South Africa’s ex-President Jacob Zuma barred from May elections | Politics News

The elections are expected to be the most competitive vote since 1994 when the nation became a democracy.

South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma has been barred from standing in elections in May, the electoral commission has said.

South Africa is set to hold general elections on May 29 in what is expected to be the most competitive vote since the end of apartheid in 1994.

Zuma has been campaigning for the recently formed uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK) (Spear of the Nation) party in an attempt to relaunch his career, after he was previously jailed for contempt of court in 2021.

“In the case of former President Zuma, yes, we did receive an objection, which has been upheld,” electoral commission President Mosotho Moepya told reporters on Thursday, without giving details.

“The party that has nominated him has been informed” as have those objecting to the move, he said.

Jacob Zuma in Durban, South Africa, March 27, 2024 [Rogan Ward/Reuters]

Close race

The governing African National Congress (ANC) is on the brink of dropping below 50 percent of the vote for the first time since it came to power in 1994.

The party is bleeding support amid a weak economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

If the ANC falls below the 50 percent threshold, it will force the party, once led by Nelson Mandela, to form a coalition to stay in office.

Recent polls put the ANC on just more than 40 percent of the vote with the main opposition Democratic Alliance on about 27 percent and the MK party on 13 percent.

Zuma’s tenure ended in 2018 under a cloud of corruption allegations when incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa replaced him.

He was later sentenced to 15 months in jail in June 2021 after refusing to testify to a panel probing financial corruption and cronyism under his presidency. His jailing prompted protests, riots and looting that left more than 350 dead.

He was freed on medical parole just two months into his term.

An appeals court later ruled Zuma’s release was illegally granted and ordered him back to jail.

But on returning to a correctional centre, he immediately benefitted from a remission of non-violent offenders approved by Ramaphosa.

The electoral commission said in a statement that under the constitution “any person who was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine” cannot stand in an election.

Zuma is also facing separate charges of corruption in an arms procurement scandal in the 1990s when he was vice president.

Despite his legal troubles, Zuma still wields political clout and has been campaigning for the MK party in an attempt to revive his career and weaken his former party, the ANC, which suspended him in January.

The decision to bar Zuma can be appealed before April 2.

MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlhela told the AFP news agency the party was “looking at the merit of that objection but we will, of course, will appeal it”.

[Al Jazeera]

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Eleven dead, thousands affected as Cyclone Gamane batters Madagascar | Weather News

Houses washed away and roads destroyed after cyclone hits north of the Indian Ocean island.

At least 11 people have been killed and hundreds of homes destroyed as Cyclone Gamane smashed into northern Madagascar, according to officials.

The storm was projected to skim the Indian Ocean island, but changed course and hit the island’s Vohemar district in the early hours of Wednesday.

Video images showed torrents of water rushing through villages and people making human chains in waist-deep water while trying to help those trapped in their houses escape the deluge. Numerous routes and bridges were flooded and cut off.

Six people drowned and five others were killed by collapsing houses or falling trees, with some 7,000 people affected overall.

“It’s rare to have a cyclone like this. Its movement is nearly stationary,” General Elack Andriakaja, director general of the BNGRC national disaster management office, said in a statement.

“When the system stops in one place, it devastates all the infrastructure. And that has serious consequences for the population. And significant flooding”, he said.

The full extent of the damage is still unclear, because many villages in the region were cut off from the rest of the country, making access difficult for rescue teams.

The cyclone moved across the island with an average wind speed of 150km/h (93mph) and heavy rainfall. In some places, winds of 210km/h (130mph) were measured.

Gamane has been reclassified as a tropical storm and was expected to leave the island on Friday afternoon, according to meteorologists.

Located off the coast of southeastern Africa, Madagascar is regularly affected by severe weather. A year ago, tropical Cyclone Freddy devastated the country as well as the neighbouring mainland countries of Mozambique and Malawi. More than 500 people lost their lives.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

The cost of a Ramadan iftar meal around the world | Religion News

As the sun sets during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Muslims from around the world gather to break their fast with dates and water followed by a meal known as iftar.

