Election

The East African—-Violence against the opposition during presidential elections is not new in East Africa. And so it was not surprising that National Unity Party presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine became the latest victim of what many saw as state-sponsored violence. At the time of going to press, Mr Kyagulanyi was still not allowed to leave his house; a decision enforced by a cordon of police and military officers thrown around his home in Kampala. Similar tactics against the opposition were witnessed in October 2020 Tanzania’s…

Bobby Wine The next batch of results was due to be released at 9 pm when a nationwide curfew in place since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic kicks in. Bobi Wine, the 38-year-old former musician-turned politician has emerged as the main challenger to 76-year-old Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. “We secured a comfortable victory,” Bobi Wine told reporters in Kampala, the capital. “I am very confident that we defeated the dictator by far,” Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, said. “The people of Uganda voted massively for change of leadership from a dictatorship to a democratic government. But Mr. Museveni is trying to paint a picture that he is in the lead. What a joke!” he added.

News

Kyagulanyi Ssentamu [Bobby Wine], Rejects Election Results

January 15, 2021January 15, 2021 admin2Election, Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Uganda0 comment

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine on Friday claimed victory in presidential elections, rejecting as a “joke” early results that gave incumbent President Yoweri Museveni a wide lead. The electoral commission said on Friday that with 6.8 million ballots counted, or 37 percent of registered voters, Museveni had won 4.05 million, or 62.2 percent, while main opposition candidate Wine had 1.99 million votes (30.6 percent), the electoral commission said just after 9 pm (1800 GMT). The next batch of results was due to be released at 9 pm when a nationwide…

The Constitutional Court in Malawi today nullified the results of last year’s presidential election, citing “widespread, systematic and grave” irregularities including significant use of correction fluid to alter the outcome. The court ordered a new vote within 150 days, saying at the end that it hoped the ruling would not destroy the nation. The two opposition candidates who became second and third in the poll had contested the slim win of President Peter Mutharika, alleging that irregularities affected more than 1.4 million of the total 5.1 million votes cast. Months of sometimes deadly unrest followed the announcement of the election results. The president and electoral commission acknowledged some irregularities but argued they were insufficient to affect the election’s outcome.

Public Policy

Malawi President Peter Mutharika stole the election, High Court order new one

February 4, 2020 admin2Election, Peter murtharika0 comment

The Constitutional Court in Malawi today nullified the results of last year’s presidential election, citing “widespread, systematic and grave” irregularities including significant use of correction fluid to alter the outcome. The court ordered a new vote within 150 days, saying at the end that it hoped the ruling would not destroy the nation. The two opposition candidates who became second and third in the poll had contested the slim win of President Peter Mutharika, alleging that irregularities affected more than 1.4 million of the total 5.1 million votes…

“We made rescue calls all over to no avail since they blocked the road. Besides the few men who were trying to defend us, we were stuck inside for over an hour and a half,” the candidate explained. Ms. Urey said she and her team made several attempts to leave the office but it was just impossible, although she laments that the police were standing right there. She explained that one of the attackers even got in the building with a knife and almost stabbed her. “They completely damaged the roof of the building. At the end, they even brought gas to burn the place down. When I smelled the gas, I didn’t think we were going to make it.”

News

Opposition politician Urey attacked, escapes death in Monrovia

August 21, 2019 admin2Abu Kamara, Election, Liberia, Telia Urey, Violence0 comment

Monrovia – Ms. Telia Urey, candidate in the disputed District No. 15 Representatives elections is speaking out for the first time since a bloody attack Saturday which led to the damage of her bullet-proof Toyota Land Cruiser and injuries to she and several of her supporters who had gone to visit the headquarters of another candidate in the recently held elections. Speaking to FrontPageAfrica Saturday, Ms. Urey explained she and some members of her campaign team were in a meeting with Kelvin Bayoh’s team when the attack commenced.…

If one were to couple the mayor’s statements with recent acts of violence, this would lead to a decision by the ICC to open an investigation into violence in Liberia because it falls within the category of crimes against humanity which will lead to future prosecutions of state-supported atrocities. Failure by the President of Liberia to forcefully and publicly reject and sanction the mayor may be deemed as silent support of Koijee.

