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Responding to reports that he was bribed to approve of the controversial Malabu oil deal, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan released a statement on Tuesday denying any illegal involvement in the scheme.


Mr. Jonathan's spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, published the statement on Tuesday. It is reproduced below, courtesy of Premium Times:

Our attention has been drawn to news reports published mostly by online media which suggested through innuendo, rather than factual evidence, that former President Goodluck Jonathan received kickbacks in the $1.3bn OPL 245 oil block deal involving oil giants ENI and Royal Dutch Shell.

With regards to the publication, we wish to make it clear that former President Jonathan was not accused, indicted or charged for corruptly collecting any monies as kickbacks or bribes from ENI by the Italian authorities or any other law enforcement body the world over.

In the first place, we have to categorically state that the negotiations and transactions for the oil block deal predate the Presidency of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan which began on 6th May 2010 and ended on 29th May 2015.

It may interest those promoting this false narrative to know that all the documents relating to the transactions, issues and decisions of the Federal Government on the Malabo issue, during the Jonathan administration, are in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation/Minister of Justice.

As President of Nigeria, there is no doubt that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan met with executives of all the oil majors operating in Nigeria and urged them to, amongst other things, support the growth of the Nigerian oil industry by ramping up their investments and comply with the Local Content Act that he promoted and signed into law.

We however wish to state, for emphasis, that at no time did the former President hold private meetings with representatives of ENI to discuss pecuniary issues. All the meetings and discussions former President
Jonathan had with ENI, other IOCs and some indigenous operators were conducted officially, and in the presence of relevant Nigerian Government officials and were done in the best interest of the country.

We make bold to point out that the former President never sent any Abubakar Aliyu, as the innuendoes in the false report suggest, to ENI, the IOCs or any indigenous operator to seek favour or collect any gratification on his behalf.

We will like to point out for the umpteenth time that whether in office or out of office, former President Jonathan does not own any bank account, aircraft or real estate outside Nigeria. Anyone with contrary information is challenged to publicly publish same.

As the President who signed the Freedom of Information Act into law, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan lifted the veil on governance and encouraged transparency knowing that evil breeds in secrecy. It is the opinion of the former President that journalists and media houses should take advantage of this law in their investigative journalism, rather than rely on hearsay.

We hope that these clarifications will help guide future reports which should be factual.
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Uganda's leader Yoweri Museveni has promoted his eldest son to become a special presidential adviser in a reshuffle of army commanders.

Maj Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has risen rapidly within the military, fuelling speculation that he is being groomed to become president one day.

Analysts say his new role, working more closely with state house, will broaden his remit and experience.
Mr Museveni, 72, is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders.

He came to power in 1986 after winning a five-year guerrilla war - and last year won his fifth term in office with more than 60% of the vote.


Gen Kainerugaba, 42, had been in charge of the Special Forces in charge of his father's security since 2008.
He graduated from the UK's Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2000 and last year was promoted from brigadier to major general.


Muhoozi... is going to play a significant role in a post-Museveni Uganda, there's no doubt about it," political commentator and rights activist Nicholas Opiyo told the Reuters news agency.

"He is just giving the boy a hand in experiencing how government works on the side of politics."
In the reshuffle Brigadier Peter Elwelu, who oversaw a deadly raid in November on the palace of a regional king accused of launching a secessionist movement, was promoted to army chief.

The BBC's Patience Atuhaire in Kampala says the promotion is being seen as a reward for the operation, in which more than 60 people were killed.

Meanwhile the previous army chief General Katumba Wamala has been made a junior Minister for Works in the government after serving as the top army official since 2013, a departure seen as a demotion, our correspondent says.
Military spokesman Paddy Ankunda said the moves were part of normal changes within the institution.




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A deal has been signed to end Joseph Kabila's 15-year rule in the Democratic Republic of Congo - but the president himself has yet to add his signature.
Senior ministers backed the deal, which would see Mr Kabila stay on until elections are held by the end of 2017.
The country has faced a crisis since Mr Kabila failed to step down earlier in December, when his mandate expired.
Elections should have been held in November, and dozens of people have died in protests since then.
After the electoral commission cancelled the scheduled vote, citing logistical and financial difficulties in organising them, Mr Kabila formed a 74-member transitional government and said elections would be held in 2018.

