AFP Africa

Early voting got under way in South Africa on Monday, kick-starting an election week that could mark a sea change in the country’s politics, with the ruling African National Congress’ majority on the line for the first time.More than 600,000 of the elderly and infirm, along with essential workers, police and prisoners, deemed unable to …

South Africa’s early voters launch historic election weekMon, 27 May 2024 15:31:30 GMT Read More »

Several dozen journalists demonstrated in Tunis on Monday against what they called the “repression” of freedoms and called for the release of two convicted colleagues, an AFP journalist said.Around 60 protesters chanted “Freedom for the Tunisian press”, “The police state is old news” and “The judiciary is under orders” outside the headquarters of the national …

Tunisian journalists demand arrested colleagues’ releaseMon, 27 May 2024 15:06:16 GMT Read More »

Ivory Coast’s ruling party on Monday called for 82-year-old President Alassane Ouattara to run for re-election next year, saying he was their “natural candidate”.Ouattara is yet to announce whether he will seek a fourth term at the helm of the West African nation.”What’s at stake is the victory of our natural candidate… Alassane Ouattara at …

Ruling party wants I.Coast president to run again in 2025Mon, 27 May 2024 15:05:05 GMT Read More »

The Comoros swore in President Azali Assoumani for his fourth term on Sunday, completing the process begun with a disputed vote in January that was followed by deadly protests. Assoumani, a 65-year-old former military ruler turned civilian president, first came to power in a coup in 1999, before handing over to civilians in 2006. He returned to …

Comoros president sworn in after disputed pollSun, 26 May 2024 16:45:03 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s opposition parties mounted an 11th-hour assault Sunday on the ruling ANC’s 30-year-old grip on power, staging large-scale rallies three days before what promises to be a historic general election.From the right, the Democratic Alliance (DA) gathered in the town of Benoni outside Johannesburg to cheer on leader John Steenhuisen under a pair of …

South African opposition targets ANC majority as vote loomsSun, 26 May 2024 16:39:45 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s opposition parties mounted an 11th-hour assault Sunday on the ruling ANC’s 30-year-old grip on power, staging large-scale rallies three days before what promises to be an historic general election.From the right, the Democratic Alliance (DA), was gathering in the town of Benoni outside Johannesburg to cheer on leader John Steenhuisen under a pair …

South African opposition puts ANC majority in its sightsSun, 26 May 2024 12:55:49 GMT Read More »

Burkina Faso’s military regime, in power since a 2022 coup, will extend its rule for five years under an accord adopted during national consultations on Saturday, the talks’ chairman said.”The duration of the transition is fixed at 60 months from July 2, 2024,” Colonel Moussa Diallo, chairman of the organising committee of the national dialogue …

Burkina Faso military rule extended for five yearsSat, 25 May 2024 20:12:31 GMT Read More »

Tens of thousands of people wearing yellow T-shirts crowded Africa’s biggest stadium Saturday, as the ruling but troubled African National Congress threw its last campaign bash before South Africa’s tightest election in decades.For hours through the morning, buses filled with flag-waving supporters from across the country streamed into the parking lot of Johannesburg’s FNB stadium.It was …

Lots of yellow, little fever for disenchanted ANC supportersSat, 25 May 2024 15:45:03 GMT Read More »

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress staged its last major stadium rally Saturday ahead of next week’s general election as it fights to protect its unbeaten streak of post-apartheid victories.President Cyril Ramaphosa’s party summoned the faithful and bussed in the undecided to fill more than two-thirds of the 90,000-seat FNB stadium between Johannesburg and Soweto …

South Africa’s ruling ANC holds final rally to defend solo ruleSat, 25 May 2024 15:42:00 GMT Read More »

Haiti is waiting desperately for the first members of a Kenyan-led multinational force tasked with ending the stranglehold of powerful and ultra-violent gangs, but their hoped-for arrival this week was delayed.The deployment gained new urgency with the announcement Friday that gang members killed three missionaries, a Haitian and an American couple, leading to renewed calls …

Haiti still waiting for international force to tackle gangsSat, 25 May 2024 14:09:05 GMT Read More »