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News in 'Politics' section

Malian PM justifies dialogue with northern rebels

November 19, 2012 Malian PM Cheikh Modibo Diarra

Prime Minister Cheikh Mdibo Diarra has said it is possible to dialogue with rebel groups in northern Mali, which has been under secessionists control for the better part of the year.

He said the Bamako government would hold talks with the radical Islamic movement Ansar Dine and the Touareg rebel National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, the MNLA, noting that these are Malians whose voices must be heard.

Sierra Leoneans vote in third post-war polls

November 17, 2012 NEC Chairperson Dr. Christina Thorpe

Sierra Leoneans are voting in the country’s third elections since a decade-long civil conflict ended in 2002, with massive turnout recorded at most polling stations.

There are 2.7 million registered voters casting ballots at over 9,400 polling centers for a president, parliamentarians, local council and mayors.

Sierra Leone Parties Fish For Youth Vote

November 16, 2012 Al-Sankoh Conteh, NYC Leader

As in most parts of Africa, young people in Sierra Leone make up the majority of the population and thus represent a formidable force in this year’s elections.

Aware of this critical voting bloc, political parties have made youths one of the top priorities in their manifestoes and have been mobilizing the young to vote for their candidates.

Senegal: Ex-president’s party takes umbrage at ‘graft’ probe

November 16, 2012 Ex-Pres. Wade and son Karim

The former ruling Parti Democratique Senegalaise (PDS) of Abdoulaye Wade has denounced the summoning of former officials on allegations of corruption, calling it a witch hunt by the current government.

Karim, the son of ex-President Wade, Thursday became the first of several officials of Wade’s administration to face probe at the Gendarmerie offices here in the capital, Dakar.

S. Leone: Commonwealth observer group arrives for polls

November 15, 2012 Members onf the Commonwealth Observer team

An observer mission from the Commonwealth of Nations has arrived in Sierra Leone to observe polls scheduled for 17 November in response to an invitation from the National Electoral Commission.

On Saturday, over 2.3 million Sierra Leoneans will be voting for a president, parliamentarians, local councils and mayors in the country’s third democratic election since it ended a decade of civil conflict in 2002.

West African Women Poll Observers In Sierra Leone

November 14, 2012 S. Leone NEC Chair, Christiana Thorpe

The West African Women’s Elections Observation (WAWEO) delegation has urged Sierra Leone’s media to be honest, impartial and independent in the coverage of the electoral process leading to voting on 17 November.

The 10-member team comprises representatives of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) and the Women in Peace and Security Network – Africa (WIPSEN-AFRICA).

Guinea Opposition On Insecurity, Nascent Democracy

November 14, 2012 Some members of the Guinean Opposition Coalition

Opposition parties in Guinea have denounced ‘an upsurge’ in criminal activities and the attendant damage to the country’s young democracy.

Aboubacar Sylla, spokesman for the coalition of opposition parties, told a news conference in Conakry that the government of President Alpha Condè was not delivering on the provision of security for the citizenry.

 

ISS wants parallel political, military processes in Mali

November 13, 2012 ISS Sr. Researcher Lori-Anne Theroux-Benoni

A senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies Africa (ISS) has suggested that the political process of negotiation be continued as the military intervention is being planned for northern Mali.   

Lori-Anne Therou-Benoni thinks that the threat of a military intervention could help speed up the negotiations, and noted, however, that the political and military processes could run parallel to bring a solution.

Parliamentarians in mass use of social media, says report

November 12, 2012 The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) sitting in Zambia

Parliamentarians around the world are going Online and getting more and more mobile technology friendly in the performance of their duties.

An Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and United Nations supported World e-Parliament report says lawmakers are using social media more and more to engage their constituents.

S. Leone: NGOs set up ‘help lines’ to aid voters

November 12, 2012 A gathering of S. Leone CSOs in discussion

With about a week to Sierra Leone’s elections, civic and voter education got  a boost with the launch by two civil society groups of ‘help lines’ to aid voters with instructions on how to vote on 17 November.

The 2007 presidential and general election witnessed a sizable number of void votes though it was just for two categories of votes, compared to this year when there will be 10 presidential candidates and hundreds of parliamentary, mayoral and local council candidates.