#KENYA: Pres. Ruto Says US Agency Hired Violent "Goons" During Protests

[world politics news]

Kenyan President William Ruto has accused the Ford Foundation, an American private foundation, of sponsoring violence during recent anti-government protests.

Speaking in Nakuru, Kenya on Monday, Ruto claimed that the Foundation hired goons tto cause mayhem during the protests which led to the destruction of property and looting of businesses.

He challenged the organization to rebut the allegations and threatened to expel them from the east African nation.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#NIGERIA: Ebonyi State Governor Slashes Univ. Fees, Raises Univ. Staff Wages

[world politics news]

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has slashed the tuition fees of the Ebonyi State University by 10 per cent.

Mr Nwifuru has also approved the increment of salaries of both academic and non-academic staff of the state-owned institution by 20 and 10 per cent, respectively.

Nwifuru, governor of Ebonyi State since 2023, previously served as speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly from June 2015 to May 2023. He's also a lawyer.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SOUTHSUDAN: Gov't Shuts Schools, Gov't Offices Amid Heatwave; Blames West

[world politics news]

Blaming "climate change" and the West, Joseph Africano Bartel, undersecretary for Environment in the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, has announced the closure of schools and government businesses in this war-torn and poor African nation amid a severe heatwave. 

Yolanda Awel Deng, minister for Health, said heatwave like the current one hits cities the hardest, and reduce productivity. She urged people to remedying indoors as much as possible. She said the government is monitoring the situation for disease outbreaks.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UGANDA: Gov't Official Says Starved People Were "Idiots"

[world politics news]

A Ugandan government minister is facing criticism after calling those who have died of hunger in his country "idiots".

Many have deemed Henry Okello Oryem's comments tone-deaf.

In 2022, more than 2,200 people died of starvation and related illnesses in northeast Uganda, a report by an official human rights body said.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

ITALY: Investment, Not Charity, For Africa Says Meloni

[world politics news]

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told her EU partners that curbing migration from African countries has less to do with offers of charity than strong partnerships coupled with strategic investments in those nations.

Meloni told reporters at a year-end news conference that last month's deal on the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact partially improved the situation for Italy and other asylum countries, but does not represent a solution to increasing migrant arrivals.

“What needs to be done in Africa is not charity,” the Italian prime minister said. “What needs to be done in Africa is to build cooperation and serious strategic relationships as equals, not predators.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#NIGER: Coup Leaders Vow Return To Democracy In 3 Years

[world politics news]

Niger’s military ruler General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and seized power in a coup, has proposed a return to democracy within three years.

Neither the junta “nor the people of Niger want war and remain open to dialogue,” General Tchiani said during a televised address on Saturday evening.

He said the principles of the transition would be decided within the next 30 days as part of a national dialogue hosted by the junta and the transition itself “should last no longer than three years.”

The junta took power in late July, seizing Bazoum – who had been elected democratically in 2021 in a relatively peaceful transfer of power – and shutting down national institutions.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UGANDA: Bill Prioritizes East African Goods, Services

[world politics news]

Uganda's Parliament has considered President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s recommendation on prioritisation of procurement of goods, works and services from the East African region under the passed National Local Content Bill, 2022.

President Museveni returned the Bill, that was initially passed by parliament on 6th September, 2022 disagreeing with Clause 4 which provided that a local entity shall give preference to goods which are manufactured and services which are provided by Ugandan entities.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UGANDA: New Law Would Make Identifying As Gay A Crime

[world politics news]

New legislation being proposed in the parliament of Uganda would criminalize identifying as a homosexual or engaging in same sex relations.

Under the proposed law, anyone who engages in same-sex activity or who "holds out" as LGBTQ could face up to 10 years' imprisonment.

The speaker of the parliament says hearings will begin on the bill this week. Uganda has notoriously strict anti-homosexual laws, already.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#DJIBOUTI: Nation Votes, But Opposition Boycotts

[world politics news]

Voters in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti were choosing a new parliament on Friday in an election boycotted by the main opposition parties.

The election is being held amid speculation over a potential successor to President Ismael Omar Guelleh, one of Africa's longest serving leaders, who has ruled the nation with an iron fist since 1999.

Guelleh's ruling Union for Presidential Majority (UMP) is one of only two parties taking part and is certain of victory.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GHANA: MP To Introduce Anti-Gay Legislation In March

[world politics news]

The bill on Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values is set to be laid before Parliament by the end of March this year.