There are some 1.9 billion Muslims around the world, approximately 25 percent of the global population. For many however, rising food prices have meant that households have had to consider cutting back on some of their favourite Ramadan dishes.

To see just how much the prices of various ingredients have increased over the past year, Al Jazeera compared the prices of dozens of ingredients from a variety of supermarket chains from 14 countries around the world. Below are pictures of these traditional meals along with their corresponding prices, listed alphabetically.

Argentina

From South America, we have a locally inspired main dish with beef asado, featuring various cuts of grilled meat with chimichurri – a tangy parsley dipping sauce.

As a side, we have empanadas, a popular savoury pastry consisting of ground beef or vegetables, and for dessert, dulce de leche pancakes with a sweet and creamy caramel sauce, topped with fresh fruit.

To drink, Argentinians will often enjoy a traditional herbal tea made from the yerba mate plant.

Argentina has experienced one of the world’s highest levels of inflation, with the cost of food increasing 303 percent in February 2024 compared with February of the previous year.

To prepare this particular iftar meal, Al Jazeera calculated that a single serving would cost about 7,200 pesos ($8.4) today, compared with about 1,782 pesos ($2) in 2023, reflecting an increase of more than four times.

(Al Jazeera)

Australia

For the world’s largest island, Australia’s iftar experience is a reflection of the country’s multicultural landscape, blending flavours from across the globe.

At the heart of the meal is a “halal snack pack”, a popular street food turned staple dish of shaved lamb over a bed of hot chips and topped with garlic and barbeque sauce.

For the side, a hearty lentil soup with vegetables is often enjoyed and for those with a sweet tooth, there are lamingtons – sponge cake coated in chocolate, filled with jam and blanketed with desiccated coconut.

Best served chilled, cordial is a sweet and refreshing fruit concentrate to rehydrate after a summer day of fasting.

Similar to other Western countries, Australia has also struggled to curb inflation. Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 12.5 Australian dollars ($8.1) to have this meal in 2024, up from about 11 Australian dollars ($7) the year before.

The biggest price increases came from key ingredients including meat and eggs.

(Al Jazeera)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Among the highest Muslim populations in Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina has a variety of traditional foods reflecting its multicultural heritage. A solid choice on a Bosnian iftar table is pita krompiruša, a baked dish consisting of layers of thin phyllo dough filled with a savoury mixture of mashed potatoes, onions and spices.

Following the hearty start, the meal transitions to topa, a slow-cooked side of melted cheese and butter. The transition to sweetness is marked by hurmašica, a syrup-soaked dessert that is both sweet and comforting.

Concluding the iftar is a glass of sok od drenjina, a popular beverage made from the fruit of the Cornelian cherry tree.

Combining all meals, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 2.9 BAM ($1.6) for a single serving of this meal this Ramadan. In 2023 the same meal cost 2.7 BAM ($1.5), a 7 percent increase.

The higher cost of potatoes, sugar and butter was mainly responsible for a more expensive Bosnian iftar meal in 2024.

Egypt

A country steeped in centuries-old traditions and culinary heritage, an Egyptian iftar table may include a local delicacy of grape leaves stuffed with a mixture of rice, minced meat and spices.

For a nutritious and comforting soup, chopped molokhiya (jute leaves) prepared with garlic and coriander is always a good choice, followed by kunafa, a sweet and cheesy dessert staple eaten across the Middle East and North Africa.

To quench one’s thirst, qamar al-din, a traditional apricot drink, is a crowd favourite.

Egypt is currently experiencing record levels of inflation and a depreciating currency. This has meant that the prices of many ingredients, most notably ghee and sugar, are nearly three times more expensive than they were last Ramadan.

Al Jazeera calculated that this Ramadan, it will cost roughly 68 Egyptian pounds ($1.4) to prepare a single serving of the meal above. In 2023, the same meal cost 39 Egyptian pounds ($0.8), an increase of 74 percent.

India

India has a great variety of iftar meals to choose from. Among one of the favourites is ghugni, a vegetarian curry made of peas or chickpeas and cooked with onions, tomatoes and various spices.

For sides, there’s pakora, a deep-fried vegetable fritter made with onions and green chillies. For dessert, we have suji halwa, a semolina pudding cooked with ghee and sugar and topped with nuts.