Representatives of Mr Kabila and his long standing rival Etienne Tshisekedi have been locked in negotiations brokered by Catholic Church leaders since 8 December.
Neither man has yet signed the final deal, but representatives of both sides said the two men would put their names to the transition agreement later.
In the meantime, members of the government and the opposition signed it in the final minutes of 2016.
"Today, we are happy to head up a political compromise," said Archbishop Marcel Utembi, who heads the church body which mediated the talks.
Under the deal, Mr Kabila is to lead a transitional government until elections which must be held by the end of 2017.
During that period, an opposition politician will serve as prime minister.
The document states that Mr Kabila will not seek a third term. The constitution bars him from doing this, but the opposition had feared he might try to amend it to enable him to do.
Archbishop Marcel Utembi sees further challenges ahead.
"It's one thing to have a political compromise but putting it into place is another," he said, after the signing ceremony on Saturday.
DR Congo has not had a smooth transfer of power between any leaders since independence from Belgium in 1960.
Mr Kabila took over in 2001 following the assassination of his father Laurent Kabila.

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Zambia's President Edgar Lungu has called in the air force to help contain an invasion of army worms in maize fields, his spokesman has said.

Military planes are flying pesticides to the worst-affected areas so that crops can be sprayed as a matter of urgency, Amos Chanda added.

The pests are called army worms because they eat most vegetation in their way and can destroy entire fields.

They are devouring crops in six of the southern African state's 10 provinces.
"The president is concerned that if the outbreak of the worms is not controlled speedily, the crop yield for 2016/2017 may be negatively affected," Mr Chanda said in a statement.

Four years ago, army worms destroyed maize, cassava, sorghum and rice fields.
Maize is the staple diet in Zambia.

Production rose to 2.87 million tonnes in the 2015/2016 crop season from 2.6 million tonnes the previous season because of good rainfall and early delivery of fertiliser and seed to farmers, Reuters news agency reports.
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The UK government is to fund a trial of drone-based deliveries of blood and other medical supplies in Tanzania.

The goal is to radically reduce the amount of time it takes to send stock to health clinics in the African nation by road or other means.

The scheme involves Zipline, a Silicon Valley start-up that began running a similar service in Rwanda in October.

Experts praised that initiative but cautioned that "cargo drones" are still of limited use to humanitarian bodies.

The Department for International Development (Dfid) has not said how much money will be invested in the Tanzanian effort or for how long.

It also announced plans to fund tests of drones in Nepal to map areas of the country prone to damage from extreme weather, so help prepare for future crises.

"This innovative, modern approach ensures we are achieving the best results for the world's poorest people and delivering value for money for British taxpayers," commented the International Development Secretary Priti Patel.



Parachute deliveries
Zipline's drones - called Zips - are small fixed-wing aircraft that are fired from a catapult and follow a pre-programmed path using GPS location data.

The advantage of the design over multi-rotor models is that the vehicles can better cope with windy conditions and stay airborne for longer. In theory, they can fly up to about 180 miles (290km) before running out of power, although Zipline tries to keep round trips to about half that distance.

Their drawback is that they require open space to land - in Zip's case an area about the size of two car parking slots.

Zipline gets round this issue by having its drones descend to heights of about 5m (16.4ft) when they reach their destinations and then release their loads via paper parachutes. Afterwards, they regain altitude and return to base before coming to rest.

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Dr Abbas Tajuddeen, member of House of Representatives, has said more than N5 trillion government projects were abandoned across Nigeria.

Tajuddeen, representing Zaria Federal Constituency, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria, that the situation had caused huge losses.

He said that the Bill for the amendment to the Public Procurement Act which he sponsored was to address issues of abandoned projects among others.

“This is because, today Nigeria has more than N5 trillion worth of abandoned projects and if you trace the history of these projects, you will find out that they are predominantly caused by contractors’ neglect.

“We believe that by coming-up with an additional legislation to provide for additional fines and damages against contractors, issues of contracts abandonment will become history in Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, he has so far sponsored ten bills, six motions and presented two petitions with a view to effect positive change and improve the lives of citizens.

The bills included the one seeking to amend the National Universities Commission Act, to give the commission the power to regulate the conditions of service and procedure for engagement of academic staff.

“This a very significant bill, because it will amend the minimum standard for education and establishment of an institution, so as to provide a guideline for regulating conditions of service.

“It will also regulate procedures for engagement of visiting and part-time lecturers in our tertiary institutions.

“If you know what is happening in Nigerian universities today, you will agree with me that there is no better time for a Bill to regulate the activities of universities than now,” he said.

