[Onthebarricades] Pro-democracy, corruption and rights protests, Africa, Apr-Aug 2008

[Andy]

ON THE BARRICADES:  Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/

UGANDA
*  Families of "terror suspects" denounce Islamophobia
*  PM booed in protest by opponents
*  Exiles in London protest arrests of officials

MALAWI
*  Cops teargas supporters of former president

SOUTH AFRICA
*  Students march against trial of presidential hopeful

KENYA
*  Religious group/gang protests banning, barricades burnt, 4 killed by 
police
*  Protesters march over allegedly corrupt hotel deal
*  Protests over missing activist
*  Boycott and protests hit finance minister

MAURITANIA
*  Police attack anti-coup protest

ZAMBIA
*  State threatens salary increment protesters

NAMIBIA
*  Municipal leader faces ongoing protests
*  Residents protest corruption

SUDAN
*  Journalists strike to protest censorship
*  Darfur protest in London
*  American Jewish group drowns out announcer in Darfur/China protest

ZIMBABWE
*  Women injured in protest
*  Opposition takes to streets after protests banned
*  Exiles protest in Botswana, South Africa, UK
*  Protesters arrested, threatened with deportation for targeting Chinese 
embassy in South Africa

SENEGAL
*  Journalists boycott awards over beatings at football match

NIGERIA
*  Protesters storm office over missing Niger Delta funds
*  Supporters of politician storm parliament over impeachment
*  Demonstrations promised over corrupt use of money
*  Youths protest non-announcement of bye-election result

DR CONGO
*  Arrest of popular warlord sparks protests by supporters

GUINEA
*  Mass youth unrest, army revolt after prime minister sacked

SWAZILAND
*  Women with HIV protest at royal shopping binge

LIBERIA
*  Protesters occupy Harper City Hall

SEYCHELLES
*  Police attack media freedom protesters

http://allafrica.com/stories/200808250002.html

Uganda: Families of Terror Suspects Protest
New Vision (Kampala)
24 August 2008
Posted to the web 25 August 2008
Kampala
MUSLIM clerics and families of the arrested South African terror suspects 
have claimed that they are being subjected to Islamaphobia and terror 
profiling.
The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) in South Africa told local newspapers that 
it believed Islamic cleric Mufti Hussain Bhayat and Haroon Saley detained in 
Kampala on terrorism allegations are being subjected to Islamaphobic 
profiling.
The MJC and the Media Review Network (MRN) want South Africa Intelligence 
Minister, Ronnie Kasrils, to intervene in the case of the men being handled 
by the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force. The MRN, by the weekend, was also 
preparing to send its chairperson, Iqbal Jassat, to accompany Zahid Asmal of 
Channel Islam International to Uganda to assess the case.
The MRN and MJC said they were outraged "that Muslims of undeniable 
integrity and a track-record of poverty alleviation have been profiled as 
'terrorists'.
"This feeds into the orchestrated frenzy of Islamophobia that can only be 
detrimental to the harmonious relationship currently enjoyed by our people 
on the continent," the organisations commented.
The two were arrested at Entebbe International Airport on Monday with two 
other Ugandans Muslims who had gone to the airport to receive them. Security 
declined to reveal the identity of the locals.Radio Islam in South Africa 
reports that Bhayat lives in Lenasia, and Saley is a resident of Azaadville.
Army spokesperson Maj. Paddy Ankunda said the two were suspected of being 
involved in terrorism activities and that they had not been tortured.
"We are stilling holding them. We have got useful leads and still compiling 
more information."
Yousha Tayob, who spoke on behalf of the suspects' families said they had 
received acknowledgement from Uganda that Bhayat and Saley are in custody, 
but didn't know why. "We are trying to establish consular access and that 
will tell us everything we need to know," Tayob said. "We have been given no 
official reason," he said over the weeken

http://allafrica.com/stories/200806300649.html

Uganda: Booing of Premier Was a Protest Against NRM

The Monitor (Kampala)
29 June 2008
Posted to the web 30 June 2008
Chris Obore
Last week's booing of the prime minister by mourners at Dr Suleiman 
Kiggundu's funeral prayers in an indication that the ruling NRM party is 
increasingly becoming an enemy of the people, according to political 
analysts.
Sunday Monitor heard from the same analysts that the booing also manifested 
the deep-seated antagonism between the government and the Opposition.

Prof. Apolo Nsibambi was stopped from making a speech at Kibuli Mosque where 
prayers were held for the former chairman of the Opposition Forum for 
Democratic Change (FDC) party.
While the government on Thursday chose to blame the booing on FDC President, 
Dr Kizza Besigye, and Prof. Nsibambi said it was the work of "thugs", 
political analysts say the problem was down to the government's failures.
"It's a demonstration that NRM has not brought a fundamental change; the 
intolerance of the past is still around," said Mr Mwambutsya Ndebesa, a 
history lecturer at Makerere University, adding that: "The 
government-Opposition relationships are very sour and antagonistic."
He said that the government has been iron-fisted in its dealings with the 
Opposition; therefore, the latter are in no mood to be kind to the regime 
and its underlings.
Veteran academic and politician, Prof. Dani Wadada Nabudere noted that the 
booing of the premier "shows that the NRM in Buganda is beginning to be seen 
as an enemy."
This could be because of the unfriendly policies like the proposed and 
controversial Land Act Amendment Bill, which Buganda thinks is a ploy 
through which their land will be grabbed coupled with President Yoweri 
Museveni's determination to give-away part of Mabira Forest to a sugar cane 
growing company.
This, according to Prof. Nabudere, could explain people's negative attitude 
toward government.
He also said that the mourners could have booed Prof. Nsibambi because 
"Nsibambi is seen as disappointing in standing out on issues of national 
interest."
"Some ministers and MPs are seen as spineless and betray Buganda's interests 
and the rest of the country," Prof. Nabudere said.
He said the booing could easily spread across the country because the 
citizenry feels betrayed by pathetic and cowardly government leaders.
The mourners could have particularly been angered by Dr Kiggundu's death and 
government's belated concern yet it was public knowledge that the late Dr 
Kiggundu was "deliberately" crippled financially by the state.
The government shut down Dr Kiggundu's Greenland Bank in April 1999 before 
locking him in 2002 for allegedly causing financial loss to his employer.
But the Muslim, and wider Buganda community, however, interpreted these 
actions as a deliberate cynical move to cut down a promising son of the 
soil.
Prof. Nabudere said that as a leader and founder of the crippled Greenland 
Group of Companies that dealt in banking and merchandising, the late 
Kiggundu was seen by Muslims as their hero.
"People feel the government as having given Kiggundu a row deal," he said.
Because Kiggundu's business was suffocated and foreign investors promoted in 
the country, "people feel this is not our government because it represents 
foreign interests", according to Prof. Nabudere.
"People have been restricted to a cage and there is no way out; they are 
resorting to booing as a sign of frustration," Prof. Nabudere observed.
Mr Aaron Mukwaya, a senior political science lecturer at Makerere University 
agrees. "The major issue is the failure to address the question of 
democracy," he said.
Mr Mukwaya said failure to open the political space for people to express 
themselves leads to radicalism as demonstrated by the booing of the prime 
minister.
He said there is increasing intolerance on both sides because government has 
set the tone. "Nsibambi also arrived with political clout and his booing was 
an indication that there is increasing intolerance," he said.
Mr Mukwaya added that he did not believe thugs were responsible for the 
booing because among the mourners were people in expensive suits. "They 
cannot be thugs," he said, "People are taking politics to burials and 
weddings instead of the right place because they have been restricted."
"The onus is on the government to leave people to talk and air their views 
if not the radicals will keep appearing in such fora, " he said.
He said there should be a policy of government to ensure tolerance and 
accommodation because "if government does not tolerate; the Opposition will 
also not tolerate NRM."
Mr Ndebesa said there is "convergence between NRM and past regimes in terms 
of intolerance", therefore; the country has not experienced a fundamental 
change.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807310225.html

Uganda: Ugandans Protest in London

New Vision (Kampala)
30 July 2008
Posted to the web 31 July 2008
Norman Miwambo
London
UGANDANS living in the United Kingdom on Monday petitioned Queen Elizabeth 
II and the Commonwealth over the arrest of three Mengo officials.
Buganda information minister Peter Mayiga, his deputy Medard Seggona and 
Betty Nambooze, the chairperson of the Buganda civic education committee, 
were arrested over a week ago and later, with the exception of Mayiga, 
charged with sedition.

The petition called for "urgent action" against what demonstrators termed as 
"the deteriorating human rights and bad governance in Uganda."
The petition was copied to the Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh 
Sharma and the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.
Other recipients were British secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
David Miliband and the Uganda High Commission in London.

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2332833,00.html

Cops tear gas rioters
01/06/2008 22:17  - (SA)
Blantyre - Police fired tear gas to break up a crowd of supporters of the 
former Malawian president accused of treason.
Bakili Muluzi was released on bail on Friday, five days after his arrest for 
allegedly plotting to overthrow the government. Senior military and police 
officials also were arrested.
Muluzi had wanted to attend a rally on Sunday in a slum area near the 
commercial capital Blantyre, but police stopped him because he was under 
house arrest.
Muluzi supporters at the rally threw stones at riot police in response. 
Officers dispersed them with tear gas.
Muluzi was president from 1994 to 2004 and wanted to stand in next year's 
election against President Bingu wa Mutharika.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/080822/world/safrica_politics_protest_zuma

SAfrica students march against Zuma's graft trial
Module body
Fri Aug 22, 11:32 AM

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Hundreds of South African students on Friday marched to 
the country's highest court to demand the dropping of corruption charges 
against embattled presidential hopeful Jacob Zuma.
The protesters, aged between 15 and 18, were members of the Congress of 
South African Students, a student body affiliated to the ruling African 
National Congress party (ANC), headed by Zuma.
"We want to raise our discontent about the continued manipulation and abuse 
of the judicial system against the president of the ANC, Jacob Zuma," said 
student leader Kenny Motshegoa.
"We want the court to intervene in what seems like a sustained campaign to 
tarnish comrade Zuma's name using the state organs. His corruption charges 
are political and we demand that they be dropped," he added.
The high school students, who missed classes to take part in the march, 
danced and chanted slogans.
Zuma, who toppled President Thabo Mbeki as ANC leader last December, faces 
corruption charges.
In June, the ANC youth league leader, Julius Malema, stirred national 
concern when he told a rally that the youth were prepared to "kill" for Zuma 
if he went to jail, although he later retracted.
A high court early this month ruled that it would decide in September 
whether to throw out the corruption case that could sink Zuma's presidential 
hopes.
He is facing more than a dozen charges ranging from money-laundering to 
racketeering and has said he would stand down if convicted.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/15/2217894.htm

Two killed as Kenya gang protests for second day
Posted Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:12pm AEST
Police shot dead two people when Kenya's Mungiki gang took to the streets 
again on Tuesday, presenting a brazen challenge to Kenya's new coalition 
Government on only its second day in existence.
A Reuters Television journalist saw two people who police had shot dead in 
Nairobi's Industrial Area, where witnesses said Mungiki members were stoning 
cars.
The gang, drawn from the majority Kikuyu tribe, has said it is protesting 
the beheading of its jailed leader's wife last week, which it blamed on 
police. Police deny that.
Mungiki is Kenya's version of the mafia and has provided muscle-for-hire to 
politicians in the past. It provoked a bloody police crackdown that led to 
more than 100 deaths last year, after the group killed and beheaded scores 
of people.
Police presence across the Kenyan capital was heavy, a regular sight in the 
nation since a disputed December 27 election spilled into ethnic violence.
- Reuters

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/06/2181387.htm

Kenya police fire tear gas to halt gang protest
Posted Thu Mar 6, 2008 2:00am AEDT
Kenyan police have fired teargas to scatter street protests by hundreds of 
young men demanding the release of a former leader of the outlawed Mungiki 
gang from prison.
Police in riot gear chased the protesters through downtown Nairobi, 
frightening residents still on edge after post-election violence which 
killed more than 1,000 people and forced 300,000 from their homes.
"We demand the immediate release of Maina Njenga and his cars, which were 
impounded by the police," a statement given to media by a rioter said.
John Maina Njenga, a former leader and founder member of the Mungiki 
criminal gang, is serving a five-year sentence for possession of an illegal 
firearm.
Mungiki, which means "multitude" in the Kikuyu tribal language is notorious 
for beheadings, and was accused of killing hundreds of people during the 
post-election violence.
Police were not immediately available to comment.
A new power-sharing deal negotiated by former UN secretary-general Kofi 
Annan has brought calm to Kenya, and economic activity has resumed.
Last year, police killed at least 33 people in a crackdown on the gang, 
blamed for a spate of brutal murders in Nairobi and central Kenya.
According to local media, Mr Njenga renounced the gang while in prison, 
saying he had become a born-again Christian.
- Reuters

http://media.www.dailylobo.com/media/storage/paper344/news/2008/04/15/News/Ap.Four.Kenyans.Dead.After.Gangs.Protest-3325501.shtml

AP: Four Kenyans dead after gang's protest
Tom Odula / The Associated Press
Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Karel Prinsloo / AP Photo
Karel Prinsloo / AP Photo Police walk past burning barricades set up by 
members of the Mungiki gang Monday during protest in Nairobi, Kenya. Members 
of the gang, which has been linked to a string of beheadings, held protests 
in several cities across the country to demand the release of their leader 
from prison.

NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenyan police fired bullets and tear gas to clear 
machete-waving gang members who blocked roads and set a police post on fire 
Monday to protest the killing of an imprisoned gang leader's wife.

At least four people were killed in the violence, police and members of the 
banned Mungiki gang said, reminding Kenyans of the fragility of the 
country's peace after postelection riots earlier this year.

Regional police chief Philip Ndwiga said two people were shot dead in 
Central province. Gang members who asked not to be identified for fear or 
reprisals said two others were killed in the Dandora neighborhood of the 
capital, Nairobi.

Earlier in the day, the gang blocked the main east-west road running through 
the country but it was quickly cleared, police officer Willy Lugusa said.

Police and gang members fought running battles in Naivasha, a town about 60 
miles to the northwest of the capital along the road.

In the western town of Eldoret, senior police officer Muinde Kioko said that 
two Mungiki supporters had been badly beaten by members of the public and 16 
had been arrested.

Within the capital, gang members manned roadblocks of burning tires and 
pulled people out of vehicles. Local resident Cliff Owino said vehicles in 
the slum of Mathare were being stoned and gunshots were heard.

Several burned-out, smoldering cars were blocking roads and about a dozen 
riot police with shields and masks were patrolling a main roundabout 
littered with broken glass and the blackened shell of a minibus.

"This now is all because of the Mungiki," said Peter Nyaga, who works at a 
milling factory. "They are everywhere here."

In another part of the city, around 200 members of the Mungiki gang armed 
with machetes and sticks blocked off a road and marched with a banner 
demanding the release of their leader from prison. Police fired tear gas at 
them but failed to disperse them.

The Kenya National Youth Alliance, the political wing of the gang, released 
a statement accusing police of last week's killings of their imprisoned 
leader's wife and their acting leader's brother.

"On the atrocious murders of the loved ones at the hands of the ruthless 
police force, the government in its impunity has continued committing 
extra-judicial killings and is responsible for these two murders. They 
should stop trying to pass the buck as they are all connected with the 
killings that have been going on since 2006," the statement read.

National police spokesman Eric Kiraithe denied any police involvement in the 
killings.

"That is totally false accusations," he said. "If we are interested in the 
wife of the criminal we would have taken her to court."

The Mungiki, a quasi-religious sect linked to a string of beheadings, 
promote the culture of the Kikuyu, Kenya's largest tribe. Gang members say 
they were also approached by politicians to act as an ethnic militia during 
the violence following Dec. 27's disputed elections in which over 1,000 
people died. Kiraithe rejected those claims.

On Sunday, President Mwai Kibaki implemented a power-sharing deal aimed at 
resolving the political crisis that set off that unrest. He made opposition 
leader Raila Odinga prime minister and appointed several members of Odinga's 
party to his Cabinet.

http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN134861.html

Protesters march over Kenyan-Libyan hotel saga
Tue 1 Jul 2008, 9:50 GMT

By Andrew Cawthorne and Hereward Holland
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's prime minister summoned cabinet colleagues on 
Tuesday to look at the secretive sale of a luxury hotel at what critics say 
was a knockdown price while protesters demanded the finance minister be 
fired over the deal.
The Grand Regency deal has stoked national outrage and fuelled tensions in 
an already fragile coalition government set up in April to end a 
post-election crisis.

"Kimunya must go!" chanted scores of marching demonstrators, referring to 
Finance Minister Amos Kimunya.
About 10 legislators were among the 100 or so protesters who marched from 
the hotel in what organisers said was the first in a series of planned 
demonstrations in Nairobi.
The Regency deal, involving Libyan investors, has added to suspicions of 
continued large-scale corruption after a series of scandals in east Africa's 
biggest economy, which foreign businesses routinely cite as a deterrent to 
investment.
The saga has pitted mainly ministers from Odinga's Orange Democratic 
Movement against Kimunya, a loyal ally of President Mwai Kibaki. Kimunya has 
been finance minister for most of Kibaki's rule since 2003, a time of strong 
growth.
Reversing prior remarks the government-owned hotel had not been sold, 
Kimunya said last week it had gone for 2.9 billion shillings after an offer 
"too sweet" to refuse.
That price, less than the 4 billion shillings of a 1994 sale price for the 
hotel which analysts value now at between 4.5 and 6 billion, provoked 
outrage around Kenya, including from some of Kimunya's cabinet colleagues 
and anti-graft watchdogs.
The minister says the deal was above-board and fetched the best possible 
price for the nation. His defenders say critics are mounting a witch-hunt 
before examining details of the deal.
Late on Monday, cabinet colleague and Lands Minister James Orengo produced 
transaction documents that he said showed the Regency had in fact been sold 
for just 1.85 billion shillings.
Orengo said Central Bank governor Njuguna Ndung'u had signed the agreement, 
and the hotel had gone to a company known as "Libyan African Pan African 
Investment Company Kenya Limited" with both Libyan and Kenyan directors.
"READ THE TEA-LEAVES"
Local economist Robert Shaw urged Kimunya to resign. "And if Prof. Njuguna 
Ndung'u is reading the tea-leaves, he would be well advised to call it a day 
too," he added in a newspaper column.
Justice Minister Martha Karua, despite being another stalwart of Kibaki, has 
also criticised the finance minister.
Kibaki and Odinga were at bitter loggerheads for the first two months of 
2008, after Odinga accused Kibaki of stealing the December presidential 
election through fraud.
But via international mediation, they buried their differences to form a 
coalition government that has brought peace back to Kenya. Odinga called a 
meeting of cabinet's finance committee on Tuesday to discuss the Regency 
affair.
The controversy has weighed slightly on the local currency, the shilling, 
which weakened to 65.00/10 to the dollar on Monday from 64.70/80 on Friday. 
"There is a bit of negative sentiment around the political front," analyst 
Noah Meely said.
The Regency had been owned by a Kenyan tycoon accused of being the architect 
of the so-called Goldenberg scandal that nearly sunk Kenya's economy in the 
1990s.
Kamlesh Pattni, who has been tried but never convicted despite multiple 
probes into the siphoning of some $1 billion of public funds over bogus 
diamond and gold exports, handed the five-star, multi-storey hotel to the 
bank earlier this year.
Local media said that won him immunity from prosecution.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200805270164.html

Kenya: Residents Protest Over Missing Activist

The Nation (Nairobi)
27 May 2008
Posted to the web 27 May 2008
Nairobi
Angry residents and matatu operators in Baba Dogo, Nairobi Monday took to 
the streets over the disappearance of a human rights campaigner.
Mr Charles Kimathi's wife, Ms Nancy Wangui, said he was picked up by a group 
of people in plain clothes but said to be policemen last Wednesday.

"I was away at Jamii Bora Office (a self-help group) in Eastleigh where I 
had gone for a meeting and I was told that police picked (Kimathi) at Glue 
Cola estate where he was with a friend. I have never seen him ever since and 
the police are not telling us where they have taken him," Ms Wangui told the 
Nation.
Project
She said Mr Kimathi, 34, earned a living by printing T-shirts at a community 
project in Baba Dogo. Ms Wangui also said she had recorded a statement at 
Kasarani Police Station and with the CID over the disappearance.
Kasarani OCPD Cyrus Ombati said police had arrested two of the demonstrators 
who were reportedly found with petrol bombs stashed in a maize flour bag. 
The two young men had nine petrol bombs containing between one litre or half 
a litre each.
"We are interrogating them to establish what they intended to do with the 
petrol bombs," Ombati said.
Denied
The OCPD denied that the missing man was in their custody, saying detectives 
had been instructed to investigate the case and trace him.
According to a resident who declined to be named, Mr Kimathi was collecting 
names of post-election violence victims who needed to be provided with 
building materials on the day that he disappeared.
The demonstration temporarily disrupted traffic in Baba Dogo and along Outer 
Ring road before police dispersed the demonstrators.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807040008.html

Kenya: Boycott And Protests

The Nation (Nairobi)
4 July 2008
Posted to the web 4 July 2008
Nairobi
Embattled Finance minister Amos Kimunya Thursday said he was still in office 
as MPs and other Kenyans continued demanding his resignation.
"I am serving the nation," Mr Kimunya told the Nation in a telephone 
interview.

