THIS WEEK: CCEDU’s Kaheru to head regional election observers’ body Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Crispin Kaheru, the National Coordinator for Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) has been elected to chair the board of East and Horn of Africa Election Observers Network (E-HORN), a regional network of …
Read More »DR Congo election candidate campaigns in region hit by unrest, Ebola
Beni, DR Congo | AFP | A key opposition candidate in DR Congo presidential elections launched his campaign Wednesday in a city caught between an Ebola epidemic and militant attacks in one of the country’s most dangerous regions. Martin Fayulu, vying to replace President Joseph Kabila in the pivotal December …
Read More »Female opposition leader named Ethiopia poll chief
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | Ethiopia’s former opposition leader Birtukan Mideksa, who recently returned from exile, was on Thursday named as head of the country’s election body ahead of the 2020 polls. Birtukan’s appointment makes her the latest woman to be appointed to a high-profile role and the most …
Read More »French prosecutors open inquiry into Macron campaign financing
Paris, France | AFP | Paris prosecutors have launched an inquiry into the origins of thousands of euros donated to President Emmanuel Macron’s election campaign last year, a legal source told AFP on Tuesday. The move follows an alert from France’s campaign finance oversight body this month, after it was …
Read More »Pro-Kabila candidate Shadary unveils platform for DR Congo polls
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | President Joseph Kabila’s chosen successor on Monday unveiled his platform ahead of a landmark election in the Democratic Republic of Congo next month. Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary set out an $86 billion (75 billion euro) five-year development plan for the sprawling central African country. Making his first public remarks …
Read More »How to steal an election in broad daylight
Autocrats and counterfeit democrats have perfected the art of rigging polls to stay in power — without breaking any laws. Kampala, Uganda | NIC CHEESEMAN & BRIAN KLAAS | In Ukraine’s 2004 presidential election, droves of voters turned out in opposition strongholds, hoping to oust the incumbent, Viktor Yanukovych. Upon arrival …
Read More »Nigeria’s pro-business opposition leader launches campaign
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria’s opposition leader Atiku Abubakar launched his presidential campaign on Monday vowing to create millions of jobs to tackle rising inequality and insecurity in Africa’s top oil producer. Seated for a nine-minute address streamed live on Facebook and Twitter, Abubakar laid out his plan to …
Read More »Museveni asks Opposition to fight electoral violence
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Museveni has asked opposition parties in the country to support him fight electoral violence. Museveni made the remarks on Saturday at State House Entebbe while meeting members of the Inter Party Organization for Dialogue (IPOD), a forum of political parties represented in Parliament. Museveni …
Read More »Nigerian opposition candidate says ‘intimidated’ by govt agents
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | The presidential nominee of Nigeria’s main opposition party alleged Sunday that he was “intimidated” by armed government agents who searched his private plane at the Abuja airport. Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who will challenge incumbent Muhammadu Buhari in February, …
Read More »Cameroon challenger calls for presidential vote recount
Douala, Cameroon | AFP | Cameroon opposition candidate Maurice Kamto has called for an independent recount of last month’s presidential poll, urging the international community to “assume its responsibilities.” Kamto, who according to official results, came second with 14.23 percent of the vote behind incumbent Paul Biya, posted the appeal …
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