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Last August 2 was the fourth anniversary of the declaration of the outcome of the March 2, 2020 elections.
The article Drama behind the 2020 elections results appeared first on Stabroek News.
\t On Friday, internet and international calls were cut off across the West African nation in anticipation of the election results, according to locals and international observers in the capital, Conakry.
\t This was the third time that Conde matched-up against Diallo. Before the election, observers raised concerns that an electoral dispute could reignite ethnic tensions between Guinea's largest ethnic groups.
THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) must be given the sole responsibility of registering political parties to avoid name contestations among political actors as witnessed in the opposition MDC. BY VENERANDA LANGA/NQOBANI NDLOVU/BLESSED MHLANGA Electoral watchdog, Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (Zesn) made the suggestion in a draft Electoral Amendment Bill proposal handed over to Parliament yesterday. To ensure independence, Zesn also suggested that Zec should be answerable to Parliament and empowered to postpone elections at polling stations where there are fears of disputed results. Zesn also proposed amendments to the Electoral Act to allow registered voters based outside the country to take part in postal voting alongside those that are unable to attend voting due to employment, security services and other reasons. Zesn chairperson Andrew Makoni said the Bill should be seen as a step towards implementing much-needed electoral reforms to break the cycle of electoral disputes. “We believe this will significantly improve the electoral landscape and remove electoral contestations,” Makoni said during the Zoom platform launch. “It will take us a step further in implementing the much-needed electoral reforms. We need to break the cycle of continuous or cosmetic amendment to the electoral system which at the end of the day does not address challenges to our electoral cycles.” The Bill was submitted to Parliament through the Justice and Legal Parliamentary Committee acting chairperson Joshua Murire who emphasised the need for free and fair elections. “We are fully geared to ensure that this Bill goes through all processes in Parliament, and eventually gets signed by his Excellency … to pave way for well-managed election processes in Zimbabwe. We hope that future elections will be guided accordingly,” Murire said. The Bill speaks to the need to ensure Zec’s independence while also providing for appeal mechanisms, among others, as well as placing control of all electoral-related functions on Zec. “There is no requirement in the (current) legislation in place for registration of political parties and we have seen how those are affecting those parties themselves with litigations all over …,” Makoni said. Zimbabweans are witnessing the implosion of the opposition MDC, fighting over MPs and councillors as well as party name. “The Bill will also introduce a new section 39B which empowers the commission to postpone an election at any polling station if it has reasonably determined that it is not possible to conduct a free and fair election at that polling station. Any postponement should be to a time within the period prescribed for holding elections by section 38(1) of the Constitution,” part of the highlights of the Bill read. On election dispute resolution mechanisms, the Bill proposes the alignment of the “Electoral Act to its new status as a special division of the High Court rather than an independent court.” After receiving the Bill, committee member Innocent Gonese said it was very important for Parliament to ensu
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) was formally launched just over a year ago in a blaze of optimism.
It aims to phase out all tariffs on commerce on the continent of 1.2 billion people, a goal that backers say could give trade a mega-jolt as only 15 percent of trade by African nations is with continental neighbours compared to 70 percent with Europe.
\"Everybody can see, objectively, nothing can be done on the 1st of July,\" AfCFTA's brand-new secretary general, Wamkele Mene of South Africa, told AFP.
Then there is the task of figuring out how AfCFTA should dovetail with eight existing regional organisations in Africa, such as ECOWAS and the six-nation East African Community (EAC).
\"The regional economic communities remain, including the customs unions in Africa such as the EAC, ECOWAS and so on,\" said Mene.
The couple, who became engaged on Eniko’s 30th birthday, celebrated their third wedding anniversary last August.
In an Instagram post last week, Eniko shared the family’s joy at the gender reveal.
The couple’s first child together, Kenzo Hart, was born in November 2017.
Heaven Hart, 15, and Hendrix Hart, 12, are products of the comedian's first marriage to Torrei Hart .
While Torrei initially alleged that Kevin and Eniko’s relationship began before their marriage ended, Kevin has maintained that he and Torrei were divorced before the start of his new relationship, according to Oprah Magazine.
Tuesday afternoon, the Georgia State Legislature was able to pass House Bill 426, colloquially known as “The Hate Crimes Bill” through both chambers.
While most Republicans were patting themselves on the back for getting House Bill 426 across the finish line, Speaker of the House David Ralston admitted there was renewed support to get the bill passed once the video of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder surfaced during the coronavirus-induced recess.
Additionally, the Georgia NAACP voiced their pleasure with the passage of the Hate Crimes Bill.
The passing of Georgia’s Hate Crimes Bill arrived during the time Rayshard Brooks’s funeral was taking place at Ebenezer Baptist Church and House Bill 838 passed through the Legislature which is loosely titled, the “Police Bill of Rights.”
State Rep. Bee Nguyen said via social media, “the passage of the Hate Crimes bill has been tainted by the passage of the Police Bill of Rights Bill.
U.S. Department of State Background Note
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Zimbabwe
Geography
Area: 390,580 sq. km. (150,760 sq. mi.), slightly larger than Montana.
Cities: Capital--Harare (pronounced Ha-RAR-e), pop. 1.5 million. Other towns--Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, Mutare, Gweru, Kwekwe, Masvingo, Marondera.
