Burundians went to the polls to elect a new parliament in a vote the ruling party is almost certain to win after the main opposition National Freedom Council (CNL) was blocked from competing. The CNL, which came second in the 2020 election, amid allegations of widespread fraud, was suspended in 2023 by the Interior Ministry over alleged “irregularities” in how it held meetings. The vote, observers say, will likely reinforce the ruling party’s grip on power as it faces mounting internal pressure over economic mismanagement and political repression.
Author: qwezink
Former President Edgar Lungu has died while receiving medical treatment in South Africa. He was 68. Lungu served as Zambia’s sixth president from 2015 to 2021, a period that was marked by major infrastructure projects as well as rising debt and economic difficulties. He lost re-election to Hakainde Hichilema in 2021 and kept a relatively low profile until recently, when he re-entered politics as an opposition candidate. President Hichilema described Lungu’s death as a tragic loss for the nation.
The Russia-backed Wagner Group has announced its withdrawal from Mali after more than three years, but Russia maintains its military presence in the country through Africa Corps. Wagner declared its mission in Mali “accomplished”, saying it had helped return all regional centers to control of the Malian military junta. The group had arrived after Mali expelled French and UN forces. Africa Corps, reportedly comprising 70-80% former Wagner fighters, was established after Wagner’s failed mutiny against the Russian military leadership and the subsequent death of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Rwanda has pulled out of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), saying the organisation repeatedly violated its rights as a member and that the regional bloc failed to adhere to its foundational principles. The country was about to assume the chairmanship role of the ECCAS, which rotates among its 11 members. Rwanda said this move was intended to “impose DR Congo’s diktat”, suggesting that DR Congo, with backing from some member states, is manipulating ECCAS mechanisms. Rwanda has previously raised concerns with the African Union (AU) over what it describes as repeated violations of ECCAS protocols. Rwanda is…
The former deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, has called for the suspension of senior police officers in connection with the death in police custody of social media influencer Albert Ojwang. Ojwang was arrested on Friday and charged with “cyber harrassment” after critical posts he made of Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat. “Suspending junior officers at Central Police Station is hoodwinking Kenyans,” Gachagua said, noting that any “meaningful investigation” ought to start the deputy inspector general. There have been growing concerns by local and international stakeholders about the government’s handling of dissent.
Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), has announced a landmark engagement with Zanzibar President, Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, to revamp waste management and boost environmental sustainability. The high-level meeting marks a significant milestone in Zoomlion’s Africa Expansion agenda to deploy cutting-edge, sustainable sanitation solutions across the continent. It also reflects a shared commitment to tackling the growing waste management challenges in Africa through innovation, partnership, and long-term vision. “We had a very fruitful meeting with His Excellency President Mwinyi, where we discussed transformative approaches to waste management that are both practical and forward-looking,” said…
The former finance minister Mohammed Amin Adam has strongly criticised the decision by the John Mahama-led government to increase levies on petroleum products and a new tax on petrol in particular, describing it as exploitative and a betrayal of public trust. Speaking on the floor of Parliament during a heated debate on the proposed petroleum tax increments, the former minister said the move would unjustly deprive Ghanaians of the benefits they deserve from recent economic gains, particularly the strengthening of the Ghanaian cedi. “The government is clawing back benefits that should accrue to the people. What crime have Ghanaians committed…
Growing up, the story of the war between the Greeks and the Trojans was one that I read and watched as a movie over and over again. It was a wistful story filled with love, betrayal, revenge and destruction. Achilles, Hector, Agamemnon, Odyssey and Paris etched their names in history, forever to be remembered. “Beware of the Greeks and their gifts.” The ancient adage, born from the myth of the Trojan Horse, presented as a gift to the people of Troy, warns us that not all gifts are beneficial ones—some are snares. In the life of modern Ghanaian politics, this…
The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has challenged Fitch Ratings over its recent downgrade of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). It follows Fitch’s assessment which suggested that Ghana’s sovereign loan is a non-performing asset. In a statement issued on June 6, the APRM described the move as both “legally incongruent and analytically flawed,” arguing that Fitch’s interpretation disregards the unique legal framework underpinning Afreximbank’s sovereign lending operations. Fitch had lowered Afreximbank’s long-term foreign currency issuer rating from ‘BBB’ to ‘BBB-’ with a negative outlook. The decision cited a 7.1% estimated non-performing loan ratio, with Ghana, South Sudan and Zambia accounting…
The Chief Executive Officer of Agri-Impact Group, Daniel Fahene Acquaye is encouraging young people to expand their view on agriculture. He wants the youth to see agriculture beyond the conventional focus on farming and to tap into emerging non-traditional opportunities across the sector. Speaking on the second week of the Citi Business Festival 2025 on-air Series, Mr. Acquaye pointed to the vast, often-overlooked potential within agribusiness – from agritech innovation and logistics to marketing and value chain coordination. He noted that as digital tools and global market access increasingly redefine the agricultural landscape, the sector is becoming a viable avenue…