Monrovia, Liberia | AFP | George Weah, 51, emerged from Liberia’s slums to become a superstar footballer in the 1990s, and has leveraged his status as a revered figure among young people in his second run for the presidency. Now Weah has a confirmed place in the runoff round against …
Read More »Weah firmly in lead with 74% Liberia vote counted
Weah and Boakai edge towards Liberia presidential run-off Monrovia, Liberia | AFP | Former football star George Weah and incumbent Vice-President Joseph Boakai on Saturday edged closer to competing in a run-off vote for Liberia’s presidency, with three quarters of polling stations counted. Weah now commands 39.2 percent of votes …
Read More »Kenyatta signs into law Supplementary Budget, $116 million for fresh poll
Nairobi, Kenya | PSCU | Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta has signed into law the Supplementary budget that allocates ($116 million) for the October 26 fresh presidential poll and Kshs 25 billion ($242 million) for free secondary education that kicks off in January next year. The Supplementary Appropriation (No. 3) Act, 2017, also allocates Kshs 6.7 billion …
Read More »Weah and Boakai ahead in Liberia election partial results
Monrovia, Liberia | AFP | Liberian presidential candidates George Weah and Vice-President Joseph Boakai dominated partial tallies released by the country’s electoral commission on Thursday, but the results showed the vast majority of votes are yet to be counted. Political parties have expressed concern over polling-day hitches on Tuesday that …
Read More »No DRC presidential poll before 2019
Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | DR Congo’s electoral commission announced Wednesday that the vote to replace President Joseph Kabila expected by the end of the year will not happen before the start of 2019. Kabila officially ended his term in office in December, but he was allowed to stay …
Read More »Ordinary Kenyans feel pinch of political uncertainty
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | “Time for an interview? I have a lot of time at the moment,” said Owino Onyango, sweating as he stepped out of his blacksmith’s shop in Nairobi to talk business, and politics. “Business goes with politics: if politics go down, business also goes down”, said the …
Read More »Kenya opposition protests as poll body mulls next step
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Supporters of Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga took to the streets Wednesday as poll officials mull their next move after his withdrawal from a presidential election plunged the country into uncharted waters. Opinions are split on what the veteran opposition leader’s decision implies for what …
Read More »Results expected Wednesday afternoon in vote to replace Liberia’s Sirleaf
Monrovia, Liberia | AFP | Counting was under way in Liberia on Wednesday following a peaceful poll that will determine President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s successor after 12 years and complete a historic democratic transfer of power. The first official results in the presidential and legislative elections are expected on Wednesday …
Read More »LIVE: Raila Odinga withdraws from Kenya poll re-run
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga withdrew Tuesday from a re-run of the presidential election, saying electoral officials had failed to make necessary reforms. “After deliberating on our position in respect of the upcoming election… we believe that all will be best served by (the party) vacating …
Read More »Protests continue as Kenya opposition demands poll reform
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Kenyan police lobbed tear gas at opposition supporters who protested around the country on Monday to demand a reform of the election commission before new polls are held later this month. Thousands gathered in the capital and the western opposition stronghold Kisumu, while smaller demonstrations …
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