Terrain: Desert and savanna.
Climate: Mostly subtropical.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Zimbabwean (sing.), Zimbabweans (pl.).
Population (2003 est.): 12.5 million.
Annual growth rate (2003 est.): 0.83%. (Note: the population growth rate is depressed by an HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate estimated to be 18% and a high level of net emigration.)
Ethnic groups: Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other African 11%, white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%.
Religions: Christianity 75%, offshoot Christian sects, animist, and Muslim.
Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele.
Education: Attendance--mandatory for primary level. Adult literacy--90.5% (2004 est.).
Health: Infant mortality rate--51.7/1,000 (2006 est.). Life expectancy--men 37 (2006), women 34 (2006).
Work force (2006 est.): 900,000 in formal sector.
Government
Type: Parliamentary.
Constitution: December 21, 1979.
Independence: April 18, 1980.
Branches: Executive--President (chief of state and head of government), Cabinet. Legislative--In the 150-seat House of Assembly, 120 seats are popularly elected and 30 are directly appointed by the president or selected through a process strongly influenced by him. In the 66 seat Senate, 50 seats are popularly elected, 6 are directly appointed by the president, 8 chiefs are elected from the 8 rural provinces (excluding the metropolitan provinces), and 2 are the president and vice president of the Council of Chiefs. Judicial--High Court, Court of Appeal, local and customary courts.
Administrative subdivisions: Town Councils and District Councils.
Main political parties: Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF); Movement for Democratic Change (MDC); United Peoples Party (UPP).
Economy
GDP (2006
Within the last few years, the fashion industries diversity challenge has become an issue that sits front and center for many. This summer, we saw a number of fashion conglomerates […]
The post CFDA Partner With PVH To Release Diversity Report appeared first on Essence.
Police have been called to the Montecito, California residence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle nine times over a span... View Article
The post Police called to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s home nine times in past few months appeared first on TheGrio.
Mr. Keith Lowenfield, the Chief Election Officer, has been notoriously delinquent and culpable in executing his job responsibilities and should be replaced urgently.
His responsibility has been to present the total votes deemed “valid” at the end of the recount process by the officers of GECOM.
Mr. Lowenfield simply has had to present the summary of these numbers; it is not within his purview to interpret what may be questionable or disputable.
If the process has been deemed fraudulent by any entity, including the CEO, it must be taken to the court as an election petition.
Since Mr. Lowenfield has failed so ignominiously, the Chairman of GECOM should fire him immediately for not fulfilling his duties.
[Nation] Churches, politicians, local tycoons, and non-governmental organisations top the list of shame in an audit report in Nyandarua County, where thousands of acres of public utility land has been lost to grabbers.
Check out the rest of today’s drops and some joints you might’ve missed over the weekend including work from Luh Tyler, Teelow, and more.
After updating her followers for months on her weight loss journey postpartum -- after welcoming her son Win with hubby Russell Wilson almost a year ago -- Ciara is now back to her pre-baby weight.
Early Kingdoms in the Region:
The first inhabitants of the region [now Equatorial Guinea] are believed to have been Pygmies, of whom only isolated pockets remain in northern Rio Muni. Bantu migrations between the 17th and 19th centuries brought the coastal tribes and later the Fang. Elements of Fang may have generated the Bubi, who immigrated to Bioko from Cameroon and Rio Muni in several waves and succeeded former Neolithic populations.
The Annobon population, native to Angola, was introduced by the Portuguese via Sao Tome.
Europeans Discover the Island of Formosa:
The Portuguese explorer, Fernando Po (Fernao do Poo), seeking a route to India, is credited with having discovered the island of Bioko in 1471. He called it Formosa (pretty flower), but it quickly took on the name of its European discoverer [it is now known as Bioko]. The Portuguese retained control until 1778, when the island, adjacent islets, and commercial rights to the mainland between the Niger and Ogoue Rivers were ceded to Spain in exchange for territory in South America (Treaty of Pardo).
From 1827 to 1843, Britain established a base on the island to combat the slave trade. The Treaty of Paris settled conflicting claims to the mainland in 1900, and periodically, the mainland territories were united administratively under Spanish rule.
Spain lacked the wealth and the interest to develop an extensive economic infrastructure in what was commonly known as Spanish Guinea during the first half of this century.
Through a paternalistic system, particularly on Bioko Island, Spain developed large cacao plantations for which thousands of Nigerian workers were imported as laborers.
At independence in 1968, largely as a result of this system, Equatorial Guinea had one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa. The Spanish also helped Equatorial Guinea achieve one of the continents highest literacy rates and developed a good network of health care facilities.
A Province of Spain:
In 1959, the Spanish territory of the Gulf of Guinea was
Legislators across the political divide said “our children cannot be used as experiments” during debate on a report which was presented by chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga.
In response, Ncube said he was still waiting for the Primary and Secondary Education as well as the of Higher and Tertiary Education ministries to give him their budget breakdowns on re-opening of schools amidst COVID-19.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education said they will need $21 billion to reopen schools.
As recommendations, the committee said the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council examination dates recently announced were not practical.
All MPs that contributed to the debate said there must not be a rush to re-open schools, even suggesting that schools can as well open next year if COVID-19 remains a serious threat as education is for the living.
