NAIROBI – Human rights group Amnesty International is calling on the Kenyan government not to deport a Tanzanian opposition politician who fled his country for fear of persecution. Godbless Lema, a former lawmaker in Tanzania’s Chadema party, left for Kenya after being briefly detained following his loss in controversial October elections. It has been less than […]
Governance
Motivations Vary as African Diaspora Vote in US Election
WASHINGTON – For most African immigrants in the United States, the right to vote is precious. Ivo Tasong, a Cameroonian American who immigrated to the U.S. in 1986, said voting is something he will never take for granted. “Being fortunate to migrate and come and live in the United States, that civic duty cannot be […]
African Union Election Draws Fire for Unopposed Candidate at Top
JOHANNESBURG – As the world’s attention focuses on the coming American election, another important vote for a key position is generating controversy in Africa. Chadian politician Moussa Faki Mahamat is running unopposed for reelection as chairman of the African Union Commission. Critics say his run is undemocratic and are seeking an extension of the nomination […]
Togo Prime Minister and Government Resign
LOME, TOGO – Togo’s prime minister and his government have resigned, the West African nation’s presidency said late Friday. President Faure Gnassingbe congratulated prime minister Komi Selom Klassou and his team for their “economic, political and social efforts and the encouraging results despite the health crisis around the world”, a statement on the presidency’s official […]
UN Investigators Accuse Burundi of Enacting Strategy to Undermine Elections
GENEVA – The U.N.’s Commission of Inquiry on Burundi accuses the ruling party and Burundian authorities of implementing a strategy based on violence that skewers election results in their favor. The commission has just submitted its final report to the U.N. Human Rights Council. This is the fourth and final year that the human rights […]
As Rich Nations Struggle, Africa’s Virus Response Is Praised
JOHANNESBURG – At a lecture to peers this month, John Nkengasong showed images that once dogged Africa, with a magazine cover declaring it “The Hopeless Continent.” Then he quoted Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah: “It is clear that we must find an African solution to our problems, and that this can only be found in […]