The lawmaker lamented that some senior lecturers of universities, under the disguise of visiting lecturer-ship were taking employment with up to six universities at a time.

“On the average, if a lecturer tries, he or she will stay, may be for a day every two weeks in their university of primary assignment.

“The rest of the 13 days of these two weeks will be spent going round the country to other universities lecturing on part-time at the expense of their original employer.

“The implication is that the university that engages them and pays their salaries and allowances is losing a lot as there is no commitment to the job.”

According to him, such acts negatively affects researches and project supervision, as well as the quality of university education in Nigeria, hence the need for the regulation.
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Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has lost 32 per cent of his wealth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires’ Index.

Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that Dangote lost $4.9bn or one-third of his wealth as the combined effect of falling oil prices and the June devaluation of the naira pushed him to No. 112 on the billionaires’ list with $10.4bn. Dangote was the world’s 46th-richest person in June.

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud fell by $4.9bn, a 20 per cent drop, the report added.

Alwaleed had said in November that all of his stakes in public companies, including Citigroup Incorporated, were potentially for sale, reversing a longstanding policy that some of his most-prized shareholdings were “forever.”

Wealth creation in China turned negative for the first time since the inception of the Bloomberg index five years ago, with the country’s richest losing $11bn in 2016 amid a slump in the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 index and a seven per cent decline for the yuan against the dollar.

Alibaba Group Holding Limited’s founder, Jack Ma, closed the year with $33.3bn, adding $3.6bn in 2016. He dropped in and out of his place as Asia’s richest person for the first four months of the year before claiming it for good in May, after Alibaba’s finance affiliate, which is laying the groundwork for an initial public offering expected as soon as next year, completed a record $4.5bn equity fundraising round.

China has 31 billionaires on the index with $262bn, trailing the US, which has 179 billionaires who control $1.9tn, and Germany, whose 39 individuals have $281bn.

Russian billionaires also began to put the negative effects of the US and European sanctions behind them, reversing the combined $63bn declines for 2014 and 2015, and adding $49bn in 2016.

Wealth managers for the world’s richest are girding themselves for similarly frenetic start to 2017 as the seismic changes that voters demanded this year start to take shape.

“Expect the unexpected,” said Sabine Kaiser, founder of SKadvisory, which advises family offices on venture capital and private equity. “I don’t think family offices are overly concerned or getting too nervous but after Brexit and Trump, they’ve resigned themselves to market volatility.”

In a year when populist voters reshaped power and politics across Europe and the U.S., the world’s wealthiest people are ending 2016 with $237 billion more than they had at the start.

However, the Bloomberg Billionaire index revealed that the world’s richest made $237bn this year.

The gains were led by Warren Buffett, who added $11.8bn during the year as his investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated, saw its airline and banking holdings soar after Donald Trump’s surprise victory on November 8. Buffett, who’s pledged to give away most of his fortune to charity, donated Berkshire Hathaway stock valued at $2.6bn in July.

The US investor reclaimed his spot as the world’s second-richest person two days after Trump’s victory ignited a year-end rally that pushed his wealth up by 19 per cent for the year to $74.1bn.

“The year 2016 has been event-driven with global news driving prices rather than fundamentals,” said Michael Cole, president of Ascent Private Capital Management, which has about $10bn of assets under administration.”
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Boko Haram fighters, fleeing an attack on their base last week might have used some of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped on April 14, 2014, as human shields to prevent being fired upon by fighter jets during the attack on Sambisa Forest.

The Theatre Commander of the military campaign, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, on Wednesday, showed journalists aerial footage he said was filmed during attack on Sambisa Forest that showed the terrorists moving with women and children.

“The haggard fighters were just using them as a shield,” Irabor said at a news conference in Maiduguri.

Irabor added, “That is why we did not engage them from the air. We had always believed and hoped that going into the Sambisa Forest would afford us the opportunity to get the remaining Chibok girls. What we can’t tell is whether those women we can see were the Chibok girls.”

The terrorists had kidnapped more than 200 girls from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, on April 14, 2014.

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Saturday that the terrorists’ last enclave in the forest had been captured.

Irabor said the military was pursuing those who fled, adding that 1,240 people, suspected to be militants, their relatives or sympathisers, had been arrested in the past one week.

Meanwhile, the Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society has hailed the military for the recapture of the Sambisa Forest from Boko Haram, urging the military to sustain the war against the sect.