But later in the day, MPs who have been calling for the formation of an 
opposition led a protest march in Nairobi as another group of demonstrators 
marched through the streets of Mombasa to demand that the minister resigns 
or be sacked over his role in the sale of the Grand Regency hotel.
And in Parliament, MPs started their boycott of all questions and motions 
related to the Ministry of Finance a day after passing a censure motion 
against Mr Kimunya.
Mr Gitobu Imanyara (Imenti Central, CCU) rose during question time to remind 
the Deputy Speaker that members would not entertain questions and/or motions 
related to the Treasury until the minister steps aside or is sacked.
A minister cannot be removed through a motion of no-confidence by 
Parliament.
Mr Kimunya said: "I am serving the nation from wherever I am now. 
Parliament... is not the appointing authority".
Meanwhile, the team led by Attorney-General Amos Wako questioned the 
National Security Intelligence Service director-general, Maj Gen Michael 
Gichangi, over claims that the agency pushed for the quick sale of the Grand 
Regency Hotel.
In the afternoon, Mr Kimunya went to State House to meet the President and 
left shortly before 3pm.
In another development, the Ministry of Lands has placed a caveat on the 
hotel, blocking any further transfers of the land on which Grand Regency 
stands. The caveat also blocks the new owners of the hotel from securing 
bank loans using the property as a security.
The principal registrar of titles, Ms Teresiah Mburu said: "This caveat 
forbids the registration of any dealing with the land absolutely".
The caveat was presented to the Commissioner of Lands on Tuesday.
On Thursday, Government spokesman Alfred Mutua issued a statement saying the 
move was taken to protect the property.
Dr Mutua said the caveat was called for by "the enormity of the matter 
concerning the Grand Regency Hotel" and was meant to protect the property 
until issues related to the sale are concluded. He said the Government would 
ensure "good relations with Libya" are not affected.
Lands minister James Orengo's revelations last week that the hotel had been 
sold to Libyan Arab African Investment Company Kenya Ltd sparked 
condemnation culminating in Wednesday's no-confidence motion.
The motion was moved by Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale who had earlier opposed 
Mr Kimunya's plan to tax MPs' allowances.
Although initial reports had indicated that the hotel had been bought by the 
Libyan Government, the embassy in Nairobi has since distanced itself from 
the deal, saying that they had not been involved at any stage.
On Thursday, the Cabinet committee chaired by Prime Minister Raila Odinga 
approved a report compiled by its sub-committee which was headed by 
Attroney-General Amos Wako.
The report proposed that Mr Kimunya, the Governor of Central Bank, Prof 
Njuguna Ndung'u, the Director General of the National Intelligence Services, 
Major General Gichangi and the secretary to CBK board, Mr Kennedy Kaunda 
Abuga, should step aside to pave way for investigations.
Mr Odinga said the report will be presented to the Cabinet whose meeting was 
scheduled for Thursday, but was put off for what Dr Mutua said was the busy 
schedule of the President.
Though the contents of the report had been widely publicised in the local 
media, Dr Mutua said it was yet to reach the Cabinet.
"The Government would like to inform the public that the report has neither 
reached the Cabinet nor has it received Cabinet attention," he said.
However, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka told Parliament that President 
Kibaki had been briefed on the report and was even following the Wednesday 
proceedings of the House when Mr Kimunya was being censured.
Dr Khalwale took the no-confidence motion to Parliament questioning the 
minister's roles in the sale of key public institutions.
The accusations ranged from the sale of the Grand Regency to the Initial 
Public Offering of Safaricom shares.
According to Dr Khalwale, Mr Kimunya acted in total disregard of the 
provisions of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act and related 
regulations governing the sale and disposal of public assets.
His motion was overwhelmingly passed by MPs who rejected the VP's attempts 
to have the debate postponed to await the recommendations of the Wako team.
On Thursday, Mr Kimunya did not turn up at his Treasury Building office.
But in a telephone interview, he said he had not yet made a decision on 
demands for him to quit.
"I am still consulting widely. The allegations tabled in Parliament were 
pure politics because nobody produced evidence to back the accusations," the 
minister said.
He said that people were volunteering information about who, where and how 
the vote of no confidence was plotted. He said that his lawyers were 
verifying some documents, including those published in the press with a view 
to taking legal action.
"People are giving me vital information about this grand onslaught and I am 
also looking at the documents before I decide on the next course of action. 
My lawyers will advise," Mr Kimunya said.
He said all details on the Grand Regency Hotel issue were communicated to 
the relevant authorities, hence his insistence that Prime Minister Raila 
Odinga, Attorney General Amos Wako and Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission 
director Justice Aaron Ringera were aware of the deal.
"I want them to deny those facts before I comment further," he said.
He also said he was still in charge at the ministry and would continue 
working.
"There is nothing tangible to prove the allegations and any decision I take 
will be based on my own conscience," said Mr Kimunya, also the Kipipiri MP.
According to him, a number of issues had prompted the MPs to bay for his 
blood and these included his proposal that they pay tax like all other 
Kenyans.
Meanwhile, fresh details have emerged contradicting Nairobi Metropolitan 
Development minister Mutula Kilonzo's statement that the Grand Regency Hotel 
was sold for Sh4 billion in 1994.
Documents made available to the Nation show that the hotel was sold for 
Sh248 million ($4 million) in 1993 in a deal in which Mr Kilonzo, who was 
the lawyer for both Kamlesh Pattni and the late Mohammed Aslam, paid legal 
fees of Sh33 million.
The total amount used to buy the hotel and five other properties amounted to 
Sh750 million at the time.
When Mr Gichangi appeared before the Wako committee, he said he had, in the 
course of his duties, met Pattni over the sale of the Grand Regency.
He also said he had handed over the transaction issue to Prof Ndung'u. But 
he denied threatening or intimidating any Government officer regarding the 
transfer of the hotel to Libyan Arab African Investment Company (K) Ltd.
He also said his officers had compiled reports listing various 
irregularities relating to the deal and the details were available on 
request.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=94879

Mauritanian police use tear gas to break up anti-coup protest
By Agence France Presse (AFP)

Friday, August 08, 2008

Hademine Ould Sadi
Agence France Presse
NOUAKCHOTT: Mauritanian police on Thursday broke up a protest by hundreds of 
people against an army coup in the West African nation which has been 
internationally condemned despite a junta promise to hold new elections. The 
EU called for the release of President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, the 
country's first democratically elected leader, and his prime minister who 
were detained after the army takeover on Wednesday.
The Arab League and African Union each expressed concern and sent missions 
to Nouakchott, where a top official in Abdallahi's party said police fired 
tear gas to end the rally in support of the president.
"We wanted to organize a peaceful demonstration, our protesters were only 
armed with slogans and portraits of the president. The police stopped us by 
firing tear gas," party secretary general Mohammad Mahmoud Ould Dahmane 
said. One woman was hurt during the protest in the capital, which drew 
between 200-300 people, he added.
Dahmane said that his National Pact for Democracy and Development party had 
allied with three other parties to denounce the coup.
The president "is the one and only legitimate president" of the country, he 
said, and called for his immediate release.
Earlier, around 1,000 people also marched through the capital in support of 
coup leader General Mohammad Ould Abdel-Aziz, who seized control hours after 
being sacked as head of the presidential guard.
Pro-coup protesters marched alongside vehicles bearing giant portraits of 
the general, chanting "Aziz, Aziz" as they headed toward the presidential 
palace.
Addressing the crowd at a rally outside the presidential palace at the end 
of the march, Abdel-Aziz promised to solve country's problems in his first 
public speech since taking control.
"I will work to solve all the problems this country is confronted with," 
said the general, who was flanked by members of the ruling junta.
Police in riot gear were posed at strategic junctions around the capital. 
But the junta promised to quickly hold new elections as it confronted 
international condemnation of Aballahi's detention.
The junta said in a statement it would "supervise the holding of 
presidential polls enabling the relaunch of the democratic process in the 
country and to reshape it on a perennial basis."

It promised: "These elections, which will be held in the shortest possible 
period, will be free and transparent and will bring for the future a 
continued and harmonious functioning of all the constitutional powers."
Abdallahi remained in custody Thursday at Presidential Guard headquarters, 
according to a security source. The premier, former interior minister and 
two other officials considered close to Abdallahi were also arrested, 
security sources said.
The coup triggered international condemnation, with the US urging the 
release of Mauritania's leaders and the EU threatening to cut off aid.
The European Commission said the president and premier must be released by 
the junta before any fresh elections.
"The current situation is unacceptable. A military coup of this nature is 
unacceptable against a democratically elected president," spokesman John 
Clancy said in Brussels.
EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel said Wednesday that the coup 
had jeopardized EU cooperation and aid to the country. The EU has pledged 
156 million euros ($242 million) to the North African nation up to 2013.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon called for "the restoration of constitutional order." 
The African Union called for maintaining "constitutional legality" and said 
its peace and security commissioner, Ramtane Lamamra, would go to Mauritania 
to "assist in promoting a peaceful solution to the crisis."
A delegationn from the Arab League was also to go to Mauritania on Friday.
The largely desert country has a history of coups since gaining independence 
from France in 1960, and on the morning after the coup, Mauritanian 
newspapers echoed a sense of deja-vu.
"Coup d'etat: how did we get back to the starting point?" asked the Le 
Quotidien de Nouakchott daily. The Biladi newspaper spoke of "Democracy 
tested" while Nouakchott Info headlined: "Coup d'etat, the end of an era."
The elections that Abdallahi won were hailed as a model of democracy for 
Africa, following a three-year transition after a bloodless coup in August 
2005.
A new political crisis has been boiling however and on Monday 48 members of 
Parliament walked out on the ruling party less than two weeks after a vote 
of no confidence in the government prompted a Cabinet reshuffle. - AFP

http://allafrica.com/stories/200808111302.html

Mauritania: Journalist Arrested While Covering Demonstration

International Freedom of Expression Exchange Clearing House (Toronto)
PRESS RELEASE
11 August 2008
Posted to the web 11 August 2008
On 7 August 2008, Ahmed Ould Neda, a reporter for Akbar Info, a 
Nouakchott-based independent news agency, was arrested and detained by the 
Mauritanian police while covering a demonstration against the new military 
regime in the country.
Media Foundation for West Africa's (MFWA) correspondent reported that Neda's 
camera containing pictures of police assaulting demonstrators was 
confiscated.

The demonstration had been organised by a broad coalition of four political 
parties to protest a coup d'état that ended the young democratically elected 
regime of President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.
On 6 August, a group of military officers led by General Mohammed Ould 
Abdul-Aziz, former head of the presidential guard, toppled President 
Abdallahi's administration after the general and three other senior officers 
were dismissed.
However, another demonstration in support of the takeover held on the same 
day and led by General Abdul-Aziz went on without interruption.
Neda's arrest and detention brings to three the number of journalists 
detained in Mauritania. Two other journalists, Mohamed Nemar Omar, and 
Mohammed Ould Abdelatif, editor and reporter respectively of "Al Houriya", 
an Arabic newspaper, have been in prison since 23 July over an article they 
published on judicial corruption.
MFWA is deeply concerned about the highhandedness displayed by the police in 
Mauritania. The organisation is calling for the immediate release of the 
detained journalists.

http://www.lusakatimes.com/?p=3410

Govt warns salary increment protestors
Posted on August 12th, 2008
Political parties and some non-govenmental organisations intending to strike 
over a move to increase ministers' salaries must ensure the protests are 
peaceful.
Information Minister, Mike Mulongoti, said although members of the public 
have a right to demonstrate, they should ensure their action is peaceful.
He said Zambians should also question organisers, what the motive for the 
protests is for.
Mr. Mulongoti said the civil society and political parties should use the 
right channels to air their grievances against government.
He said in an interview with ZNBC news that use of dialogue and the courts, 
to resolve problems is a better option.
The Chief Government Spokesperson was reacting to calls by civil society to 
start countrywide demonstrations over the planned salary increments for 
ministers and other constitutional office holders.
[ZNBC]

http://allafrica.com/stories/200806060629.html

Namibia: Another Protest Against Okahandja CEO

The Namibian (Windhoek)
6 June 2008
Posted to the web 6 June 2008
Denver Isaacs
Windhoek
ANGRY Okahandja residents took to the streets yesterday in protest against a 
number of controversial decisions made by their municipality over the last 
month.
The demonstrators were particularly angered over the recent renewal of town 
CEO Regina Alughodi's contract, just weeks after the Town Council had 
decided to remove her.
They also expressed unhappiness over the lack of response to earlier 
demonstrations and complaints to the municipality over the issue, saying 
that this might prompt them to explore the legal route.
"Our main concern as Okahandja community is that we want the Okahandja 
council to remove Regina Alughodi from Okahandja municipality as the CEO and 
want the council to execute and implement the decision taken on May 3 2008 
by the Okahandja full Council," group leader Timotheus /Goagoseb said before 
handing over the petition to regional Governor Theophillus Eiseb.
Alughodi's contract was set to expire at the end of this month.
Opposition party councillors said earlier this week that they were not 
involved in the decision to reverse their decision to remove the CEO, 
arguing that this was a political move made by the Swapo Party.
Former Okahandja Mayor Paul Damaseb, at a similar protest two weeks ago, 
denied on national television the rumours that Alughodi's term had been 
secretly renewed.
A week later it was revealed that her new contract had been signed even 
before that demonstration took place.
Damaseb was removed from his mayoral position last week during council 
elections.
The organisers of yesterday's protest estimated that about 500 people joined 
them on their march to the municipality building.
The demonstrators said they demanded the minutes of the meeting where 
Alughodi was reinstated, and to know what procedures were followed to have 
this done.
"The position of the CEO is not a political position and therefore should be 
advertised openly so that everyone that has the required qualifications can 
apply, and so that the best suitable candidate be appointed.
Someone that will take the interests of the Okahandja community to heart," 
they said.
The demonstrators demanded a reply to their petition within the next week, 
failing which they would approach the office of the President or consider 
legal action.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200806231093.html