To cleanse the palate, one can reach for a glass of refreshing rose drink made from rose syrup, water and often a splash of lime or mint.

In combining these ingredients, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs roughly 149 rupees ($1.8) to prepare a serving of this meal this Ramadan. The same meal last year actually cost 162 rupees ($1.9), a decrease of 9 percent.

The main reason for this was the drop in the price of onions which were used widely in this dish. The price of all other other ingredients either increased or stayed the same.

India is the world’s largest exporter of onions. In December, the country imposed a ban on all onion exports to increase domestic availability and drive down prices which have more than halved since the ban took effect. On March 23, the ban, which was due to expire on March 31, was extended indefinitely.

(Al Jazeera)

Indonesia

In the world’s largest Muslim nation, spanning six thousand inhabited islands, Indonesia’s iftar traditions are locally inspired by the unique flavour of bubur – a traditional rice porridge topped with shredded chicken, peanuts, greens and an array of spices.

A favourite side dish is, bakwan, a crispy vegetable fritter containing a variety of vegetables such as shredded carrots, cabbage and bean sprouts. For those with a sweet tooth, there is kolak pisang, a sweet dessert made with bananas cooked in coconut milk, sugar and pandan leaves.

And to wrap up the flavourful meal, wash it down with a glass of es timun suri, a refreshing melon and coconut-infused drink.

To prepare the meal, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 66,600 rupiah ($4.2) for a serving this year. The cost last year was 62,600 rupiah ($3.9), about 6 percent lower.

(Al Jazeera)

Malaysia

A predominantly Muslim nation, Malaysian cuisine is locally inspired with beef rendang, a rich and spicy coconut milk-based beef dish.

As a side, Malaysians often enjoy sayur lodeh, a fragrant vegetable stew made of coconut milk, with eggplant, beans and nuts.

To complement the rich flavours, many Malaysians will reach for a glass of sirap bandung, a sweet rose syrup-infused milk.

And to top things off, a popular dessert is seri muka, a two-layered rice and pandan custard.

Combining all the necessary ingredients, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs roughly 6.9 ringgits ($1.5) to prepare a single serving of this meal in 2024. In 2023 the same meal cost about 6.4 ringgits ($1.3), an increase of 7 percent.

For Malaysia’s iftar, the largest price increases over the past year were in fresh food items, including eggs and coconut milk.

(Al Jazeera)

Nigeria

Nigerian cuisine is known for its diverse ingredients and vibrant spices. For the main course, Nigerians, like many across West Africa, will often enjoy jollof rice, a red aromatic rice, served with chicken.

To enhance the flavours, one could enjoy moi moi – a savoury pudding made from black-eyed peas or beans.

And for dessert, a good choice is a fresh fruit salad.

To top things off, a Nigerian iftar is best served with zobo, a popular beverage made from dried hibiscus flowers.

Africa’s most populous nation has seen a worsening inflation rate, aggressively increasing the price of poultry and other fresh food items.

Al Jazeera calculated that in 2024 it costs about 6,500 naira ($4.4) to prepare a serving of this meal, compared with about 3,860 naira ($2.6) the year before – an increase of about 68 percent.

(Al Jazeera)

Pakistan

Nearing Iftar time in Pakistan, the atmosphere is imbued with anticipation and warmth starting with dahi baray – lentil fritters, doused in yoghurt and topped with sweet and spicy chutneys.

On the side, we have fruit chaat, a sweet and savoury fruit salad sprinkled with chaat masala. For dessert is jalebi – a popular street food made with flour and sugar with a gooey centre.

A beautiful round-off for iftar is a rose-flavoured drink.

Totalling up the grocery cost, Al Jazeera calculated a serving of this iftar meal to be 172 rupees ($0.6). In 2023 the same meal cost 141 rupees ($0.5), about an 18 percent increase.

Pakistan’s inflation levels have remained high with food inflation reaching a record high of 48.65 percent in May 2023. Looking at our list of ingredients, we found that the largest price hikes were seen in vegetables, sugar and ghee.