The group, in a statement by its President, Kameel Bolarinwa, asked the Federal Government to ensure improved welfare for the military personnel to boost their morale.

The statement added, “The fall of Sambisa Forest in the hands of our soldiers inevitably signposts a great landmark in the fight against terrorism in this country.

“Kudos must also be given to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for boosting the morale of the Army in terms of provision of the military equipment and adequate welfare, which assisted the Army to re-engineer its operations and strategies.

“The Army must be adequately funded such that no soldier, who is risking his life for peace and unity of our nation, is made to suffer any deprivation, hardship or denial of his entitlement.”

NASFAT, however, warned the military against complacency, adding that concerted efforts must be made to consolidate on the achievement.

“It is against this backdrop that we are gladdened by the decision of the leadership of the Nigerian Army to turn the forest to a training ground for the force,” the statement said.
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Families of the Nigerian "Chibok girls" freed by Islamist group Boko Haram say they are being closely guarded and were not allowed home for Christmas.

Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls in April 2014, but freed 21 of them in October after negotiations with the Red Cross.

The freed girls have been in government custody since their release but were brought home to Chibok for Christmas.

But family members told the BBC that the girls were kept in a politician's house and barred from going home.

They were also prevented from attending church services with their families.



The girls were take to the house of an assembly member in Chibok to be reunited with their parents but weren't allowed to go to their own homes. "I can't believe my daughter has come this close to home but can't come home," said one father. "There's no point bringing them to Chibok only to be locked in another prison. They couldn't even go to church on Christmas Day."

Another said a soldier had confiscated his phone when he tried to take a picture of his daughter. He said: "I snapped picture of myself and my daughter but the security guys came and grabbed me by shoulder and snatched the phone from my hands and told me to delete all the picture I took.

"I told him I'm taking a picture with my daughter who was away for more than two years. He said to me that's not his business, he deleted all the pictures including other pictures that were not taken there."

One mother said: "I can't believe my eyes that now my daughter cannot come home. How can I be happy when they don't have freedom?" The girls pictured in May 2014, shortly after their kidnapping A statement from the office of state governor Kashim Shettima acknowledged that "armed soldiers... escorted the 21 girls to Chibok and remain their strict guards throughout the Christmas".

Speaking earlier this week, one of the girls told Reuters news agency it was a "miracle" that she was home and she was looking forward to church on Christmas Day. "I never knew that I would return (home)," she said simply. "I had given up hope of ever going home." Of the 276 students kidnapped, 197 are still reportedly missing, and negotiations for their release are under way.

Many of the Chibok girls were Christian, but were encouraged to convert to Islam and to marry their kidnappers during their time in captivity. Ms Goni said some were whipped for refusing to marry, but otherwise they were well treated and fed until food supplies recently ran short.
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At least 30 people have drowned after a boat carrying a football team and their fans capsized on Lake Albert in Uganda, police say.

The overcrowded vessel was carrying some 45 people. Police say the boat became unbalanced when too many passengers moved to one side.

Nine bodies have been recovered, and 15 people have been rescued, reports say.

Boat accidents are fairly common on Lake Albert and in other parts of Africa.

Vessels are often packed with too many people and goods, and in a poor state.

Police commander John Rutagira told AFP news agency that most passengers were drunk by the time they embarked on the boat.

The group, from Buliisa District, was on its way to a Christmas day football match in Hoima District, singing songs and blowing trumpets and whistles.

Fishermen have helped authorities on the rescue operation.

In November, 10 people drowned in Lake Albert on the country's western shore.
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.The Gambia's President-elect Adama Barrow has called on long-serving ruler Yahya Jammeh to give up power peacefully, like former colonial power Britain did in 1965.

Mr Barrow, a property developer, said he did not want to lead a nation that was not at "peace with itself". Mr Jammeh initially accepted defeat in the 1 December poll but then launched court action to annul the result. The Gambia has not had a smooth transfer of power since independence.

The West African regional grouping Ecowas has warned it will send troops to oust Mr Jammeh if he refuses to step down when his term expires on 19 January. Mr Jammeh says the poll was marred by irregularities and has demanded a new election. 'Better example to our children'

The electoral commission has rejected the allegation and Mr Barrow has said he will declare himself president on 19 January. In a message posted on social media, he urged "all peace-loving Gambians to advocate, pray and work for a peaceful transfer of executive power for the first time in our history since independence".