Namibia: Disgruntled Opuwo Residents Hold Protest

New Era (Windhoek)
23 June 2008
Posted to the web 23 June 2008
Michael Liswaniso
Opuwo
Hundreds of residents of Opuwo last Thursday took to the main street of the 
town where they expressed dissatisfaction regarding the administration of 
the affairs of the Kunene Regional Council they allege is corruptly being 
run.
The residents marched through Opuwo's prominent avenue, Mbumbijazo Muharukua 
to the offices of the Regional Council to voice their grievances. They waved 
placards that read: "ACC Come In", "Down With Nepotism", "Where Is The Opuwo 
Constituency Office? and "Are Tenders Only For cronies?" among others.
They assigned Opuwo's founding town mayor and now Swapo Party district 
mobilizer, Rex Sheehama to lead them in the march and be their spokesperson. 
Sheehama was flanked by the Swapo Party regional coordinator, Uahekua 
Herunga, and other prominent recognized and un-recognized traditional 
leaders.
Reading out the petition, residents stated that the ongoing irregularities 
contain a potential time bomb that can derail and bring Government's 
development efforts to a standstill.
They allege that the regional governor Dudu Murorua and two of his fellow 
constituency councillors in Khorixas and Sesfontein, who are on a United 
Democratic Front (UDF) ticket, treat regional subjects who are not UDF 
sympathizers unfairly when it comes to employment and other general 
services.
"On our part, we have been observing a higher degree of respect to you as 
our political leader but you decide to disassociate yourself from us by 
looking down on us and treat us as passengers and outcasts," they stressed 
in the petition that was read out loud by Sheehama.
The residents claim that Murorua and fellow councillors are responsible for 
the prolonged appointment of the chief regional officer, noting that on 
various occasions a successful candidate was not appointed when he was found 
not to be a UDF member, their alleging that the regional council will in all 
spheres delay the process and lead to the frustration of the candidate who 
would opt to seek employment opportunities elsewhere and in the process the 
post is re-advertised again.
Residents claim tender procedures are not always followed. They pin-pointed 
the awarding of a tender to a security company to man certain constituency 
offices without following tender board procedures.
They added that a Toyota Fortuner estimated to have cost close to half a 
million was purchased for the governor without the ministry and tender board 
approval and even bought on a one quotation basis.
"It is not just this; even the Toyota Land Cruiser purchased for the 
Department of Planning and Development is in the hands of the acting chief 
regional officer and is currently parked at Khorixas for the reason only 
known to him and his partners in this dirty work.
"In fact, the acting chief regional officer is a director of planning with a 
car allowance and thus not allowed to drive a GRN vehicle," Sheehama read 
the petition.
Residents claim staff members of the regional council are hand-picked and 
positions are not always advertised.
They thus called upon the Anti-Corruption Commission to intervene swiftly.
They claim the recent appointment of a driver and the personal assistant to 
the governor raises questions, as their posts were not advertised.
They also allege that the accountant at the office studied human resources 
and not accounting.
"How can a person who studied human resources management head the finance 
division and supervise qualified accountants?" asked Sheehama.
Residents say the decision by the UDF regional councillors on the absence of 
other councillors to declare Khorixas as the regional capital is a clear 
insult, provocation and contempt of central government, Cabinet and non-UDF 
residents in Kunene.
"Which government policy gives the UDF power in Kunene for the regional 
education office to be established in one of the UDF controlled 
constituencies while there is a regional capital?" they asked.
The residents claim a New Era article of 2005 by the headline "Opuwo 
Unsuitable Capital" is still fresh in their minds and thus claim they know 
whose "dirty ideas" it was.
The residents vowed to fight what they termed "tooth and nail, without fear 
or favour" to protect their rights and intended benefits.
"We urge everyone and even the director of education not to be intimidated 
and become submissive to UDF illegal instructions to remain calm in the 
regional capital," the three-page petition read.
Speaking at the same occasion, senior chief of the Otjikaoko Traditional 
Authority, Paulus Tjavara, indicated that the entire community of Kaoko is 
not ill-informed, stupid neither coward and thus, he stressed that there 
should be tangible solutions to the outcry of the people, warning that the 
next demonstration won't be peaceful if no solution to the problems is 
found.
He further stated that the traditional authorities might even take it up 
with the Minister and even the President.
"The number of people present here is a clear testimony ," he noted.
None of the political big muscles were present to receive the petition, and 
neither was the acting chief regional officer, George Kamseb, as he was on 
an "official assignment" in the capital.

http://africa.reuters.com/country/SD/news/usnL19825489.html

Sudan paper suspends work to protest censorship
Thu 19 Jun 2008, 15:06 GMT

KHARTOUM, June 19 (Reuters) - One of Sudan's leading independent papers 
suspended work on Thursday, saying censorship by authorities had made it 
impossible to function.
Ajras al-Huriya, or the Bells of Freedom, said it had not been able to 
publish for two days this week after Sudanese security arrived and ordered 
the removal of up to nine articles and columns minutes before the paper went 
to the printing press.
"They, the security elements, are replacing the role of the 
editor-in-chief," said deputy chief editor, Fayez el-Sheikh el-Silaik.
"We want to send a very strong message to the international community and 
the political forces that we are in a very dangerous situation -- freedom is 
in danger now."
Sudan's constitution, created after a 2005 north-south peace deal ending 
Africa's longest civil war, enshrines press freedom but since an attack on 
Khartoum last month by rebels from Sudan's west, daily censorship has been 
imposed on newspapers.
Silaik said articles critical of the ruling National Congress Party, the 
army or security had been removed, as well as those on hostilities in 
Darfur, neighbouring Chad and on dam projects in northern Sudan where people 
were killed in protests.
"We cannot even write about the fact that there is censorship," he said.
Senior members of Sudan's political opposition parties were present when the 
paper announced the suspension, including the former southern rebels, the 
Sudan People's Liberation Movement, who joined the NCP in government 
following the 2005 accord.
Some SPLM members are shareholders in the paper which has a charter to 
ensure its independence. The SPLM said it would raise the issue of 
censorship with the NCP. (Reporting by Opheera McDoom; editing by Elizabeth 
Piper)

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/05/399541.html

Justice for Darfur - London Protest
Peter Marshall | 26.05.2008 12:19 | Repression | London
Approaching two hundred protesters, many from the Sudan, gathered opposite 
Downing Street yesterday (Sun 25 May, 2008) for a noisy protest before 
marching to a rally held adjoining the Sudanese Embassy opposite St James's 
Palace in London.

The 'Justice for Darfur' campaign was launced a month ago, one year after 
the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Sudan's 
former State Minister of the Interior Ahmad Haroun and Janjaweed leader Ali 
Kushayb (Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman) on 51 charges of war crimes and 
crimes against humanity arising from persecution, rapes and murder of 
civilians in four West Darfur villages.

The Sudanese government has refused to hand over the men; Haroun has even 
been promoted to be responsible for humanitarian affairs, and Kushayb, who 
was being held in jail on other charges at the time the ICC warrants were 
issued has been released due to "lack of evidence."

Demonstrators also carried placards asking for other Sudanese war criminals 
to be brought to justice, including Saleh Gosh, head of Sudan's National 
Security and Intelligence Service, Sudan President Omar Al Bashir, the 
Minister of the Federation Government Nafi Ali Nafi and former Foreigh 
Minister Mustafa Osman, who were all among the 52 listed for investigation 
by the UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes in 2005.

Fresh reports of beatings, detentions and shooting of Darfuri civilians in 
Khartoum and Omdurman have been received earlier this month, but the 
situation in Darfur seems now to attract relatively little attention in the 
mainstream press - who sent no reporters or photographers to Sunday's event.

The Justice for Darfur campaign is supported by around 30 organisations 
including the Aegis Trust, Amnesty International and Darfur Union UK who 
organised this event along with Aegis Students.

Justice for Darfur Launch
 http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2008/04/24/darfur18640.htm