Palestine

One of the most widely eaten dishes across Palestine and the Levant region is maklouba, which translates from Arabic to “upside-down”. It is a flavourful rice dish with layers of sliced eggplants, meat and other vegetables cooked together in a pot, then flipped upside-down onto a serving platter before eating.

Complementing the maklouba is dagga – a traditional spicy tomato and cucumber salad covered in olive oil.

For dessert, a great Ramadan choice is katayif, a type of semi-circular stuffed pancake often filled with walnuts or cheese and then dipped in syrup.

Tamir hindi is a popular drink made with tamarind and sugar.

Totalling up the grocery cost, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 31.5 shekels ($9) to prepare a serving of this iftar meal in the occupied West Bank this Ramadan. The same meal cost 28.5 shekels ($8) in 2023, an 11 percent increase.

Olive oil had the most significant price increase, nearly doubling from 30 shekels ($8.2) per litre in 2023 to 55 shekels ($15) this year. The price of meat also saw a 10 percent increase.

Observing Ramadan in Gaza amid Israel’s continuing assault has been a huge challenge for many Palestinians. Preparing a meal is a luxury that many can’t afford. According to people on the ground, a single egg now costs 6 shekels ($1.64).

Despite this, families are trying to keep their spirits and traditions alive by preparing whatever meals they can. Al Jazeera spoke to some of these displaced families who are now living in tents in Rafah.

(Al Jazeera)

South Africa

The Rainbow Nation has a variety of racial and ethnic groups. Preparing a traditional meal means bringing together various foods. For the main course, South Africans can enjoy a classic combo of pap en vleis, also known as shisa nyama – a maize meal porridge eaten with barbecued meat.

Accompanying this is chakalaka, a spicy vegetable relish made with onions, tomatoes, carrots, beans and spices. For dessert, koeksisters – braided deep-fried dough drenched in syrup – provide a crunchy treat.

To round off the meal, a “Stoney” – carbonated ginger beer – offers a refreshing end to the iftar.

Like many countries, South Africa is battling rising inflation. Al Jazeera calculated that it costs about 77 rand ($4.0) to prepare a serving of the iftar meal above. In 2023 the same meal cost 68 rand ($3.6), about a 13 percent increase.

The biggest price increases came from the price of store-bought chakalaka and pantry items such as cake flour and sugar.

Turkey

As the sun sets in Turkey, many families will feast on dolma – stuffed vegetables with a mixture of rice, meat and herbs.

On the side, is a bowl of cacik, a creamy yoghurt and cucumber dip. For dessert, one of the many choices might be a bowl of muhallebi, a milk pudding flavoured with cinnamon and nuts.

And to support digestion, salgam, a fermented turnip beverage is a good choice.

Turkey has also seen soaring levels of inflation. Setting out the table for iftar, Al Jazeera calculated that a serving of this meal costs about 60.5 lira ($1.9), compared with about 50.6 lira ($1.6) a year ago – an increase of about 20 percent.

Among the biggest price hikes came in the form of dairy products including milk and yoghurt.

(Al Jazeera)

United Kingdom

There are roughly four million Muslims in the UK. Like many other non-Muslim majority countries, the choice of iftar meals depends largely on a household’s ethnic background. A hearty British seafood iftar could comprise a slice of salmon fillet served with a side of greens and a bowl of rice.

Served after the main course could be a bowl of fruit yoghurt.

Packed with antioxidants, and aiding digestion could be a hot cup of green tea.

For this year’s iftar, Al Jazeera calculated that it costs roughly 2.2 pounds ($2.7) for a single serving of the meal above. That’s a marginal increase of about 4 percent from the previous year of 2.1 pounds ($2.6).

In 2022, the UK experienced seven months of double-digit inflation peaking at 11.1 percent in October. The rate has since settled at about 4 percent during the first few months of 2024.

(Al Jazeera)

United States

The United States has a diverse Muslim community with about three to four million members – or about one percent of the population. A popular main dish enjoyed across many American households is the culinary classic oven-roasted chicken infused with herbs and spices.

Complementing the roast, one might find the traditional Middle Eastern green salad topped with crispy pieces of toasted bread known as fattoush.

For dessert, one can’t go wrong with a piece of kunafa, a sweet and cheesy dessert topped with nuts.