"If the colonialists could peacefully hand over executive powers in accordance with the dictates of the people of The Gambia, we, the citizens, should be able to show a better example to our children," he added.


The UN and Ecowas have urged Mr Jammeh to respect the will of the people and step down when his term ends. Last week, a senior Ecowas official said that neighbouring Senegal's troops were ready to intervene if President Jammeh refused to hand over power.

Mr Jammeh said he would not be intimidated, and Ecowas had no right to interfere in The Gambia's affairs. During his 22-year rule, Mr Jammeh gained a reputation as a ruthless leader who crushed dissent in the tiny west African nation.

According to the electoral commission's final count: Mr Barrow won 222,708 votes (43.3%) President Jammeh took 208,487 (39.6%) A third-party candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 89,768 (17.1%) Results were revised by the electoral commission on 5 December, when it emerged that the ballots for one area had been added incorrectly.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has commended Nigerian Army troops on the capture of Sambisa Forest, widely regarded as Boko Haram's last enclave. The President made the commendation in a State House press statement issued on Saturday.



President Muhammadu Buhari has commended Nigerian Army troops on the capture of Sambisa Forest, widely regarded as Boko Haram's last enclave. The President made the commendation in a State House press statement issued on Saturday.

"I delighted at, and most proud of the gallant troops of the Nigerian Army, on receipt of the long-awaited and most gratifying news of the final crushing of Boko Haram terrorists in their last enclave in Sambisa Forest. I want to use this opportunity to commend the determination, courage, and resilience of troops of Operation Lafiya Dole at finally entering and crushing the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents at “Camp Zero,” which is located deep within the heart of Sambisa Forest," said President Buhari.


The President said he was informed by the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General TY Buratai, that the camp fell at about 1:35 pm on Friday, December 23 and that the terrorists no longer have a place to hide.

President Buhari urged the troops sustain the momentum by also ensuring that the terrorists are made to face justice and called on Nigerians to support the Armed Forces and other security agencies by providing useful information that will expose all terrorists hiding among the populace. He also called for the intensification of efforts to rescue the remaining Chibok girls.

"Further efforts should be intensified to locate and free our remaining Chibok girls still in captivity. May God be with them. I also want to congratulate and commend the able leadership of the Nigerian Army in particular and indeed, that of the Armed Forces in general, for making this possible," said President Buhari.
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West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, has put standby military forces on alert in case Gambian President Yahya Jammeh does not step down when his mandate ends on January 19. The ECOWAS Commission president, Marcel de Souza, said this on Malian TV Thursday night. Mr. Jammeh has vowed to stay in power despite losing a December 1 election to rival Adama Barrow, raising the possibility that regional powers may intervene to oust him if diplomacy does not succeed in persuading him to leave.

West Africa’s regional bloc, ECOWAS, has put standby military forces on alert in case Gambian President Yahya Jammeh does not step down when his mandate ends on January 19.

The ECOWAS Commission president, Marcel de Souza, said this on Malian TV Thursday night.
Mr. Jammeh has vowed to stay in power despite losing a December 1 election to rival Adama Barrow, raising the possibility that regional powers may intervene to oust him if diplomacy does not succeed in persuading him to leave.

“We have put standby forces on alert if he does not (step down) on January 19 when his mandate ends,” De Souza said. “No one has the right to oppose the will of the people.”


Barrow’s surprise victory and Jammeh’s initial decision to concede after 22 years in power was seen across Africa as a moment of hope.

But the president changed his mind a week later and said again on Tuesday that he would not step down, rebuffing efforts by West African leaders to persuade him.

Mr. Jammeh said the electoral count was flawed and that ECOWAS has no right to meddle in Gambia’s internal affairs. The regional bloc has mandated Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari as a mediator to offer Jammeh an “honorable exit”, but if he does not take it then forces might be deployed, Mr. De Souza said.

The BBC quoted De Souza as saying in an interview that Senegalese troops would lead any military intervention. Senegal is Gambia’s only territorial neighbor and has a frequently stormy relationship with the country, having sent troops there during a 1981 coup.

Senegal has indicated that military action would be an absolute last resort. Diplomats say ECOWAS would probably seek approval from the U.N. Security Council for the use of force. ECOWAS deployed troops, led by Nigeria, to Liberia and Sierra Leone during civil wars in the 1990s, setting a precedent for possible intervention.

A first step for raising pressure once the handover date passes is likely to be targeted sanctions by the U.N. and others, diplomats say, also raising the possibility that Mr. Jammeh could be offered asylum abroad.