This was revealed by a proponent and sponsor of the bill and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Prampram Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Sam Nartey George.

His revelation comes after the committee yesterday held a closed-door hearing with the State Attorney on his Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) raising some human rights challenges with the bill.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#US: Treasury Sec. Yellen On Africa Tour To Counter China Influence

[world politics news]

 

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen last Wednesday began an 11-day trip to Africa, aimed at deepening economic ties on the continent where China has become a key player.

Yellen’s travel to Senegal, Zambia and South Africa comes after a detour to Switzerland where she was to meet Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on macroeconomic issues.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#NIGERIA: ATM Withdrawals Limited To $45/Day

[world politics news]

The Central Bank of Nigeria has capped daily ATM withdrawals at $45 in order to encourage electronic payments, including the eNaira digital currency.

The central bank has sent out a circular to lenders cutting the daily cash machine withdrawal limit from 150,000 naira to 20,000 naira, according to Bloomberg. Weekly cash withdrawal limits of 100,000 naira for people and 500,000 naira for corporations have also been set.

The limit is the latest effort by Nigeria to discourage cash usage. The country is set to redesign high-value notes and is giving people until January to switch out their old paper money.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#KENYA: Supreme Court Upholds Presidential Election Victory For Ruto

[world politics news]

Deputy President William Ruto's declaration as president-elect after the August 8th election, has been upheld by the Supreme Court of Kenya. Opponents had file petitions with the court alleging massive fraud throughout the country.

Ruto garnered 50.5% of the vote in the closely fought election against 48.8% for Raila Odinga.

The 55-year-old will be sworn in as the country's fifth president on September 13th.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#IVORYCIAST: Legislator Proposes Legalizing Polygyny

[world politics news]

Muslim-majority Ivory Coast is considering a bill to legalize polygyny – a practice which is widespread across the country but which is technically illegal. 

Ivorian MP Yacouba Sangaré introduced the bill to legalize polygamy on June 30, describing current legislation as “a generalized hypocrisy."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UGANDA:: Law Seeks to Curb Illicit Organ Trade

[world politics news]

A law to regulate the harvesting and trade in human organs and tissues has been introduced in Uganda’s parliament, the health minister said, as authorities move to curb a growing illegal market in body parts such as kidneys in the country.

There has been a public outcry in Uganda over the trade in organs and tissues derived from unwilling donors

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#KENYA: Chinese Debt Paid Through Borrowing

[world politics news]

Kenya paid off a Chinese principal loan of Sh17.5 billion with another debt in the last financial year exposing the country’s limited reserves, a National Treasury document shows.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#MALAWI: Parliament Considers Abolishing Death Penalty

[world politics news]

 
Following the passage of a report proposing the abolition of the death sentence last month, the parliament of Malawi has begun public inquiries in the capital, Lilongwe, on the idea.

The courts in this Southeast African nation have also begun to consider whether the death penalty violates the Constitution's protection of life, but have thus far stopped short of overturning the death penalty.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Gov't To Start Shipping Illegal Immigrsnts To Rwanda

[world politics news]

The UK government's announcement that it plans to send migrants illegally entering the UK to the East African nation of Rwanda for processing has outraged many from politicians and charities to the Church of England.

The UK will reportedly pay Rwanda £120m and refugees could be sent to east Africa within weeks.

The government has defended the policy, with Foreign Minister Priti Patel stating in the House of Commons that the current dispersal system is "unfair" and overwhelmed, with local authorities sharing the burden "disproportionately". Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was the "morally right thing to do."

Little reported is the fact that for several days straight, migrant crossings in the English channel have completely stopped.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SOMALIA: Presidential Election Delayed

[world politics news]

 

Somali leaders agreed to extend parliamentary elections until March 15, once more postponing a long-delayed presidential vote.

The government had set a deadline for the parliamentary ballot to be completed by Friday. Lawmakers failed to meet the deadline because of a lack of funding and insecurity, the prime minister’s office said in a statement

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GHANA: Fight In Parliament Over Controversial Internet Tax

[world politics news]

 

A fight broke out between lawmakers in Ghana’s parliament during a debate over a proposed tax on electronic transactions that has divided the house for weeks.

The controversial 1.75% e-levy, which would include mobile money payments, has been challenged by the opposition since it was first proposed last month and held up the passing of the budget.

The fight occurred after the parliament's speaker called for a vote on the measure.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.