To round off the evening, one can reach for a flavoured milk of your choice.

To prepare this year’s meal, Al Jazeera estimated costs are roughly $7.1 per serving this Ramadan. Last year the same meal cost about $6.7, an increase of about 5 percent.

For the most part, the prices of the ingredients needed to prepare this meal have held firm with slight increases in the price of poultry and dairy.

(Al Jazeera)

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Senegal opposition candidate Faye won 54 percent in presidential vote | Elections News

The full provisional results are expected to be confirmed by the Constitutional Council in the coming days.

Opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye won more than 54 percent of votes in Senegal’s presidential election, the Dakar appeals court has said.

The court said on Wednesday the provisional results were based on vote tallies from 100 percent of polling stations. The results are expected to be confirmed by the Constitutional Council in the coming days.

Faye’s victory came just 10 days after he was freed from prison. The 44-year-old victor has said he wants a “break” with the current political system, and is set to become the youngest president in Senegal’s history.

The court said ruling coalition candidate Amadou Ba took more than 35 percent of the vote, and third-placed candidate Aliou Mamadou Dia won 2.8 percent.

Senegal’s outgoing President Macky Sall earlier congratulated Faye, saying his win is “a victory for Senegalese democracy”.

Analysts said his win reflected a protest against the outgoing leadership and divisions within a powerful, but weakened, governing coalition.

Faye’s message has been particularly popular among young voters in a country where more than 60 percent of people are under 25 and struggle to find jobs.

Millions in Senegal took part in the vote to elect the country’s fifth president.

The polls followed three years of political turbulence that led to violent antigovernment protests, which garnered greater support for the opposition.

Dozens have been killed and hundreds arrested since 2021, with Faye himself detained and only released in the middle of the election campaign.

A peaceful transition of power in Senegal would mark a turn for democracy in West Africa, where there have been eight military coups since 2020.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Binance executive detained in Nigeria in crypto case escapes custody | Crime News

The Binance executive was detained when he arrived in Nigeria following the crackdown on the company.

An executive of cryptocurrency exchange Binance has escaped custody in Nigeria, where a criminal investigation has been launched against the platform accused of being used for money laundering, according to authorities.

Nadeem Anjarwalla, the regional manager for Binance in Africa, “fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport”, the office of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser said in a statement on Monday.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest crypto economy in terms of trade volume, with many citizens using crypto as the country experiences surging inflation and a declining local currency.

“The personnel responsible for the custody of the suspect have been arrested, and a thorough investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances that led to his escape from lawful detention,” Zakari Mijinyawa, spokesman for the office of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, said in a statement.

The Abuja-based Premium Times newspaper, which broke the news of Anjarwalla’s escape, reported that he fled from a guest house in the capital city after guards allowed him entry to a nearby mosque for prayers.

The Binance executive, who holds both British and Kenyan citizenship, was detained along with another colleague on February 26 when they arrived in Nigeria following the crackdown on the company.

Tigran Gambaryan, Anjwaralla’s colleague who is a US citizen, remains in custody.

The Binance executives were due to appear in court on April 4.

Binance ended trading with the Nigerian naira currency on its platform in early March after authorities accused it of being used for money laundering and “terrorism” financing.

Authorities have not provided evidence for the accusations publicly.

Nigeria’s tax agency, meanwhile, filed a four-count charge on tax evasion against the crypto exchange, accusing it also of “complicity in aiding customers to evade taxes through its platform”.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths to step down due to health reasons | United Nations News

Griffiths has worked as the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs for three years.

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths, who has played a key role in pressing for aid to the Gaza Strip and led earlier efforts for Yemen, has announced he will step down due to ill health.

Griffiths, who has headed the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and served as the emergency relief coordinator for three years, said he has informed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of his intention to step down in June.

“To everyone at UNOCHA, it’s been the privilege of my life. I am deeply in your debt. To all partners and supporters, thank you for championing the cause of people in crises,” he said on Monday in a post on the social media platform X.

In recent months, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs has repeatedly pressed for Israel to allow humanitarian assistance into Gaza, which has been devastated by a more than five-month Israeli military assault and severe restrictions on aid supplies.