Mr. Barrow’s supporters suggested on Thursday that the president might not immediately be prosecuted for alleged human rights abuses during his rule.

“Justice is essential … but we are going to take the route to truth and reconciliation,” said coalition spokesman Halifa Sallah at a meeting of the African Bar Association.


Gambia’s Supreme Court will hear a legal challenge on January 10 from Mr. Jammeh’s ruling party which wants to overturn the election result.

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Senegal's troops are on alert to intervene in The Gambia if President Yahya Jammeh refuses to step down next month, the regional bloc Ecowas says.

Mr Jammeh initially accepted defeat in the 1 December poll, but later said it was flawed. The Ecowas chairman said Senegal had been chosen to lead operations "to restore the people's wishes" if needed. President Jammeh has already said he will not be intimidated, saying Ecowas had no authority to interfere.
Mr Jammeh, who has ruled for 22 years, has lodged a case before the Supreme Court to annul the vote after the electoral commission changed some results.
The commission insists the outcome was not affected by an initial error and that property developer Adama Barrow won the poll and should be inaugurated on 19 January.
Marcel Alain de Souza, chairman of the Ecowas commission, said Mr Jammeh had until that date to comply with its mediators. "If he is not going, we have stand-by forces already alerted and these stand-by forces have to be able to intervene to restore the people's wish," he said. The Gambia, a former British colony, is surrounded on three sides by Senegal.

The Gambia, a former British colony, is surrounded on three sides by Senegal. "Senegal has been selected by its peers to lead the operations but we do not wish to start a conflict," Mr de Souza said. "If he loves his people, he has to be able to negotiate an exit door calmly. If it doesn't happen, the most radical means will be used."
The BBC's Umaru Fofana, who has been reporting from The Gambia, says Mr Jammeh's defiant comments earlier this week make it clear that Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, appointed chief mediator by Ecowas, has a fine line to tread. Mr Jammeh said that although he was a "man of peace", that did not mean he would not defend himself and the country "courageously, patriotically and win".

The stalemate is already taking a huge toll on the economy of the small West African country, which is popular with tourists, with the Chamber of Commerce saying businesses have been badly affected, our reporter says.
The Supreme Court says it will hear a case brought by Mr Jammeh's party to cancel the result on 10 January. President Jammeh, 51, seized power in 1994 and has been accused of human rights abuses, although he has held regular elections. The Gambia has not had a smooth transfer of power since independence from Britain in 1965.

