By Nangayi Guyson – Conakry – AFP- Guinea’s presidential election campaigns resumed Monday and will end on October 22, two days before the vote, according to a decree issued by transitional leader General Sekouba Konate. The election is intended to end decades of autocratic or military rule in the bauxite-rich west African country, which has been one of the poorest nations in the world since independence in 1958. People will be called to the polls on October 24 for a second round run-off to choose between two civilian candidates, Cellou Dalein Diallo (who won 43% of votes in the first... Continue Reading
By Correspondent – SYNOVATE, a research institution announced its results of an opinion poll on Sunday, showing that 84 per cent of the respondents trust President Jakaya Kikwete’s government. The poll also indicates that Mr Kikwete would have garnered 61 per cent of Union residential votes if the general election were to be held on Monday. Chadema’s Dr Willibrod Slaa would score 16 per cent, while Prof Ibrahim Lipumba of hama cha Wananchi (CUF) would get a mere 5 per cent of the votes. The remaining 5 per cent would be shared among other candidates. The opinion poll results were... Continue Reading
By Nangayi Guyson – Harare – Reuters- Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has accused President Robert Mugabe of violating the constitution and unilateral decision-making. Morgan Tsvangirai said on Thursday his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party refused to recognise a string of senior appointments made by President Robert Mugabe, in a fresh row set to strain their fragile coalition. Tsvangirai formed a power-sharing administration with bitter rival Mugabe last year after disputed 2008 elections, and briefly led his party in a boycott of the cabinet last October citing frustrations in implementing the unity pact. Under their coalition deal, the two... Continue Reading
By Nangayi Guyson – Addis Ababa-Ethiopian opposition leader Birtukan Mideksa who is considered as one of the most prominent and popular opposition leaders has been freed from jail. Her release on Wednesday by the government saying it had granted a plea for pardon, comes four months after the government’s landslide win in elections. The 36-year-old Union for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) leader was first jailed in 2005 when the opposition protested poll results that year, leading to unrest that resulted in the death of some 200 people. Birtukan and other opposition figures were charged with plotting against the constitution in... Continue Reading
By Own Correspondent – The Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) presidential candidate, Dr Willbrod Slaa,asked President Jakaya Kikwete to name the companies that benefited from a Sh1.3 billion package meant to enable them steer from the economic crisis. The money was given by the government to firms as astimulus package to weather the effects of the global economic crisis. Speaking at a rally in Njombe District region, Dr Slaa said this is a typical embezzlement because the stimulus money was o keyed during a CCM meeting at Mlimani City instead of being passed in Parliament. So far no one... Continue Reading
