Low Turnout in Togo Municipal Elections Seen as Test for the Country’s President
Togolese voters went to the polls on Thursday in municipal elections seen as a test for the country’s leader Faure Gnassingbé, who has faced rare and deadly protests after a recent constitutional reform that could effectively keep him in power indefinitely. Polling stations remained largely deserted in Togo’s capital, Lomé, reflecting widespread voter apathy and fear following the crackdown on anti-government protests that left several people dead in June. Gnassingbé, who has ruled since 2005 after the death of his father and predecessor as president, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, was sworn in as president of the Council of Ministers in May. The powerful role has no official term limits and he is eligible to be reelected by Parliament indefinitely. Diaspora-based social media influencers and civil society groups had called for a boycott of the elections, the first national vote organized since the constitutional reform. They argued that the current electoral system lacks credibility and that the recent repression has silenced dissenting voices. Police and military patrols were stationed at major intersections throughout Lomé, reinforcing a heavy security presence that many residents said contributed to the atmosphere of unease. AP
Burkina Faso Ruling Junta Dissolves Independent Electoral Commission
Burkina Faso’s military rulers have dissolved the country’s independent electoral commission, authorities said. Since taking power in a 2022 coup, the West African country’s military leaders have launched sweeping reforms, including postponing elections that were expected to restore civilian rule. The government passed a law late Wednesday abolishing the Independent National Electoral Commission, which is responsible for organizing elections, citing its high cost, Minister of Territorial Administration Emile Zerbo said after a Cabinet meeting…The state run television broadcaster RTB said the interior ministry will take control of future polls. The junta in Burkina Faso seized power in Sept. 2022 by ousting the military rule of Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba about eight months after it staged a coup to remove democratically elected President Roch Marc Kaboré…The junta had initially set a goal of conducting elections to return the country to democratic rule by July 2024 but last year it signed a new charter that allows the country’s leader Capt. Ibrahim Traoré to remain in office until July 2029. AP
Fake AI Videos of R. Kelly, Pope Spread Cult of Burkina Junta Chief
The images are AI-generated propaganda, part of what experts have called a vast disinformation campaign spreading the “personality cult” of the west African country’s strongman…The images have been widely shared on west African social media. It follows a wave of coups not only in Burkina Faso but also in Mali, Niger and Guinea, while the region is further destabilised by jihadist attacks. “These are influence and disinformation campaigns aimed at extending the personality cult surrounding Captain Traore to Burkina Faso’s English-speaking neighbours,” said an American researcher who spoke on condition of anonymity…”Information manipulation has become a lever for retaining power and legitimising the junta’s presence,” said a Burkinabe specialist in strategic communication, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons…While some are riding the wave for their own financial gain, others are working for the junta’s cyber propaganda entity called Rapid Communication Intervention Battalions (BIR-C), the Burkinabe source said…[T]he American researcher noted “some reports have established Russian connections in the recent surge of these disinformation operations”, particularly in campaigns targeting Ghana and Nigeria…Meanwhile, Burkina’s junta has expelled international press that had been working in the country, while local outlets self-censor in fear of arrest and deployment to the front lines against jihadists — already a fate for some journalists. While the Burkinabe diaspora has attempted to fight back against the pro-junta narrative, including promoting jihadists’ attack claims, commenting on or sharing posts is considered glorifying terrorism, punishable by one to five years imprisonment. AFP
Paramilitary Shelling on Camp Kills 8 in Sudan’s Darfur: Rescuers
Paramilitary forces shelled a displacement camp in Sudan’s Darfur region on Thursday, killing eight civilians and injuring others, a local rescue group said. The bombardment hit Abu Shouk camp, which hosts tens of thousands of displaced people on the outskirts of El Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur. El-Fasher remains the last major stronghold in Sudan’s western Darfur region not under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been at war with the regular army since April 2023…In recent weeks, El-Fasher, which has been under paramilitary siege since last year, has been locked in intense fighting between warring sides in a region also gripped by famine. Thursday’s offensive comes just days after a series of attacks by the RSF targeted another battleground region of Sudan. More than 450 people, including 35 children, were killed in several villages of North Kordofan, southwest of the capital Khartoum, according to a statement released this week by the UN’s children agency. AFP
UN Experts Cast Blame on Rwanda and Uganda. What Are They Doing in DRC?