Aegis Trust report
 http://www.aegistrust.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=750&Itemid=88More pictures from Sunday's event in London http://mylondondiary.co.uk/2008/05/may.htm#darfurPeter Marshallhttp://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc/protesters_disrupt_rokers_weather_89970.asp?c=rssWednesday, Jul 23Protesters Disrupt Roker's WeatherActivists from the American Jewish World Service organization drowned out AlRoker as we was trying to tell viewers about Hurricane Dolly this morning.According to a press release, the group is calling on NBC "to beef up itscoverage of China's complicity with the Sudanese government's genocidalcampaign in Darfur as the network approaches its Beijing Olympicsbroadcast."The AJWS did its own study that found NBC "has spent a mere 6 hours and 45minutes on the genocide in Darfur since the conflict broke out in 2003." Butis planning "an unprecedented 1,400 broadcast hours to the Beijing OlympicGames this August." The group also sent a letter to NBC News president SteveCapus earlier this month requesting a meeting.But what the AJWS does not mention is the reporting done by the Today show'sAnn Curry. Curry has traveled to the region twice to report for NBC Newsprograms. MSNBC produced an hour-long special based on her reporting, andCurry was honored for her work there. So, while the coverage of the genocidein Darfur has fallen out of the American news cycle of late, the AJWS mightwant to make their voices heard to all the news networks, and not NBC alone.http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-05/2008-05-05-voa57.cfm?CFID=22422552&CFTOKEN=34322103Zimbabwean Women Activists Report Injuries As Police Quell ProtestBy Patience RusereWashington05 May 2008Police in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, arrested 10 members of Women Of Zimbabwe Ariseand allegedly beat dozens as members of the activist group tried to march tothe high court to demand an end to the political violence wracking thecountry.Sources in the group, known as WOZA, said members were beaten by police inan initial attempt to march to the court, then regrouped near St. Mary'sCathedral in the city center before being intercepted and beaten again bythe police.The sources said a number of WOZA members were injured when they were struckby a police vehicle. They said 59 members required medical care after theprotest.WOZA founder Jenni Williams was arrested but soon set free, the sourcessaid.http://allafrica.com/stories/200806030414.htmlZimbabwe: Tsvangirai Takes Protest to Streets After Rallies BannedBusiness Day (Johannesburg)3 June 2008Posted to the web 3 June 2008Dumisani MuleyaJohannesburgZIMBABWE's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, facing PresidentRobert Mugabe in the critical presidential election runoff on June 27, haschanged tactics after the government resorted to banning his rallies in abid to stop his growing momentum.After his rallies in Hwange and Victoria Falls were banned on Sunday,Tsvangirai yesterday changed his approach from public rallies to walkingabout in the opposition stronghold of Bulawayo's restless townships in a bidmobilise voters.Accompanied by his party's campaign team, Tsvangirai visited poor andpolitically explosive townships such as Makhokhoba, Nkulumane, Phelandaba,Luveve, Magwegwe and parts of the central business district.Wherever he went, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader was mobbedby excited crowds urging him to "finish off" Mugabe in the runoff."Welcome to Bulawayo, Mr President," shouted one of the supporters as theyrushed to greet Tsvangirai, who looked pleased and confident despite the banon his rallies and the arrest of scores of party activists."We want you to finish off Mugabe on June 27," they said.Tsvangirai has been finding it difficult to campaign since his return hometwo weeks ago after more that a month of operating from Botswana and SA.Zimbabwe is gripped by worsening political violence, which has claimedscores of lives, mostly of MDC activists.The MDC and human rights organisations accuse the security forces, army,police and intelligence units of waging a covert but brutal campaign againstthe opposition in a bid to save Mugabe's political career.Mugabe, who is free to campaign wherever he wishes, has ordered a "warlike"approach to what he has described as a "do-or-die" campaign. He said thelooming poll would take place in "circumstances of an all-out war".This was a signal for his militant supporters to use violent tactics.Attacks on and arrests of opposition leaders and activists, civic leaders,journalists, lawyers, diplomats and ordinary people accused of dissent havecreated a climate of fear, a little more than three weeks before the runoff.MDC faction leader Arthur Mutambara was arrested on Sunday and charged with"publishing statements prejudicial to the state and for contempt of court"after he recently wrote a newspaper article criticising Mugabe for hisgovernment's handling of elections in March, which the veteran ruler and hisZanu (PF) party lost.The elections were beset by controversy after the electoral commissionfailed to release presidential poll results for more than a month.The editor of the Standard, Davison Maruziva, who published Mutambara'sopinion piece, was also arrested. MDC MP Eric Matinenga, who is also thechancellor of Zimbabwe's Anglican Church and a prominent barrister, wasarrested on Saturday in Buhera for allegedly "inciting violence".At least 74 MDC supporters were arrested, bringing to more than 500 thenumber of MDC supporters picked up since March. Fourteen members of Women ofZimbabwe Arise were arrested in Harare for protesting. The MDC says 50 ofits supporters have been killed since the March 29 election.The MDC is being blocked from reaching some rural areas, Mugabe's formerstrongholds, and denied access to the public media, making its campaigndifficult."They are trying to disable and throw our campaign into disarray," MDCspokesman Nelson Chamisa said. "But this is only making us more determinedand the people are more resolute to vote out Mugabe this time round thanever before."http://allafrica.com/stories/200807040803.htmlZimbabwe: Citizens 'Spoil' to ProtestZimbabwe Independent (Harare)4 July 2008Posted to the web 4 July 2008Wongai Zhangazha/Loughty DubeZIMBABWE'S electorate protested angrily against last Friday's presidentialelection run-off and President Robert Mugabe's government as shown by anextraordinarily high number of spoilt ballots, some carrying insultingmessages.The run-off "won" by Mugabe was characterised by a poor voter turnout inurban areas, where the most spoilt ballots were recorded.Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the MDC, withdrew from the race againstMugabe citing state-sponsored violence against his supporters, but thecountry's electoral authorities went ahead with the poll. The election drewextensive condemnation regionally and internationally.In the first round of the presidential election on March 29, Tsvangiraioutpolled Mugabe, but failed to attain the required 50% plus votes to assumeZimbabwe's presidency.Tsvangirai polled 1 195 562 votes against Mugabe's 1 079 730, but lastFriday the opposition leader got a paltry 233 000 votes to the 84-year-oldformer guerilla leader's 2 150 269.There were 39 975 spoilt ballots in March, but last week's run-off saw thenumber increasing to 131 481, a move political analysts described asunusual.Harare had the highest number of spoilt ballots -- 36 446, Midlands camesecond with 19 438, Manicaland 17 525, Mashonaland West 10 821, MatabelelandNorth 9 907 and Masvingo 9 740.Bulawayo recorded 9 166 spoilt ballots, Mashonaland East 7 675, Matabelelandsouth 7 353 and Mashonaland Central the lowest 3 409.The protest was also seen in the drastic drop in Tsvangirai's votes in someof the provinces in which he performed well in the March election.In Mashonaland West, Tsvangirai in March had 107 345 votes, but last weekwent down to 18 459, while in Mashonaland East he got 4 066 from the 119 661he garnered in the first round.In Harare, Tsvangirai had 220 160 votes in March, but this time he got 48307, while in Manicaland where he previously won with 212 029 votes, lastFriday he managed to get only 29 561 votes.In Bulawayo, 43 584 people voted and there were 9 166 spoilt ballotscompared to 551 spoilt papers when 97 236 voters took part in the polls inMarch.Election observers were perturbed by the number of spoilt ballots and someof the messages that were scribbled on the papers.Marwick Khumalo, the leader of the Pan-African Parliament's observermission, said some of the spoilt ballots had "unpalatable messages".Presiding officers who spoke to the Zimbabwe Independent this week said mostof the spoilt ballots had explicitly insulting messages written instead ofthe cross that marks the vote.The presiding officers said in some instances voters crossed the boxes forboth Mugabe and Tsvangirai and added a message that the two should governthe country together."There were too many spoilt papers in the constituencies, especially inMpopoma (Bulawayo) where people were voting in a by-election," one of thepolling officers said. "Some of the people voted in the House of Assemblyby-election but when it came to the presidential election they decided toexpress their feelings by writing messages about what they felt about thecandidates. Most of the hate messages were directed at Mugabe."The polling officials said some of the common messages on the spoilt ballotboxes were 'Mugabe you must go', 'Please stop the violence, we do not wantyou', 'Go back to Zvimba', 'Go hang' while some were obscene andderogatory."Another polling official who was stationed in Pelandaba/Mpopoma said in someinstances voters took time to draw horns and features on Mugabe's face."It was interesting to note that Zimbabweans are very artistic people," hesaid. "Mugabe's picture on the ballot had horns added to his face while hismoustache was heavily shaded for him to appear like Hitler. The peoplereally expressed their anger on the ballot paper."Political analysts have attributed the high number of spoilt ballots to aprotest vote by Zimbabweans who were angered at Tsvangirai's withdrawal fromthe run-off.NCA chairman Lovemore Madhuku said the spoilt ballots could be explained intwo ways -- a protest against Mugabe or against Tsvangirai's pull out."The first category is that of those people who were forced to go and votefor Zanu PF following the violence and intimidation they experienced beforethe runoff," Madhuku said. "They used their ballot papers as a way ofprotesting against Zanu PF's intimidation. It was an act of resistance thatthey said 'I am not going to give you my vote'."He added: "The other category is that of those who did not agree withTsvangirai's idea to pull out. They were unhappy with the decision anddecided to just spoil the ballots."Prior to the run-off the MDC claimed that over 85 of its supporters had beenkilled, 10 000 injured and more than 200 000 internally displaced bypolitical violence allegedly perpetrated by state security agents, Zanu PFmilitia and war veterans.http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=088ab4ac-c3e8-4170-8ba6-d1399570fa31&rss=703Protesters Rally For Peace In ZimbabweReported by: Jacqueline HowardEmail: Jacqueline.Howard at wcpo.comLast Update: 7/14 5:02 pmFlag of Zimbabwe (Ross Land, Getty Images)Related LinksBush calls for penalties against ZimbabweMayor Suspends Relationship With Sister-City In ZimbabweLocal protesters gathered downtown in Fountain Square on Saturday in effortsto lead a push for democratic change in Zimbabwe.Since President Robert Mugabe took presidency after a runoff election inJune, there has been political unrest in the country.Representatives from the Greater Cincinnati branch of Zimbabwe's Movementfor Democratic Change hosted Saturday's gathering.The Movement of Democratic Change is an opposition party that was founded in1999 to bring democracy to Zimbabwe.In the country, there are allegations that citizens who oppose the rulingparty are often threatened or even killed.Those who met in Fountain Square said they hope Saturday's vigil calledattention to the danger the people in Zimbabwe are facing.http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0,2172,170564,00.htmlZimbabweans in Botswana to protest at SADC officeThe petitions call for urgent attention to be given to the dire situation inZimbabweMay 30, 2008, 06:45Zimbabweans in Botswana - mostly opposition Movement for Democratic Change(MDC) supporters - are to hold a protest march to the Southern AfricanDevelopment Community (SADC) offices in Gaborone.A petition is to be presented to a United Nations (UN) representative, theSouth African High Commissioner, the SADC Executive Secretary and possibly arepresentative from the Zimbabwean Embassy.Some senior MDC parliamentarians are expected at the march. The petitionscall for urgent attention to be given to the dire situation in Zimbabwe.About 50 people have been killed in that country and 25 000 are displacedsince the disputed March elections. Primarily, the petition is calling forPresident Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating in the Zimbabwe conflict, to recusehimself. They're also calling on the Zimbabwean government to denounceviolence in the run-up to the run-off.Meanwhile, President Thabo Mbeki is due to meet with SADC members to discussthe run-off elections in Zimbabwe in four week's time. Mbeki said this afterattending the Tokyo International Conference on African Development inJapan.He cut short his visit in a bid to focus his attention on the xenophobicattacks in the country. Earlier, Mbeki brushed off criticism that he failedto show compassion by not visiting areas affected by violent attacks againstforeigners around the country. Mbeki has urged SADC observers to go back toZimbabwe.http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0,2172,172160,00.htmlGathering on bridge to protest Zimbabwe situationDozens on the bridge to protest against the situation in ZimbabweJune 25, 2008, 21:45Dozens of people gathered on the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburgearlier today to protest against the situation in Zimbabwe. The protesterswere apart of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition.People were wearing red and yellow T-shirts bearing the slogan "Free ZimNow." They were also holding placards displaying pictures of woundedZimbabwean nationals. The placards read "Zim bleeds while the SADC sleeps,""Hoot for a free Zimbabwe," "Stand up for Zim" and "Injustice is a threat toall".Protester David Chitakunye, 29, who left Zimbabwe in 2002 said that he wasnot happy with the situation in his home country. "I was arrested inZimbabwe and severely beaten because I was a MDC supporter. The youthmilitia beat me with sticks and stones and threw me in a gutter to die ... Iwas then rescued by a truck driver who took me to hospital. I fear for mysafety in Zimbabwe and that is the reason for me leaving."Development Bank of SA educational analyst, Graeme Bloch, also a protester,said that it was time for President Thabo Mbeki to "sort Robert Mugabe out"for all the promises that he had broken. "I was in the United DemocraticFront and it's the same sort of issues that I experienced there while beinga member. People have a right to choose ... Zimbabwe should not be run by amaniac who has destroyed his people with violence."Motorists hooted as they drove over the Nelson Mandela Bridge. There wassome police presence in the area. Protesters intended to march to MaryFitzgerald Square where a concert was to be held.Meanwhile, about 300 people believed to be MDC supporters are seeking refugeat the South African embassy in Harare. Foreign Affairs spokesperson RonnieMamoepa says South Africa ambassador to Zimbabwe Mlungisi Makalima and hisstaff are currently talking to the group. - Sapahttp://allafrica.com/stories/200806260934.htmlZimbabwe: Zimbabweans to Protest Presidential Runoff At Embassy in LondonSW Radio Africa (London)26 June 2008Posted to the web 26 June 2008Tererai KarimakwendaA coalition of Zimbabwean groups in the U.K. have organized a demonstrationthat is to take place at the Zimbabwe Embassy in London on Friday, whileRobert Mugabe conducts a Presidential poll with only himself as a candidatein Zimbabwe.The MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out of the race last Sunday as statesponsored violence continued to claim the lives of more MDC officials andsupporters. The decision to withdraw from what has been described as a'sham' election has received global support.The groups that are protesting in London include the Vigil, MDC UK &Ireland, the Zimbabwe Association and the Zimbabwe Community Group. Theirstatement said they are inviting 'Zimbabweans from all walks of life,friends, supporters and well-wishers' to come in their hundreds and expressanger about the genocide taking place in Zimbabwe. The groups are calling onthe international community to 'come together and stop the madness in ourbeloved Zimbabwe'.The demo is on Friday at 10.00 am at Zimbabwe House on The Strand, London.