Several NGOs and rights organisations have accused Israel of deliberately blocking aid to Gaza as warnings of famine in the besieged strip rise. Israel has denied the accusations.

Last month, Griffiths warned Israel not to ignore calls against a planned assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where 1.5 million Palestinians have taken shelter, warning that an Israeli operation “could lead to a slaughter”.

“The October 7 attacks on Israel are horrific – I have condemned them repeatedly and will continue to do so. But they cannot justify what is happening to every single child, woman and man in Gaza,” Griffiths wrote in an op-ed for Al Jazeera in February.

He has also raised the alarm on other ongoing humanitarian crises around the world.

This month, he warned that nearly five million people in Sudan could suffer catastrophic hunger in the coming months.

He has also faced criticism for his work.

After a trip to conflict-torn Myanmar last August, civil society groups said his visit failed to make substantial progress on humanitarian assistance and lent legitimacy to military coup leaders who had “weaponized aid”.

In a statement after his trip, Griffiths noted successive crises had left a third of Myanmar’s population in need of aid, and he appealed to the military to improve access to humanitarian relief.

“We need better access so we can help them daily, every day, every week, safely and securely,” he  said.

Griffiths previously served as the UN special envoy for Yemen and has been an adviser on Syria.

He has also worked for other international humanitarian organisations, including UNICEF, Save the Children and ActionAid.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Opposition celebrations in Senegal as Faye takes early election lead | Elections

NewsFeed

Supporters of the leading opposition candidate have been celebrating in Senegal after Bassirou Diomaye Faye appeared to take an early lead in the presidential election, but the ruling party said the vote would go to a run-off.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye takes early lead in presidential election | Elections News

Opposition supporters take to streets in celebration but ruling coalition says a run-off will be needed to determine the winner.

Supporters of Senegal’s presidential candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye have taken to the streets of the capital, Dakar, in celebration as early results from Sunday’s vote showed the opposition contender in the lead.

The celebrations came as at least five of the 19 candidates in the race issued statements congratulating Faye on what they called his victory.

But his main rival from the ruling coalition, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, said the celebrations were premature.

“For our part, and considering the feedback of the results from our team of experts, we are certain that, in the worst case scenario, we will go to a run-off,” Ba’s campaign said in a statement.

There was no immediate comment from Faye.

Millions in Senegal took place in Sunday’s vote to elect the country’s fifth president. It followed three years of unprecedented political turbulence that sparked violent antigovernment protests and buoyed support for the opposition.

At stake is the potential end of an administration led by outgoing President Macky Sall, who is stepping down after a second term marred by unrest over the prosecution of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko and concerns that the president wanted to extend his mandate past the constitutional limit.

The incumbent was not on the ballot for the first time in Senegal’s history. His ruling coalition picked 62-year-old Ba as its candidate.

Sonko, in jail until recently, was disqualified from the race because of a defamation conviction. He is backing Faye, the co-creator of his now-dissolved PASTEF party, who was also detained almost a year ago on charges including defamation and contempt of court.

An amnesty law passed this month allowed their release days before the vote.

He and his colleague Diomaye have campaigned together under the banner “Diomaye is Sonko”.

About 7.3 million people were registered to vote in the country of approximately 18 million. Turnout was at about 71 percent, according to state television RTS.

Election day ran smoothly with no major incidents reported.

The first set of tallies announced on television showed Faye had won the majority of votes.

Jubilant crowds gathered in Sonko’s neighbourhood in Dakar, with supporters setting off fireworks, waving Senegalese flags and blowing vuvuzelas.

“This is really an unusual election,” said Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque, reporting from outside Sonko’s home. “People are celebrating outside the home of a politician who is not even in the running – Ousmane Sonko. For the people here, the fact that this election even took place is a reason to celebrate. There has been so much pent-up emotion being released. On these streets just weeks ago, there were riots, demonstrators protesting for this election to take place.”

He added: “No one has claimed victory. The counting is still under way, but there are some notable candidates who have all congratulated Faye.”

They included one of the main contenders, Anta Babacar Ngom, who wished Faye success as leader of Senegal in a statement.

“Congratulations to Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his unquestionable victory,” she said on X.