Rwanda is in “command and control” of M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda has “unilaterally doubled its military presence” in the DRC, and armed groups – including those aligned to the Congolese government – are committing rights violations against civilians, according to a group of United Nations experts…The report was submitted to the UN Security Council in May, the Reuters news agency reported. It is expected to be released soon, a UN expert who contributed to the report told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, without specifying a date…Rwanda is providing “critical support” to M23, which takes “instructions” from Rwanda’s government and intelligence services, said the report…Amid the Rwanda/M23–DRC fighting, there was a “rapid military build-up” by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, the report said…The deployment, according to the panel of experts, raised questions about Kampala’s motives, particularly given past allegations of UPDF support to M23…On the Congolese side, the report paints a picture of a state under siege, struggling to maintain sovereignty over its eastern territories. The government continued to rely heavily on irregular Wazalendo groups, and on the FDLR, despite the latter being under UN sanctions, as proxies in its fight against M23 and the Rwandan army. While strategic, the report says, this alliance has worsened the security and human rights situation, contributing to reprisal attacks, child recruitment and sexual violence. Al Jazeera
South Sudan’s Main Opposition Party Rejects President’s Call for Dialogue to Avoid Civil War
South Sudan’s main opposition party on Thursday dismissed a presidential call for dialogue to avoid the country slipping back into a civil war due to stalled peace talks. Pal Mai Deng, a spokesperson for the opposition SPLM-IO, said President Salva Kiir “must release political and military leaders of the SPLM-IO who are in detention to show his seriousness about the dialogue.” During the reopening of parliament on Wednesday, Kiir said there was a need for unity and national reconciliation, adding that the “doors of peace remain open.” “The suffering of our people must not be prolonged by the continued rejection of dialogue,” he said. The situation in South Sudan remains tense after Vice President Riek Machar — Kiir’s former rival — was placed under house arrest following an attack on army bases in March. Several members of the SPLM-IO opposition party have gone into exile fearing arrests. South Sudan signed a peace agreement in 2018, ending a five-year civil war in which nearly 400,000 people died as forces loyal to Kiir and Machar clashed…The United Nation warned last month that a 2018 peace agreement was on the verge of collapse due to escalating violence, political repression, and foreign military involvement. AP
Nigeria: Effective Governance Must Begin at the Grassroot Level – Soludo
Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has said that effective governance must begin at the grassroot level to capture the people’s needs. Governor Soludo, who spoke during a visit to some markets in Anaocha local government area of the state as part of consultations ahead of the November 8 governorship election, said the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, is already on the right course to develop all sectors of the state…“Effective governance must begin at the grassroots level, working collaboratively with local leaders and citizens to create lasting change”, he emphasized. He reiterated his administration’s focus on improving market conditions, providing access to loans, and fostering an environment conducive to trade and commerce. Enumerating the various infrastructure projects in the local government area, he expressed his continuous willingness to engage directly with the public and underscoring his administration’s commitment to transparent governance. Vanguard
How Nigeria Became a Model in Fight against Poaching
[VIDEO] Nigeria is a hub for wildlife poachers and pangolins are at risk because their meat and scales can fetch large sums on the black market. The country now has conservationists working to rehabilitate the endangered animals and long-term intelligence operations to catch the poachers. DW
Ghana: London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan’s Groundbreaking Visit to Ga Mantse in Accra
The Ga Mantse Palace in Accra on Thursday, July 17, hosted a historic moment as Sir Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, paid an unprecedented visit to His Royal Majesty King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II…Mayor Khan, addressing the gathering, expressed deep admiration for the Ga Mantse’s leadership in fostering unity and empowering the youth…Reflecting on his earlier visit to the Osu Castle, Khan spoke candidly about the painful legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. “London’s role in that dark chapter cannot be erased,” he said solemnly. “But today, standing here, I see possibility. Together, we can forge a partnership rooted in equality and mutual respect.” … [His Royal Majesty King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II] proposed a bold initiative: a bilateral programme to share expertise in urban planning, environmental sustainability, and youth entrepreneurship, drawing inspiration from London’s global leadership in innovation…Behind closed doors, the delegations discussed practical steps for collaboration, including potential partnerships in waste management, digital innovation, and cultural exchange. Joy News
In Liberia’s Version of Baseball, There Are No Bats and No Men
In 1964, Peace Corps volunteer Cherry Jackson noticed that, unlike boys, the students at the all-girls school where she taught in Monrovia, the capital, didn’t play any sports, according to Emmanuel Whea, president of Liberia’s National Kickball League. Jackson, an American, tried to teach the girls baseball but quickly realized they were much better at hitting the ball with their feet. That was the start of what became a custom for girls in the country of about 5.6 million people…Kickball is played in other parts of the world, including in the United States, where it is a common elementary school game for girls and boys. But only in Liberia is there a women-only professional league. The National Kickball League was created in 1994 to bring people together as Liberia was reeling from a civil war. The league was set up “to bring the ladies together and use them (as part of) the reconciliation process of Liberia,” Whea said. “We had just left the civil war, and everybody had just scattered … So kickball was one of those sports used to bring Liberians together so they could have the time to hear the peace messages.” AP