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7369481.stmArchbishop leads Zimbabwe protestDr John Sentamu has been a consistent critic of Mr MugabeThe Archbishop of York has urged members of Zimbabwe's security forces notto prop up Robert Mugabe's regime.Dr John Sentamu, one of the most senior members of the Anglican church, isleading a day of fasting and prayer in support of the people of Zimbabwe.He urged the army and police not to "terrorise the ordinary citizens".In December, Dr Sentamu cut up his clerical collar on television and said hewould not replace it until President Mugabe was out of office.'Basket case'There has been a month of deadlock in Zimbabwe following disputed elections.Dr Sentamu called on the public to join him in prayer for the country.He said: "My plea, really to the army and to the police, is very simple."Your job is not to prop up a government that actually lacks legitimacy, butto protect every citizen of Zimbabwe."And if Mugabe has lost the election, for heaven's sake don't prop him up.The Archbishop of York on Mugabe"As a Christian community we must all stand together with our brothers andsisters living under the tyranny of Mugabe and pray that they will finddeliverance."On Thursday, Dr Sentamu released a joint statement with the Archbishop ofCanterbury calling for international action to prevent "horrific" violencein Zimbabwe.And, speaking on Sunday, he told the BBC: "I've visited it a number of timesand it was the bread basket of that region."It's now a basket case and the problems of Zimbabwe actually affect a lotof us - it's not just them."He said that on other international issues, such as global warming and thehumanitarian crisis in Darfur, there had been "a coalition of nations"prepared to speak out."But, for Zimbabwe, it seems as if it doesn't really matter," he said. "AndI actually think that the international community and all of us must beconcerned about a country which once was a real showcase in Africa and nowreally is terrible."In Zimbabwe, Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party has failed to regain itsparliamentary majority after a partial recount of votes from polls lastmonth.The opposition MDC says it also won presidential polls, although thoseresults remain unreleased.The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said the presidential results couldbe announced after the completion of the recounts, expected by Monday.The head of the Anglican church in southern Africa, Archbishop ThaboMakgoba, told the BBC he wanted a weapons embargo to be imposed againstZimbabwe."I would say Zimbabwe needs food, peace and security and not the arms. Iwould support such an embargo," Mr Makgoba said.[Gonzalo Villanueva maintains a blog, http://open-veins.blogspot.com.]http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/06/402157.htmlProtests in Nottingham as Zimbabwe Goes to the PollsNotts IMC | 29.06.2008 14:39 | Migration | Repression | NottinghamshireOn Friday June 27, Zimbabwe went to the polls in the second round of itspresidential election. This followed a first round in March. Concerned aboutthe scale of state-directed violence against supporters, the oppositionleader Morgan Tsvangirai had withdrawn on Sunday June 22, making a victoryby the incumbent Robert Mugabe inevitable.In Nottingham, the election was marked by the recently formed NottinghamZimbabwe Community network (NZCN) who held a protest against deportations toZimbabwe in Old Market Square and organised a public meeting at the SumacCentre to discuss the situation in the country.The demonstration was a lively affair, with around 30 people in attendanceand a mix of Zimbabweans and supporters. Some demonstrators expressed theirsupport from Morgan Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC),but the main focus was anger against Mugabe. Although relatively small, theprotest attracted considerable interest from passers-by. Some lookedbemused, but others were supportive.After the demonstration the NZCN held a meeting at the Sumac Centre toelaborate further on what life is like in Zimbabwe today. Following foodprovdied by Small World Kitchen, five speakers recounted their ownexperiences, described their concerns about friends and family, sketched outthe history of the opposition in Zimbabwe and talked about life as an asylumseeker in the UK. Tellingly, one of the intended speakers was not able tomake it because he had just discovered that his brother had been murdered inZimbabwe.The meeting followed a successful film showing at the same venue just over aweek earlier as part of Refugee Week. The NZCN had shown Flame, a film aboutone woman's experience during the country's liberation war and followed thisby speakers.Notts IMChttp://allafrica.com/stories/200804251083.htmlSouth Africa: Zimbabwean Protestors Arrested At Chinese Embassy in PretoriaSW Radio Africa (London)25 April 2008Posted to the web 25 April 2008Tererai KarimakwendaThe police in South Africa arrested about 50 Zimbabwean protestors who wereoutside the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria on Friday, attempting to hand over apetition to Zhong Jianhua, the Chinese Ambassador to South Africa.The event was organised by the Revolutionary Youth Movement of Zimbabwe(RYMZ) and the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF). They wanted to protest China'scontinued support of the Mugabe regime in the face of a nationwidepost-election campaign of violence and retribution against oppositionsupporters.The Chinese embassy refused to accept the petition and it is not clear whyso many people were arrested. Among those in detention is RYMZ PresidentSimon Mudekwa, their general secretary John Chikwari, organising secretaryMax Gatakaca and the Pretoria branch chairman Farai Chimanikire.Activist Reverend Mufaro Hove, a board member with the youth group, said thegroups had not applied for a permit from police. He added: "We resolved thatwe would not waste our time with these formalities because they take so longand we have nothing to apologise for." South Africa's police require aseven-day notice period for granting permission to hold a march ordemonstration.Gabriel Shumba, executive director of the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, isassisting at the police station since he is also a qualified lawyer. Shumbasaid it was not necessary for the police to arrest people since it was apeaceful demonstration and they could merely have been asked to disperse.It is feared that some of the arrested demonstrators might be sent back toZimbabwe. In view of the current government crackdown, Shumba said theirlives would be in grave danger.http://allafrica.com/stories/200807050015.htmlZimbabwe: Cosatu Holds Beitbridge Border DemonstrationSW Radio Africa (London)5 July 2008Posted to the web 5 July 2008Lance GumaSouth Africa's main labour union the Confederation of South African TradeUnions (COSATU) held a demonstration at the Beitbridge border post Saturdayprotesting against Robert Mugabe's regime. Spokesman Jan Tsiane urgedcontinental bodies to intervene in the crisis and help restore democracy inthe wake of Mugabe's one-man election. No incidents were reported during theprotests except the arrest of one man who was later released.Newsreel spoke to Patrick Craven from COSATU who said their federation wasopposed to the formation of a government of national unity adding that atransitional authority was the best way forward. Such an authority would beformed using proportional results from the March 29 poll and this body wouldorganize fresh elections that reflect the will of the people.Earlier in the week the federation slammed the one-man run off election,shortly after Robert Mugabe was sworn in as President on Sunday, and calledon African governments to refuse to recognise Mugabe as a legitimate head ofstate. They also said he should be barred from attending meetings of theAfrican Union or SADC.'It would be a disaster for Africa if its highest representative bodies, AUand SADC, were to recognise the outcome of such an 'election' and the Mugabegovernment as legitimate. We urge the African governments not to recognisethe Zimbabwean government and cancel all invitations to it to attendcontinental and international meetings,' COSATU said in a statement.http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2377162,00.htmlProtest against Mugabe, Mswati16/08/2008 14:40  - (SA)Johannesburg - The Congress of South African Trade Unions led a marchagainst the participation of the governments of Zimbabwean president RobertMugabe and Swaziland King Mswati to the Southern African DevelopmentCommunity summit held in Sandton, Johannesburg on Saturday.Spokesperson for the union body, Patrick Craven, said marchers had arrivedat the Sandton convention centre where the summit was being held, and wereholding a meeting outside."It's going very well," he said.A declaration made by Zimbabwean and Swaziland civil society delegates at aSolidarity Conference organised by Cosatu and held on Aug 10-11 read: "Wehold dear the firm view that Robert Mugabe and Mswati III are not legitimateleaders of their various countries."They cannot claim any amount of legitimacy to rule their countries, forthey have not been democratically elected by the peoples of their countries."Therefore, as representatives of civil society, we condemn the behaviour ofthese two leaders and take it upon ourselves to expose them and theirunacceptable behaviour before the eyes of the world," the declaration read.Zimbabwean organisationsZimbabwean organisations who took part in the march included the ZimbabweCongress of Trade Unions, Revolutionary Youth of Zimbabwe, ZimbabweSolidarity Forum, Zimbabwe Exiles and the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition.Swaziland organisations who took part in the march were the SwazilandFederation of Trade Unions, the Swaziland United Democratic Front, theSwaziland Federation of Labour, the Swaziland Youth Congress and thePeople's United Democratic Movement.South African organisations who took part in the march included theTreatment Action Campaign and the Anti-Privatisation Forum.Sandton police spokesperson Constable Neria Malefetse said there had been noreports of incidents during the march.Officers were monitoring the march to ensure that it was peaceful and thateveryone was safe, she said.http://allafrica.com/stories/200805270795.htmlZimbabwe: Citizens Protest in PretoriaThe Zimbabwe Guardian (London)27 May 2008Posted to the web 27 May 2008Ralph MatemaAS PART of the Africa Day campaign, five hundred people marched to the UnionBuildings in Pretoria, South Africa yesterday morning, calling on thegovernment there to take action to end the political violence in Zimbabwe.Gugulethu Moyo, from the Stand Up for Zimbabwe campaign, said: "We call forimmediate and effective action to end the political violence in Zimbabwe, bySouth Africa and the Sadc.""The point was made that much of the violence happening here [South Africa]is against Zimbabweans because the largest group happens to be Zimbabweansbecause of the crisis there," she said.The march was planned for Africa Day as part of the launch of the campaign.The campaign was started by a group of non-government organisations based inthe Southern African region.The website says that: "The campaign is intended to reach out to and involvepeople from all over Africa and the world, asking them to call on theirgovernments, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and AfricanUnion (AU), the United Nations (UN) to act decisively to end systematicpolitical violence in Zimbabwe and resolve the country's political crisis."http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-07/2008-07-02-voa32.cfm?CFID=27501103&CFTOKEN=92152750Senegal Journalists Protest Stadium BeatingsBy Brent LathamDakar02 July 2008Journalists in Senegal are boycotting a sports award ceremony in Dakar toprotest the beatings of two reporters by police after a football match lastmonth.  Media watchdogs say the press in Senegal faces hostility from thepolice and government, and are calling for action.   For VOA, Brent Lathamhas more.Protestor dressed as victim of police brutality takes part in demonstrationby journalists in Dakar, 28 Jun 2008The reporters say they boycotted the "Lion d'Or" awards ceremony, whichgives prizes to top Senegalese athletes and is attended by governmentministers.The Dakar-based Committee for the Defense and Protection of Journalistscalled for all journalists to skip the annual award ceremony.The head of the sports desk at the Senegalese Press Agency, Salif Diallo,said he and other sports writers would definitely not be attending.Diallo says he witnessed the aggression against reporters at the match."The journalists [were] beaten by policemen," he said.  "The reporters atthe end of the match were at the mixed zone for interviews, when thepolicemen came and asked for the reporters to move.  The reporters explainedthat they were just doing their job.  When they did not move, the policemenused their clubs.  They beat them. "One of the reporters is still hospitalized.Many observers are worried such incidents are becoming frequent in Senegal.Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders last week demanded thatPresident Abdoulaye Wade take action to ease tensions between thegovernment, police and certain journalists.Reporters without Borders Africa desk chief Leonard Vincent said recentevents have sparked concern for press freedom in Senegal."There are several problems and police brutality is one very importantproblem," he explained.  "We have had reports of repeated incidentsinvolving the police and in which no sanctions were ever taken against thepolice responsible for the attacks."Committee for the Defense and Protection of Journalists spokesman YakhamMbaye said in addition to Wednesday's boycott, other measures are beingplanned.  Following a march this past weekend that attracted hundreds ofprotesters in downtown Dakar, Mbaye says the press is planning a "dead day"on which no news would be reported.Vincent hailed what he called the journalists' peaceful approach to callingMr. Wade's attention to the matter.  