western Uganda. The mansion is the palace of the once-powerful Busongora Kingdom, one of 27 kingdoms reinstated by the government in recent years as cultural institutions. A couple of cows grazing is … Read more
The recently formed Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) opposition party released a statement on 3 March condemning the surge of politically-motivated violence targeted at its leaders and members in recent weeks. This statement was motivated by a raid by armed men – assumed to be affiliated with the ruling ZANU-PF – on the home of … Read more
With the renewed focus by the Federal Government to revamp the non- oil sector of the Nigeria economy; the agro-industry is seen by many observers to be experiencing a renaissance. This is apparent through renewed government policies towards encouraging farmers and investors and increasing the contribution of the agricultural sector to the Gross Domestic Product … Read more
(Reuters) – “Like falling in love” is how Archbishop Desmond Tutu described voting in South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994, a remark that captured both his puckish humour and his profound emotions after decades fighting apartheid. Desmond Mpilo Tutu, the Nobel Peace laureate whose moral might permeated South African society during apartheid’s darkest hours … Read more
By Ibrahim Muhammed – The news of suspension of flight from Nigeria by Saudi Arabia General authority of civil aviation came as a shock and an unexpected development at this particular period of time. There are many factors being ascribed to the reason for the suspension of flight by the Saudi Aviation authority. The announcement … Read more
On 2 November it was announced that eSwatini would work towards the establishment of a national dialogue to resolve the country’s ongoing political crisis. This followed a one-day meeting between eSwatini King Mswati III and South African President and Chair of the South African Development Community (SADC) Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa was in eSwatini in his … Read more
On Monday, a dark cloud of desert locusts recently floated over the city of Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. For more than 40 minutes the moving swarm of locusts covered the city in the Galgodon valley. On Tuesday, remnants of the swarm still hovered over the city. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) said last … Read more
Newly appointed ministers and deputy ministers were sworn in on Friday, at the Union Buildings, in Pretoria. President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday evening (5 August) announced changes to his cabinet, as part of improving the capacity of government. Among other changes announced by the president is the separation of the Ministry of Human Settlements from … Read more
The government of eSwatini imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew, blocked the internet, and deployed the army on 29 June in an effort to quell ongoing unrest calling for major democratic reforms and an end to the absolute monarchy. These drastic measures were imposed after protest leaders announced the formation of a new campaign dubbed Kungahlwa Kwenile … Read more
By Josephine Babatunde – After 22 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, there are certainly good reasons to celebrate, but there are also many good reasons to reflect and ponder over the failure of leadership at all levels, particularly at the centre, which, during these years, resulted in numerous missed opportunities, crashed hopes and unfulfilled … Read more
Chadian military officials announced that President Idriss Déby had died of wounds sustained in conflict with militants in the Kanem region on 19 April. It was also announced that a transitional military council (CMT/Conseil Militaire de Transition) headed by Déby’s son, Mahamat Idriss Déby, had taken over governance of the country suspending the constitution and … Read more
Djibouti’s electoral commission declared incumbent President Ismail Omar Guelleh the winner of the 9 April presidential election with 97.44% of the vote. Guelleh’s only challenger, the independent candidate and political novice Zakaria Ismail Farah, took 2.48% of votes. Guelleh’s path to victory was paved by the main opposition candidates boycotting the election in protest of … Read more
A critical month lies ahead for Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan as she gets down to the business of running a country still in shock following the sudden death of her predecessor John Magufuli. Signing of key agreements to launch the East African Crude Oil Pipeline – one of Magufuli’s key infrastructure gems – earlier … Read more
The Super Eagles are just a step away from qualification for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and will be looking to pick all three points on Saturday. When they take on the Republic of Benin, as much as they are hopeful however, their opponents might prove hard nuts to crack, given their recent … Read more
East African Community leaders were conspicuously missing at the state funeral of Tanzania’s late president John Pombe Magufuli, which was held at the Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma on Monday. The only EAC leader in attendance was Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, who attended in his capacity as Kenya’s president and the current chairman of the EAC Summit. … Read more
At a news conference after emerging as the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe was adamant about retaining the current format of the continent’s flagship football tournament, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). “The AFCON will take place every two years, African football needs it,” Motsepe said at a news conference … Read more
By MICHAEL OWHOKO – Help! Lekki residents are exposed to water-related diseases engendered by sub-standard and unregulated sources of water supply. Increasing cases of dysentery and diarrhea-induced pathogenic bacteria infections have sparked concerns on public health in the area. Water is an essential element in human life, and inability to have access to clean water … Read more
Two days after she was sworn-in, President Samia Suluhu Hassan is set to become ruling party CCM’s national chairperson, a post that has been left vacant following the death of her predecessor Dr John Pombe Magufuli. This comes after an extra ordinary meeting that took place on Saturday afternoon at the part’s sub-office in Dar … Read more
One year ago WHO created the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to respond to the unprecedented show of support by individuals and companies to help WHO in the fight against COVID-19. Powered by the UN Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, it was developed as an innovative platform to enable private companies, individuals and other organizations … Read more
As of today, March 12, 2021; Africa COVID-19 caseload passed the 4 million threshold according to figures from the BBC’s tracking website. A number of countries have started vaccination efforts. Data from the John Hopkins University and Africa Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, indicates that few countries are experiencing a third wave of infection – typical … Read more
When Malagasy politician Ahmad Ahmad swept to power in 2017, it was on a wave of both popular support and expectation. Africa had, after all, spent 29 years under the thumb of Issa Hayatou, whose despotic, authoritarian manner of ruling had over time come to rankle the Caf rank and file. Buoyed by the support … Read more
Niger’s outgoing president Mahamadou Issoufou was on March 8 named the 2020 winner of Mo Ibrahim African Leadership Prize. He wins it after a two-year hiatus during which the Mo Ibrahim Foundation said no former leader merited the award. He takes over from Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who last won it in 2017. Since its … Read more
Addis Ababa may be a victim of its own history, even as it walks the thin line between handling the Tigray crisis while fighting off pressure from international community. And historians and political analysts who spoke to The EastAfrican this week say the crisis in Ethiopia’s northern region is very much a result of a mismanaged ethnic … Read more