According to the electoral commission's final count: Mr Barrow won 222,708 votes (43.3%) President Jammeh took 208,487 (39.6%) A third-party candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 89,768 (17.1%)Results were revised by the electoral commission on 5 December, when it emerged that the ballots for one area had been added incorrectly.
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For the first time in 37 years and the second time in living memory, snow has fallen in the Sahara desert, which has been known for its brutal heat. Amateur photographer Karimm Bouchetata took pictures of the snow in the small Saharan desert town of Ain Sefra, Algeria on December 19, according to a report by the Telegraph.
“Everyone was stunned to see snow falling in the desert, it is such a rare occurrence,” Bouchetata told the Independent. “It looked amazing as the snow settled on the sand.” The last time the Saharan town saw snow was in 1979, when a half-hour snow storm reportedly stopped traffic. Founded in 1881 as a garrison town for the French, Ain Sefra is located in northwest Algeria and is known as “The Gateway to the Desert” with a population of nearly 35,000. With an altitude of more than 1,078 meters, the town has a blistering hot summer climate, while in winter it can be very Chilly
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Gerard, a bright-eyed eight-year-old with closely-cropped hair, tucks into his meal, showing no signs of thinking about how very close to death he once came. The jovial little lad is one of Ivory Coast’s “cursed” children. Custom dictated that he should not live. Gerard’s mother died while she was giving birth — and the tradition of the Tagbana ethnic group was that her baby, deemed the work of an evil spirit, should be drowned. The child’s big break came through a tiny charity — a home called the Saint Genevieve Welcome and Transit Centre, located in the northern town of Katiola, the only one of its kind in the country. With meagre funds, it works to save “cursed” children from their doom. Set up by a Catholic priest, Germain Coulibaly Kalari, 54, the home today shelters 17 children aged between three and 14, two of whom are infected with HIV. “If a child’s mother dies while giving birth, or a child is born with a handicap, the child is got rid of,” Kalari said bluntly. They are considered to carry a “curse” for the entire community, he explained. Such practices are also prevalent in other African countries. In Madagascar for example, twins were killed or abandoned at birth because they were viewed as a bad omen. “The child is shunned because he is blamed for misfortune, and so is physically eliminated,” Kalari said, sitting on the terrace which also doubles as the home’s schoolroom and dining room. “I have seen many cases of this kind… Each time I think about it, it sends a shiver down my spine,” he said. “It drove me to do something to save these children from death.” – Drowning and poison – “Cursed” children are typically drowned in bathwater — but sometimes poisons are used in the case of “snake children,” the term for babies whose handicap will prevent them from walking or talking. The word “kill” is never used. The favourite formulation is that the child is “being escorted back to its real parents, the spirits, meaning supernatural beings,” said Celine, a local woman in her forties who sells food at the market. Those who are tasked with carrying out the act first speak to the parents, explaining that a malevolent spirit intervened when their child was conceived. As a result, the infant is not human and must be “escorted back,” she said. “You will not see any handicapped person in our region,” said Kalari, who began his child-saving mission eight years ago. He regularly issues demands from his pulpit for the lethal practice to end. Such practices are legally banned but are often clandestinely carried out with the complicity of the parents and consequently there are no legal proceedings. Vincent Morife, a sociologist, said ending the life of a “cursed” child was defended on the grounds of stigma: the infant would have only the bleakest future in a society where superstition and ignorance of handicap is so deeply entrenched. “It is going to be hard, very hard, for parents around here to give up the practice,” said Abiba Kone, who has been managing the centre since it was set up five years ago, casting a protective eye over “her children.” “If you have a handicapped child, you have to look after it when you are supposed to be working in the fields,” she adds. “(…) Parents feel it’s a waste of time, and that’s why they prefer to get rid of the child.” – Shelter… for now – Kone’s “staff” comprises a cook, a cleaner and a child minder. The centre scrapes by thanks to gifts from “kind people, NGOs and local people,” she said. The home includes a bedroom for the girls and another for the boys, each with three triple bunk beds, and cribs for the babies. The walls of the living room are lined with donated books, and there is a small television for the children. The children’s day begins with prayers, followed by breakfast and schooling, or for the very young, play time. The centre is a haven. But only for a while.
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Opposition MPs in Kenya have stormed out of parliament in the capital, Nairobi, saying that they have been assaulted in the house. The chaos came during a debate on changing the electoral laws to allow manual vote-counting for next year's presidential election. The government wants a back-up to the electronic system but the opposition says it is a way of rigging the poll. The initial debate on Tuesday also saw rival MPs exchange punches. Kenyan politics is known to be highly partisan and this is not the first time MPs have fought in parliament. In 2014, four lawmakers were assaulted and one had his shirt torn. Africa Live: More on this and other news stories The opposition Cord coalition said one of its MPs had a bloody face following Thursday's confrontations with MPs from the governing Jubilee party. Cord has gone to court, seeking an injunction to block the changes but government-allied MPs have already passed the amendments. When the fights first broke out on Tuesday evening, the live video feed from parliament was cut and journalists were ordered out of the press gallery. During that debate, Cord MP Millie Odhiambo attacked President Uhuru Kenyatta, calling him "extremely stupid". Mr Kenyatta gave his initial response to that attack at an event to usher in the festive season, saying "some idiots continue to insult me" but added that it was part of their freedom. But Mr Kenyatta seems to have now ended his war of words with Ms Odhiambo, as a local media station on Wednesday shared a picture of a Christmas card from the president addressed to the MP.