He said that Mr. Wade must address thelack of punishment for those who attack journalists."One of the major concerns in Senegal is the impunity of police forces andpartisans of Wade, his party, and religious leaders, all benefit from thefact that there are no sanctions from the president," he said.  "Sanctionsshould be taken.  Orders should be given within the police and securityforces to respect the press."The Senegalese Ministry of the Interior, which supervises the nationalpolice, refused to comment for this report.http://allafrica.com/stories/200805190791.htmlNigeria: Protesters Storm Reps Office Over NDDCVanguard (Lagos)18 May 2008Posted to the web 19 May 2008SCORES of protesters stormed the constituency office of member representingWarri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. DanielReyenieju, demanding to know from him the status of the said unreleased andexpired funds of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).The protesters, who were probably acting on wrong information that the Repmember was in Warri besieged the constituency office demanding that headdressed them on the issue.Acting under the aegis of Odo-Okun/Ugborodo Federated Union, the protesterssaid they were there to protest to their representative in Abuja that theycondemn in its totality the non-release of the funds due the NDDC throughthe different appropriation laws.Spokesman of the group, Mr. Esimi Nanna said the "three Warri localgovernment areas which constitute the Warri Federal Constituency producesabout 33 per cent of the total oil production in Nigeria and consequently,the Itsekiri remain major stakeholders in the NDDC.""The non-release of the about N300 billion budgeted for NDDC which waswithheld by the Obasanjo regime; and now described as lapsed by thePresident Yar' Adua's government will now constitute excuse for themanagement of NDDC not to embark on development projects."Nanna said they were there to know the position of their representative atAbuja on the issue of the non-released funds, and that they would be back assoon as they were "sure that Reyenieju is around."He said when the money is released they would now direct their attention toNDDC. A staff in the Constituency Office who met with the protesters saidReyenieju was not in town and all efforts to convince the protesters towrite down their grievances proved abortive as they insisted that they mustmeet with Reyenieju.But in a telephone chat with Reyenieju, he said he has received report ofthe said protest which he described as unnecessary. He said the House ofRepresentatives is fully aware of its constitutional responsibility,particularly on the issue of the NDDC which was established by Act ofParliament through the overriding power of the National Assembly when theformer President vetoed the law as passed by both Houses.He said the unreleased monies cannot be said to have lapsed given the factthat the funds ab nitio were never released and thus cannot legitimately bedescribed having expired.Reyenieju said that he was convinced of the sincerity of the "House towardsrighting the wrongs of the past; and that in due course the House willdefinitely look at the issue dispassionately because the said unreleasedfunds due NDDC, if true, had the backing of the laws of the land."http://allafrica.com/stories/200807010795.htmlNigeria: Protesters Take Over Adamawa AssemblyVanguard (Lagos)1 July 2008Posted to the web 1 July 2008Umar YusufAnti-impeachment protesters yesterday took over the Adamawa State House ofAssembly to condemn the process of impeachment initiated by the lawmakersagainst Governor Murtala Nyako.Although the protest was peaceful, security operatives hurriedly stationedtwo armoured tanks at the entrance of the Assembly even as over one hundredpolice personnel were drafted to guard the complex.The protesters in their thousands carried placards with inscriptions like;no to impeachment process; governor Nyako is the only Messiah for Adamawastate; Adamawa Lawmakers are selfish; Adamawa people say no to impeachment,among others.Workers of the house of Assembly were held indoors for over four hours assecurity operatives cordoned off all entrances and exits to the complex.The protesters from all the 21 local governments and the 49 DevelopmentAreas of the state made no attempt to enter the Assembly Complex, but stayedput within and around the legislative house thereby sending jitters to theworkers.Some of the Assembly workers expressed regret over the complete take over ofthe House by protesters, saying that protest ought to have ended in time toenable them go about their businesses. Addressing the protesters at theAssembly complex, the state PDP chairman, Alhaji Mijinyawa Kugama, observedthat the peaceful demonstration was the reflection of the views of thepeople on the on going political empasse in the state.Kugama commended the peaceful manner the protest was staged, hoping that theGovernor and the legislators would resolve their differences in time. , inthe interest of the state. Meanwhile, final negotiations between embattledgovernor Murtala Nyako and the State legislators is holding in Abuja.http://allafrica.com/stories/200808250319.htmlNigeria: Sorcery Allegation - Ijaw Threatens Protest MarchVanguard (Lagos)24 August 2008Posted to the web 25 August 2008Emma AmaizeCHAIRMAN of Izon-Ibe oil producing community task force, Alaowei AfroBiukeme, weekend, threatened to mobilize the disenchanted people of theNiger-Delta to march in Abuja, if within 30 days, the National Assembly andthe police fail to carry out a proper inquiry on the N800 million sorceryagainst the suspended chairman of the NDDC, Ambassador Sam Edem and givecogent feedback to the nation.Alaowei Biukeme who is the chief executive officer of Afrotex InternationalMarine Services, Warri, opined that the claim by the Acting chairman of thecommission, Barrister Bassey Dan-Abia that the agency's money was not in anyway involved in the ugly development around the suspended chairman was farfrom the truth.He insisted that the people would want to know where a public servant likeAmbassador Edem got a whooping sum of N800 million to splash on a nativedoctor, adding, "Any attempt to sweep the matter under the carpet would notbe accepted".According to him, "The whole world is aware already of the fraud that thecommission has become, and this is one case these people cannot use money toinfluence, therefore, we are giving them 30 days to tell us the outcome ofthe investigation, if not , we will go and protest before the presidentbecause of the Due Process that he is campaigning, if it does not work out,then, we will take other ways to make it work.If we keep silent over this matter and he is left off the hook by the policethat it is a ritual case, we are not going to accept it because that moneybelongs to us. We want that money back into the coffers of the NDDC for thedevelopment of the neglected region."We, the activists in the region will not allow this issue to be swept underthe carpet because the way the development of the region is going is notencouraging. The NDDC and the entire governors of the Niger Delta must useour oil money to improve the living conditions of our people", he said.http://allafrica.com/stories/200807080307.htmlNigeria: Youths Protest Non Announcement of Bye-Election ResultDaily Champion (Lagos)8 July 2008Posted to the web 8 July 2008Emeka IhiegbulemLagosAbout 2,000 youths from Oru West local government area of Imo State lastThursday protested in Owerri, the state capital over the failure or theIndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the result ofthe Oru West constituency bye-election into the State House of Assembly. Theyouths in their agitation stated that they voted and monitored the countingof the run-off votes which was held between Hon. Declan Emelumba of PDP andHon. Barr Donatus Onuigwe of APGA, but wondered why INEC in the state wasdelaying the announcement of the result.Saying that the winner of the election is clear based on booth by booth andward by ward counting of the votes, they alleged that INEC in the state hasmortgaged its conscience.The youths who came in 20 buses started their demonstration from Mgbidiheadquarters of Oru West LGA to House of Assembly Complex in Owerri then tothe INEC office disclosed to House of Assembly that the Hon. Onuigwe wonwith over 1000 votes adding that they will not take anything short of theauthentic result.Speaking further, the leader of the group, Prince Leonard Ezewusim said thepeople massively voted for Hon. Onuigwe due to the fact that for eightyears, Hon. Emelumba was in office, his impact was not felt in theConstituency.He described Chief Emelumba as a self-centred legislator who has taken whatis due to the Constituency to his family and kiths and kins.Acknowledging that the two and half months, Hon. Onuigwe has been in office,he has positively changed the Oru West and posited that he will performwonders if he is there till the end of this political dispensation.Responding the Speaker of the House of Assembly through the Memberrepresenting Ezinihitte Mbaise constituency, Hon. Dr Obioma Ekennia told theyouths that the working of the House is different from INEC adding that theywill work according to the information given to the House by INEC.Ekennia, also the deputy chief whip admonished the youths to be calminsisting that their grievances will be sorted out.He thanked them for the peaceful way they were conducting the demonstrationand submitted that there are provisions in law in tackling electoralproblems.http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-05/2008-05-27-voa36.cfm?CFID=24173815&CFTOKEN=14103636Hundreds Protest Arrest of Jean-Pierre Bemba in DRCBy VOA News27 May 2008Party members, supporters of MLC (Movement for the Liberation of Congo)march in Kinshasa, 27 May 2008About 1,000 people have marched in the Democratic Republic of Congo'scapital, Kinshasa, to protest the arrest of former rebel leader Jean-PierreBemba on war crimes charges.The demonstrators Tuesday blew whistles, carried posters and chanted "FreeBemba."Bemba was arrested in Belgium on Saturday for war crimes he allegedlycommitted in the Central African Republic.The International Criminal Court says his forces carried out a series ofrapes and murders in the CAR between October 2002 and March 2003.Members of Bemba's Movement for the Liberation of Congo, MLC, group insisthe is innocent. An MLC official, Mika Pere Perry, says former CAR PresidentAnge-Felix Patasse should be arrested instead.Patasse had invited Bemba's group into his country to help put down a coupattempt.Bemba is facing four counts of war crimes and two counts of crimes againsthumanity. His arrest is the first stemming from an investigation opened byICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo a year ago.Belgian officials must approve his transfer to the ICC before he can go ontrial.After Congo's civil war, Bemba's MLC group became a political party. At onetime Bemba was Congo's vice president. He lost the 2006 DRC presidentialelection to President Joseph Kabila.Bemba left Congo for Portugal in April of 2007 after clashes between hissupporters and government forces killed more than 200 people.http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/27/africa/AF-GEN-Congo-Bemba-Protests.phpMore than 2,000 in Congo protest arrest of Jean-Pierre Bemba on war crimesThe Associated PressPublished: May 27, 2008KINSHASA, Congo: More than 2,000 people marched down a main boulevard inCongo's capital Tuesday calling for Belgian authorities to releasewarlord-turned-political leader Jean-Pierre Bemba."Free Bemba! Free Bemba!" the crowd shouted as it pushed toward theparliament building, blowing whistles and brandishing posters of the man whowas the runner-up in the Central African nation's 2006 presidentialelection.Belgian police arrested Bemba on Saturday on war crimes charges stemmingfrom his time heading a militia that allegedly committed atrocities inCentral African Republic's 2002-2003 conflict.The International Criminal Court in The Hague had issued the arrest warranton charges of rape and torture that were kept secret until he was captured.Bemba, who is in his mid-40s, vowed to remain in the government as anopposition leader after losing the presidency to Joseph Kabila, and waselected as a senator. However, he was forced to flee to Portugal in April2007 after being accused of treason in Congo. He also acquired a home inBrussels.Officials with Bemba's political party said the arrest was unjust andunnecessary."Bemba isn't a hoodlum," said Francois Muamba, the secretary general ofBemba's party. "If they want to talk to him, they can present themselveswherever they want."Party leaders said they have formally asked parliament to condemn the arrestand urgeforeign government to respect the immunity that Congo grants tosenators.The court's prosecutor "wants to interfere with the internal businesses ofCongo and that is unacceptable," said Delly Sesanga, an official withBemba's Movement for the Liberation of Congo party. Sesanga said Bemba hadnot given any indication that he was a flight risk, as prosecutors alleged.The crowd of protesters in Kinshasa continued to grow at midday. Men andwomen on foot were followed by cars stuffed with Bemba supporters."Bemba is a senator!" some shouted - a reminder that his warlord past hasfaded in the minds of many Congolese as Bemba remade himself as a keyopposition political figure. Police were stationed outside the BelgianEmbassy to prevent protesters from charging the building, but thedemonstration appeared to be going forward peacefully.A number of former warlords have taken government posts since Congo emergedfrom years of fighting in 2002. In a transitional government that paved theway for the 2006 elections, Bemba was one of four warring rebels brought inas vice presidents in a move to unify the country the size of westernEurope.President Joseph Kabila's father was a rebel leader who toppled longtimeruler Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997.Bemba ruled a large part of northeastern Congo during that country's1998-2002 war as a warlord and rebel leader with help from neighboringUganda.The International Criminal Court has charged that Bemba had full authorityfor the political and military decisions taken by his militia, whichinvestigators say is responsible for widespread killings and hundreds ofrapes - some of them children.Sesanga argued that the crimes were isolated incidents perpetrated byfighters who are already being investigated by Congo's government.Bemba's political party is the second-largest bloc in parliament, after theruling party.