It was not clear how many of the 15,633 polling stations have been counted so far.

Final provisional results are expected by Tuesday. A second round of voting will only take place if no candidate secures the more than 50 percent majority required to prevent a run-off.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Chad main opposition figures barred as leaders cleared for election | Elections News

The central African country’s presidential election is set to take place in May.

Authorities in Chad have cleared 10 candidates for this year’s long-awaited presidential election, barring two fierce opponents of the military government from standing.

Chad’s Constitutional Council announced on Sunday that outspoken opposition figures Nassour Ibrahim Neguy Koursami and Rakhis Ahmat Saleh would be barred.

It said their applications had been rejected because they included “irregularities”.

The council said that the nominations of interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby and the country’s recently-appointed Prime Minister Succes Masra had been accepted.

The central African nation is scheduled to hold the first round of a presidential election on May 6 and the second round on June 22, with provisional results on July 7.

The elections are part of a transition back to democracy from rule by Chad’s military government, which is one of several currently in power in West and Central Africa.

There have been eight coups in the region since 2020, sparking concerns of a democratic backslide.

It is the first time in Chad’s history that a president and a prime minister will face each other in a presidential poll.

Deby initially promised an 18-month transition to elections after he seized power in 2021, when his long-ruling father was killed in clashes with rebels.

But his government later adopted resolutions that postponed elections until 2024 and allowed him to run for president, triggering protests that were violently quelled by security forces.

In December, Chadians voted in favour of a new constitution that critics said could help cement Deby’s grip on power as it allowed him to run for the presidency.

Deby confirmed his intention to run earlier this month.

Masra, previously a staunch opponent of Chad’s military rulers, had fled the country after dozens were killed when security forces cracked down on demonstrations in the capital N’Djamena in October 2022.

He returned in November after a reconciliation agreement was signed that guaranteed him the ability to participate in political activities.

Several opposition parties have since distanced themselves from Masra.

Call for boycott

Wakit Tamma, another of the main opposition platforms in Chad, on Saturday called for a boycott of the presidential vote, denouncing it as a “masquerade” aimed at upholding a “dynastic dictatorship”.

The barring of the opposition candidates comes less than a month after General Deby’s main rival Yaya Dillo Djerou was shot dead in an army assault on his PSF party headquarters.

In early March, Human Rights Watch called for an independent investigation into the murder of Dillo, arguing that the army assault “raises serious concerns about the environment for elections scheduled for May”.

Prime Minister Masra subsequently promised that his government would hold an international inquiry to determine responsibility for the death of the military government’s main opponent.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Senegal votes in delayed presidential election | Elections News

Voting is under way in Senegal in a delayed presidential election that many hope will bring change after a turbulent political period that has triggered violent anti-government protests and boosted support for the opposition.

More than seven million of the country’s over 17 million people are registered to vote in the election, which has seen about 16,440 polling stations open on Sunday across the country and in the diaspora.

Nineteen contenders are vying to replace President Macky Sall, stepping down after a second term marred by unrest over the prosecution of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko and concerns that Sall wanted to extend his mandate past the constitutional limit.

The incumbent is not on the ballot for the first time in Senegal’s history. His ruling coalition has picked former prime minister Amadou Ba, 62, as its candidate.

Sonko, Sall’s main opponent, was not able to take part after he was convicted of defamation. Bassirou Diomaye Faye replaced Sonko as the candidate for the PASTEF party.

Besides Ba and Faye, Dakar’s former Mayor Khalifa Sall, veteran politician Idrissa Seck, former Prime Minister Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne, a close ally of President Sall Aly Ngouille Ndiaye and entrepreneur and political newcomer Anta Babacar Ngom — the sole woman among the candidates — are all a part of the presidential race.

(Al Jazeera)

To avoid a run-off election, one candidate must secure more than 50 percent of the vote. While official results are expected next week, in previous elections candidates have announced their predictions on the same evening as the vote.

Reporting from Dakar, Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque said it was an “unusual” election.

“There is both anticipation like you would have in any election; there is an element of fear and unknown because this is the first election in the last 12 years where President Macky Sall is not in the running … and there is an element of excitement, especially among those young, first-time voters.