Public Policy

Jefferson Koijee Risks Prosecution by the ICC for Election Related Violence

August 11, 2019 admin2CDC, Election, Jefferson Koigee, Violence0 comment

Washington–– Liberia is slowly inching towards state-sponsored terrorism and violence against its citizens. Fatou Bensouda, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), stated, ‘when passions run high during elections, and people do not act with restraint, this may lead to large-scale crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC. In such a case, the office of the prosecutor will not hesitate to act under the criteria defined by the Rome Statute. She went on to say, “Political leaders are equally obliged to ensure that the electoral process…

News Op-ed

This only stores up worse trouble for Kenya’s future

December 4, 2017December 4, 2017 admin2Election, Kenya, Kenyatta0 comment

Patrick Gathara is a strategic communications consultant, writer and award-winning political cartoonist in Kenya. This week Kenyans are going through a replay of their disastrous 2007 election, only in super-slow motion. A decade ago, the country endured a disputed election in which the incumbent president, Mwai Kibaki, was running for re-election against opposition leader Raila Odinga. Under intense pressure from the state and surrounded by armed paramilitary police, the head of the electoral commission declared Kibaki the president-elect. (The commissioner would later say that he did not know who had…

Op-ed

No Liberian needs war and no country is invading Liberia.

November 22, 2017 admin2Election, Liberia, News0 comment

EMOL Warns against Circumvention –Calls on NEC to Prevent Constitutional Crisiso Liberian needs war and no country is invading Liberia. Monrovia, Liberia-Nov 14, 2017): The Emancipation Movement of Liberia, Inc. (EMOL) warns against the circumvention of constitutional due process and calls on the National Elections Commission (NEC) to adjudicate all electoral complaints speedily to prevent constitutional crisis in the Country. EMOL is a non-partisan and non-profit peace building and advocacy organization legalized in the United States and Liberia. EMOL said it is important for all Liberians at…

Op-ed

EMOL Warns Against Constitutional Crisis in Liberia

November 17, 2017 admin2Election, EMOL, Liberia0 comment

The Emancipation Movement of Liberia (EMOL) is calling on the National Elections Commission (NEC) to adjudicate all electoral complaints speedily to prevent constitutional crisis in the West African country. It has also warned against the circumvention of constitutional due process and against war mongering. EMOL cautions Liberians to be aware that these false alarms of wars are tactics to keep voters away from participating in the second rounds of voting to decide the presidency. EMOL, a non-partisan and non-profit peace building and advocacy organization legalized in the United States and Liberia, said in a release…

Op-ed

Open Letter to the US Embassy’s Statement on the Liberian Elections

November 17, 2017November 17, 2017 admin2Election, Liberia, News0 comment

CORRECTIVE MEASURES BEFORE RUNOFF: THE ONLY MILESTONE SOLUTION The Editor, Over the past 24 hours, my attention has been drawn to how some Liberians have taken over social media with the US Embassy’s Statement on Liberia’s Elections without understanding the semantic nuances of the Statement. It is as a result of the varied interpretations of the Statement that I pen this letter to you. My fellow Liberians, the US Government has said it has confidence in the October Elections, which is a good thing for our integrity and reputation.…

Op-ed

George Weah’s Vice-Presidential: “Samson and Delilah Death Trap!”

November 13, 2017 admin2Election, Liberia, Weah0 comment

I had a terrible dream this morning, the likes of which I have never seen or had. In my dream I saw several Liberian Patriarchs and Matriarchs that were troubled by George Weah’s Vice-Presidential pick. They expressed serious concern and stated that his move, despite his popularity with the ordinary people and youth of Liberia, was a “recipe for renewed war in Liberia.” They termed it as a “Samson and Delilah death trap” that will indulge Liberians in a chaotic atmosphere that may once again destabilize the West African…