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Durban - President Jacob Zuma relived Nenegate during a speech at the ANCYL Economic Freedom Lecture at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban on Wednesday, saying the nation wasn't really aware of what was happening at the time. "They called it the Nene disaster. But is the nation really aware of what is happening?" he said to a packed crowd of more than 2 000 people. He said in December last year, he took the decision to appoint a new minister. "The monopoly capital and their stooges attacked me," he said. Zuma was referring to the reshuffling of his Cabinet last year where he replaced then-finance minister Nhlanhla Nene with the lesser-known Des van Rooyen. Van Rooyen remained in the position for two days amid a growing public backlash. He was then replaced with Pravin Gordhan who had served in the position in previous years. During the two days that Van Rooyen was in the position, the rand fell to an almost-record low. Speaking about economic transformation, Zuma said those that control the economy, control everything - even the media. "They can paint you black, even if you are not," he said. Those with economic power also had the power to buy people and those people would not refuse, Zuma added. Zuma said the ANC was being hit hard, which in turn was "bringing doubt" to the voters. This was why they chose to boycott the municipal elections earlier this year, he added. He said it was not wrong for the youth to call for economic freedom and challenged them to build the country. Zuma was referring to an earlier speech by ANCYL president Colin Maine. Zuma also said that there were calls for him to resign, including from an "international chamber". "I realised that I will not resign on my own, that would be surrendering to the white monopoly."
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Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has hit out at regional mediators urging him to step down, saying he will not be intimidated. The West African regional bloc Ecowas had called on him to honour his initial pledge to accept electoral defeat. Mr Jammeh, who subsequently said the 1 December poll was flawed, added that he would defend his country if need be. Ecowas had said military intervention might be a possibility if diplomatic efforts failed. Mr Jammeh has lodged a case before the Supreme Court to annul the vote after the electoral commission changed some results. The commission insists the outcome was not affected by an initial error and property developer Adama Barrow defeated Mr Jammeh. On Wednesday, the chief justice had to adjourn the Supreme Court hearing until 10 January, eight days before Mr Jammeh's term in office officially ends, because there were not enough judges to hear the case. Mr Jammeh seized power in the tiny country in 1994 and has been accused of human rights abuses, although he has held regular elections. Africa Live: More on this and other stories What next for Jammeh? How Gambians have lost their fear In a 45-minute speech at the African Bar Association on Tuesday night, Mr Jammeh defended his position, saying West African leaders had violated the Ecowas principle of non-interference. "Who are they to tell me to leave my country?" he said during his televised speech. "I will not be intimidated by any power in this world. I want to make sure justice is done. "I'm a man of peace, but I cannot also be a coward. I am a man of peace but that does not also mean that I will not defend myself and defend my country and defend my country courageously, patriotically and win." Umaru Fofana in the capital, Banjul, says it was his first public reaction to last week's intervention by Ecowas leaders, and he reiterated his call for fresh elections as the only way to resolve the impasse. According to the electoral commission's final count: Mr Barrow won 222,708 votes (43.3%) President Jammeh took 208,487 (39.6%) A third-party candidate, Mama Kandeh, won 89,768 (17.1%) Results were revised by the electoral commission on 5 December, when it emerged that the ballots for one area had been added incorrectly. Six reasons why Jammeh lost Meanwhile, a spokesman for the opposition coalition that backed Mr Barrow has said Mr Jammeh will not face prosecution after leaving office. "President-elect Barrow says he is going to treat outgoing President Yahya Jammeh like a former head of state and would consult him for advice," Halifa Sallah told the AFP news agency. Some analysts have suggested that reports that Mr Jammeh could face prosecution were behind his U-turn. Human rights groups have accused President Jammeh of committing serious abuses against opponents during his 22-year rule. The Gambia has not had a smooth transfer of power since independence from Britain in 196
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Cape Town – A holidaymaker and his family had seconds to grab what they could before a wildfire spread dangerously close to a campsite they were staying at in the Cederberg. Clinton du Preez told News24 on Wednesday that while on holiday with his family on the Sanddrif holiday farm on Tuesday afternoon winds blew the fires raging in the area since Friday close to where they were. "We were still watching helicopters fight flames on the one side of the farm when we realised that the fires had spread incredibly close to our tents," he said. "We had a few seconds to run and grab our wallets in our tents and drive away." Du Preez said even though none of the fires spread to where their tents stood, their camping gear was still damaged. "There are holes everywhere in our tents as the small coals burnt through. A mattress that I specially bought last week needs to be thrown away." Du Preez said some accommodation units were nearly caught in the blaze. 21 00 hectares of fynbos burnt "It's a miracle that that the fires didn't burn down any of the chalets," he said. The Sanddrif and Driehoek holiday farms did not respond to requests for comment. According to a statement posted on the Working with Fire Facebook page, the fires started in the Cederberg Wilderness area on Friday. Justin Lawrence from CapeNature said more than 21 000 hectares of fynbos and three campsites have been burnt so far. Lawrence said by Wednesday afternoon the fires were 90% contained. He said the fires were not putting anyone in immediate danger. Teams from CapeNature, Working on Fire, the West Coast District Municipality and neighbouring landowners were working together to combat the flames.
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