Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader and presidential hopeful Nelson Chamisa believes he will ride a wave of youthful optimism to election victory, emulating Barack Obama, Emmanuel Macron and Justin Trudeau. In an interview with AFP, the 40-year-old Chamisa said Zimbabweans were craving generational change in the …
Read More »Rift opens in Nigeria’s ruling party as elections loom
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Lawmakers in Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have formed a breakaway group in what is expected to be a prelude to defections as elections approach next year. President Muhammadu Buhari’s former ally, Buba Galadima, on Wednesday announced the creation of a group called the …
Read More »‘Yes’ votes ahead in Burundi constitutional referendum
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi looked set to adopt constitutional reforms that could allow President Pierre Nkurunziza to remain in power until 2034, with official results on Friday showing a “yes” vote winning in 14 of 18 provinces. The official results, published by a coalition of 15 public and …
Read More »Maduro brushes off risk of new sanctions after Sunday’s vote
Paris, France | AFP | Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday dismissed the threat of new sanctions following an early election called for Sunday, which critics have denounced as a sham aimed at tightening his grip on power. “These are unacceptable threats toward any sovereign nation,” Maduro said in an …
Read More »Nkurunziza: Burundi’s ‘messianic’ leader
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza is an evangelical who believes he was chosen by God to rule the east African nation, and plans to do so for as long as possible. The 54-year-old former rebel is seeking to extend his rule with a raft of constitutional …
Read More »Burundi to hold referendum to extend Nkurunziza rule
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundians on Thursday will vote in a referendum on sweeping constitutional reforms that would shore up the power of President Pierre Nkurunziza and enable him to rule until 2034. With opponents cowed, beaten, killed or living in exile, there seems little doubt the amendments will …
Read More »Erdogan rejects main Turkey opposition’s TV debate challenge
Ankara, Turkey | AFP | Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday rejected a challenge from the main opposition party’s presidential candidate to hold televised debates ahead of snap polls on June 24. Muharrem Ince, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate running against Erdogan, earlier on Monday urged the president …
Read More »UN chief urges DR Congo to lift ban on demonstrations
United Nations, United States | AFP | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government to lift a ban on demonstrations that threatens to scupper chances for credible elections. The December 23 elections in the vast resource-rich country are to pave the way to a …
Read More »Dozens of casualties in blast at Afghan voter registration centre: officials
Khost, Afghanistan | AFP | A blast at a voter registration centre in Afghanistan’s restive east on Sunday killed or wounded at least 30 people, officials said, capping a bloody week in the war-torn country. The bomb had been placed in a tent being used to register voters on the …
Read More »When politicians are unrecognizable in campaign Posters
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A female candidate for a local position in Taipei, Taiwan, recently became the butt of social media jokes, after people noticed that she looked nothing like the woman on her campaign posters. The difference between real-life Wang Zhiya and her depiction on campaign posters …
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