“This is an election like no other and it’s very important, especially for young people.”

‘Voting for change’

Lines formed outside polling stations around Dakar on Sunday. Roads were quiet as the nation’s elite police force was deployed across the city in armoured vehicles, checking voters’ cards.

“I am so happy to be able to exercise my right to vote as a Senegalese citizen,” voter Thiaba Camara Sy, from the organisation Demain Senegal (Tomorrow Senegal), told Al Jazeera at a polling station in Dakar.

“This is something that we have won because the risk was high of the election being delayed until who knows when, so I’ve been queuing for two hours but I’m happy.”

In the ocean-facing neighbourhood of Dakar’s Ngor, fisherman Alioune Samba, 66, said he was voting for the change everyone wants.

“Food, water, school; everything is expensive with the low income we have in Senegal,” the father of three told Reuters news agency.

People wait to cast their votes outside a polling station during the presidential elections, in Dakar, Senegal [Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP]

Khodia Ndiayes, a 52-year-old cook, told the Associated Press news agency she picked Faye on the ballot because she wanted Sonko to win.

“I’m proud to have voted,” she said. “We need a new president because life is expensive, the economy is bad and we need better schools.”

Al Jazeera’s Haque said it appeared that a lot of people have come out to vote.

“It’s interesting who those people are: a lot of young men but also women, key in this election because women make up a substantial part of the electorate in Senegal,” he said.

Faye versus Ba

Faye, who was endorsed by the more popular Sonko to replace him, was detained almost a year ago on charges including defamation and contempt of court.

An amnesty law passed this month allowed his release days before the vote. He and his colleague Diomaye have campaigned together under the banner “Diomaye is Sonko”.

“The population is choosing between continuation and rupture,” Faye said after casting his vote, urging contenders to accept the result.

Meanwhile, Ba said that he was “very, very, very confident” of his chances of winning.

In these elections, “the two political camps stand on opposite sides of the political spectrum”, Mucahid Durmaz, a senior political risk analyst for West Africa at Verisk Maplecroft, told Al Jazeera.

He noted that while outgoing President Sall and his ruling coalition candidate Ba favour economic liberalisation policies, opposition figure Sonko and his chosen candidate Faye plan to introduce a new currency and renegotiate contracts with oil and gas operators in the country.

“The issue here is that despite the economic boom that the country has witnessed over the years under President Sall, it’s not really facilitated a wider socioeconomic development for the country’s youthful population,” Durmaz said.

Economic issues

Unemployment is another key issue in the election.

Frustration at the lack of job opportunities has spurred support for Sonko and his backed candidate Faye, particularly among the youth.

The share of young Senegalese not in employment, education or training stood at 35 percent in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic further squeezed the job market.

Besides unemployment, the rising cost of living spurred by Russia’s war in Ukraine and the appreciation of the United States dollar have undermined support for current ruling Senegalese authorities.

The launch of oil and gas production later in 2024 has also raised questions about whether the natural resource wealth will benefit the wider population and create jobs.

The Sonko-backed opposition coalition has promised to renegotiate energy contracts to maximise revenues, while Ba is running on the slogan “Prosperity Shared”.

‘Calm’ voting process

While the elections come amid frustrations over a fragile economy, according to election observers, the voting process has been relatively peaceful.

Hundreds of election observers from civil society, the African Union, the regional group the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union were on the ground monitoring the fairness of the vote.

“From the opening this morning, our observers – and it’s a partial piece of the picture – we have seen that there are quite some queues in front of the offices, which shows that people are mobilised to go and use their right to vote and express their views for the future of Senegal,” Malin Bjork, from the EU election observer mission to Senegal, told Al Jazeera.

“Election offices are functioning well. It’s calm; there is serenity in the process, according to our observations,” she added.

“I think today is a very great day for us,” the Aar Sunu Election (Protect Our Election) group, led by Dr Abdoulaye Bousso, told Al Jazeera in Dakar.

When Sall announced the cancellation of the election in February, there was an uproar from civil society in the country, including Bousso’s group.

“We fought to have this election day happen and we are very proud to see the big mobilisation of the Senegalese people.

“For us, it’s the victory of the Senegalese democracy.”

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Exit mobile version