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Rest_of_World/Guinea_president_sacks_PM_youths_protest/rssarticleshow/3057959.cmsGuinea president sacks PM, youths protest21 May 2008, 0403 hrs IST,REUTERSCONAKRY: Guinea's President Lansana Conte sacked Prime Minister LansanaKouyate on Tuesday, 15 months after appointing him in a deal to end a bloodygeneral strike in the world's top bauxite exporter, state media reported.Announcing Kouyate's replacement in a presidential decree broadcast on statetelevision, Conte appeared to have the final word in an increasinglyvitriolic battle of wills between the rival power blocks the two men head inthe West African country. But within a couple of hours of the broadcast,youths took to the streets in at least two opposition-leaning suburbs in thecapital Conakry, throwing stones and burning tyres.Gendarmes fired in the air to disperse them, residents said. Kouyate had leda consensus government formed following violent riots that shook Guineaearly last year in which more than 130 people were killed, most of themunarmed civilians shot by security forces. But his influence waned in recentmonths. "Dr Ahmed Tidiane Souare is named prime minister and head ofgovernment in replacement of Mr. Lansana Kouyate," a presidential decreeread on state television said.http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004439369_apguineaprimeminister.html?syndication=rssSoldiers in Guinea protest prime minister's firingBy MASECO CONDEAssociated Press WriterCONAKRY, Guinea -Gunfire was heard behind the walls of the Republican Guard headquarters inthe capital Monday a few hours after soldiers at another military base inConakry fired shots in the air to protest the dismissal of Guinea's primeminister last week.Security forces blocked the road to the Republican Guard compound and itcould not be learned if troops inside were part of a spreading protest inthe military over President Lansana Conte's removal of the prime minister.Soldiers fear the departure of Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate means theywill not receive roughly $1,000 in back pay that he allegedly promised them.The army is seen as critical to Conte's bid to remain president despiteleading this West African nation to economic ruin since seizing power in a1984 coup. Last year, mass protests by unions forced him to appoint a primeminister from a list approved by union leaders.The power-sharing agreement was meant to loosen the ailing Conte's grip onpower. He broke the deal earlier this year by firing the informationminister without Kouyate's consent and then ignored it again last week bydismissing Kouyate himself - a move the unions condemned.http://allafrica.com/stories/200805301148.htmlGuinea: Country Faces Stability Threat After Sacking of PremierThe Nation (Nairobi)31 May 2008Posted to the web 30 May 2008Hamadou Tidiane SyDakarWith contradicting reports coming from the Guinean capital, Conakry, it isdifficult to tell whether the soldiers who abducted and held the army'ssecond in command for several hours last Friday, were protesting against thesacking of former Prime Minister, Lansana Kouyaté on May 20, or over theirsalary arrears.Whatever the case, the officers at the Alpha Yahya Diallo camp, the capitalConakry's main barracks, also staged a protest this week, firing heavilyinto the air.Gen Mamadou Sampil, the army's deputy chief-of-staff was quickly dispatchedto "negotiate" with the soldiers.Soon similar scenes were replaying in other provinces, including Kindia inthe southeast, where one of Guinea's biggest garrisons is located.Reports indicated that three civilians were killed and several peopleinjured in the protests.Initial reports said the soldiers were protesting over unpaid salaries andpoor living conditions - yet again - in the resource-rich West Africannation.This time, however, thanks the sacking of the prime minister less than aweek earlier, there was suspicion that the soldiers were protesting againsthis dismissal.However, the government attributed the protests to salary arrears in whatseemed like an attempt to downplay the seriousness of the crisis and, moreimportantly, to dismiss the idea that the soldiers' protests were in any wayrelated to politics.However, what is obvious from these latest developments is that Guinea'sstability is once again seriously threatened.On the surface, things seemed to have been going well, until the ailing74-year-old president, Lansana Conté, sacked Prime Minister Kouyaté on May20 without giving any official reason.Mr Kouyaté was appointed to the post in March last year after a serioussocial and political crisis.It is worth noting that Kouyaté was not the president's choice, as he wasmore or less forced to appoint the man by the people.Weary of deteriorating living conditions and fed up with Mr Conté's corruptand authoritative regime, which has seen the (potentially) richest nation inWest Africa remain backward in terms of economic development, they wereeager to have a non-partisan prime minister.Not dryGuinea is endowed with diamonds, bauxite, iron, gold and uranium, amongother minerals, and unlike many of its neighbours, the country is not dry.It is located in a temperate and rainy area that's suitable for forestry andagriculture.This paradox - lack of basic infrastructure despite the huge mineralpotential - last year led to violent scenes in the country, which alsoproved to be the most serious threat to Mr Conté's regime in more than twodecades in power.But Mr Conté, a shrewd former military officer, was able to ride out thestorm and remain in power. He was said to be sick and dying at the time, buthe turned out to be tough and still in control.Following tough negotiations between the government and trade-unions - afteralmost two months of violent street protests - he yielded to the people'sdemands and appointed a "neutral" prime minister.The protesters wanted a person who was not beholden to the president, andwho was willing to focus on the country's many economic and social problemswith a view to improving them.The unions' insistence that the appointee be "neutral" was mainly becausePresident Conté had appointed many prime ministers before, but had giventhem no room to make the simplest decision or implement any policy withouthis personal approval.In 2007, the social situation was somewhat different, and for the first timein 24 years, enthusiastic Guineans started seeing that political change waspossible.Indeed, in January and February 2007 - a year before the wave of food riotshit a number of West African countries - Guinea had had its share of "foodriots", with workers and the public, all demanding "affordable" food andbetter management of the country's wealth.Following a general strike called in mid January 2007 by the trade unions,the youths took to the streets.Dozens of people were killed in the following days as the protests gainedmomentum.Despite the killings, the protesters held their ground and for weeks, theykept challenging President Conté, a former military officer who came topower in 1984, and who had weathered many storms.But this time, the violence continued until he accepted to negotiate withthe trade unions and to appoint a "neutral" prime minister.It was a sort of victory for the protesters and for the people in general.The "compromise" candidate was found in Mr Kouyaté, a diplomat then servingat the International Organisation of Francophone Countries.He was appointed to implement what was agreed upon between President Contéand the workers.The trade unions, backed by equally disgruntled citizens, also demanded thatthe president give the new prime minister sufficient powers to lead thegovernment and effect the necessary changes.They further asked that Mr Conté's former allies and appointees ingovernment be excluded from key government positions.Although it may have appeared like a humiliating defeat for the president,it was, in effect, a deft move to remain in power.No impactIt was the first time that President Conté had been forced to listen,because, this time, his threats to kill had no impact.But it has turned out to be a short-lived victory for the people.Since last week, the president has been showing that he is still in command,what with the sacking of "the people's choice" and replacing him with anally, Ahmed Tidjane Souaré, a former Mines minister seen as extremely closeto him.But before Souaré has even finished forming a new cabinet, trade unions haverejected him, saying his appointment is a "violation" of last year's' accordwith the president.This, combined to the soldier's mutiny, is likely to plunge the country intouncertain times once more.On Wednesday this week, President Conté announced the sacking of Defenceminister Gen Mamadou Baïlo Diallo in a move seen as aimed at satisfy thesoldiers who accuse the minister of not handling issues relating to theirpay properly.The soldiers have also demanded the retirement of all army generals, whomany believe are the ones propping Conté's regime.But some see Diallo's sacking as merely symbolic, given that a newgovernment is yet to be constituted following Souaré's appointment.http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-08-22-hivpositive-swazi-women-march-in-protest-at-shopping-bingeHIV-positive Swazis march in protest at shopping bingeMBABANE, SWAZILAND Aug 22 2008 08:14More than 1 500 mostly HIV-positive women staged an unprecedented protest inSwaziland on Thursday against a foreign shopping tour by eight of the rulingmonarch's 13 wives, in a country ravaged by HIV/Aids.Dressed in red, white, blue and orange T-shirts, the demonstrators marchedacross the capital, carrying placards with such slogans as, "we wantmultiparty democracy now," "enough is enough," and "taxpayers's money doesnot belong to royalty"."With this march, we want to drive home the point that we people living withHIV are not happy with the way our money is being used," said SiphiweHlophe, spokesperson of two NGOs for HIV positive women --the Women's Coalition of Swaziland and Swaziland Positive Living -- whichorganised the protest.It appeared to be the first demonstration here by people living withHIV/Aids as they questioned how money could be spent on a shopping trip whenSwaziland faced shortages of medicines including antiretrovirals.The eight wives, children, maids and bodyguards left the impoverishedmountain kingdom last week to shop for the "40-40" celebrations to mark its1968 independence from Britain and King Mswati III's birthday on September6."We cannot be allowing such exorbitant, luxurious expenditure of thetaxpayers's money in the face of the dire poverty which is demonstrated bythe fact that two-thirds of the population are being fed on food aid," thewomen said in a petition.Close to 40% of adults in the landlocked Southern African nation are livingwith HIV and Aids, the highest infection rate anywhere in the world,according to United Nations figures.Per capita income here is just over $1 000, according to governmentfigures -- the lowest in Southern Africa.Government spokesperson Percy Simelane justified the spending spree for thecelebrations."Poverty has been with us for many years. We cannot then sit by the roadsideand weep just because the country is faced with poverty," he said."We have made great strides as a country that gives us pleasure incelebrating the 40 years of independence and the king's birthday," Simelaneadded. - AFPhttp://www.thenews.com.lr/story.php?record_id=3461&sub=NewsProtesters Continue Siege In HarperAngry citizens of Wertchuken in Maryland County have vowed not to abandonthe Harper City Hall they have been occupying for the fourth day runningunless their demands are met by government.The Wertchuken citizens told a government delegation headed by InternalAffairs Minister Ambulai Johnson, Wednesday at the Harper City Hall thatthey would not end their protest action unless the right palm of one oftheir kinsmen, Jeffery Dweh who, along with Walker Williams, was killedrecently in a land dispute between them and another group of citizens fromRock Town is produced.According to The NEWS Maryland Correspondent, A. Wehdoe Sloh, WertchukenChief Nelson Neal told the government delegation that they wanted MarylandSuperintendent Sie Teba Neufville to resign because he is responsible forthe dispute between the two groups.He alleged that on numerous occasions the people of Wertchuken complained tothe Superintendent about encroachment on their land but he did nothing toavert the situation.Chief Neal also called on the government to turn over the disputed parcel ofland known as Mahfliken to the people of Wertchuken since it was theirinheritance.Upon arrival in Harper City, the Internal Affairs Minister and delegation,including Justice Minister Philip A.Z. Banks and Maryland Senator JohnBallout, drove directly to the Harper City Hall to meet with the aggrievedcitizens.The NEWS Correspondent said Minister Johnson informed the citizens that theywere in the county to look into the circumstances which led to the landdispute and subsequent death of the two citizens.Minister Johnson also appealed to the citizens to exercise restraint whilegovernment was looking into the matter.Justice Minister Philip Banks who also spoke during the meeting, appealed tothe citizens to give the due process a chance to take its course.He assured that those who are accused in connection to the killings of thetwo people would be prosecuted.He also informed the citizens that his ministry has appointed two stateprosecutors to effect the speedy prosecution of the murder case involvingsome 24 accused.According to our correspondent, Cllrs. J. D. Bayorgar Junius and RobertChattah are currently in Harper to prosecute the accused.Meanwhile, reports reaching The NEWS late Thursday evening indicate thatMinister Johnson has recalled Superintendent Neufville to Monrovia andappointed Mr. Hodo Clark as acting superintendent.On Monday, hundreds of citizens of Wertchuken District from the Nyanbo tribereportedly stormed the Harper City Hall and forcibly occupied officesincluding the magisterial and circuit courts in demand of government'sspeedy settlement of the dispute.http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=61255SEYCHELLES: Police crack down on media freedom protestersPhoto: Govt of SeychellesPresident James MichelJOHANNESBURG , 4 October 2006 (IRIN) - Police in the capital of theSeychelles, Victoria, fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperseprotesters demanding the opening of the airwaves on Tuesday. Some oppositionparty members were detained and others hospitalised.Up to a hundred supporters of the opposition Seychelles National Party (SNP)gathered outside parliament during a discussion on an amendment tobroadcasting laws that deny other political parties access to radio and TVstations."While the law was debated [SNP] asked supporters to come ... to sign apetition. While they were assembling there were lots of police and ananti-riot unit - they went into action immediately," Roger Mancienne, editorof the weekly opposition newspaper, Regar, told IRIN.Mancienne, who was among those detained by police, said: "The leaders of SNPwere immediately apprehended - party officials were severely beaten and keptin custody in the hospital because of their wounds."SNP leader Wavel Ramkalawan, who lost to presidential incumbent James Michelin July elections, was among those injured and arrested."He [Ramkalawan] was told the gathering was illegal, and to take steps todisperse the crowd. He was then suddenly beaten by riot police," saidMancienne.In a television address on Tuesday evening, Police Commissioner Gerard WayeHive called the assembly an "illegal gathering", and said his officers wereforced to act to disperse the crowd. He maintained that Ramkalawan hadresisted arrest.Reporters Without Borders, an international media watchdog, condemned thepolice action, saying: "It is perfectly legitimate to demand an end to thestate's broadcasting monopoly and strict control of the public media; it isincomprehensible that anti-riot police used violence against unarmedcitizens, who turned out in support of the opposition and journalists."The Seychelles People's Progressive Front has been in power in the IndianOcean archipelago for almost three decades since former President AlbertRene's bloodless coup in 1977. Multiparty democracy was restored in 1993,followed by the appointment of Michel as Rene's successor in 1994.