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Mozambique’s 2024 elections: 9 major challenges that will face the next president

Mozambique’s 2024 elections: 9 major challenges that will face the next president

THE incoming president of Mozambique faces an array of interconnected problems deeply rooted in historical, socioeconomic and political dynamics. He must balance meeting immediate needs with long-term structural change. The 9 October 2024 general election was Mozambique’s seventh since multiparty elections were introduced in 1994. The results are expected to be announced within two weeks from the poll date. International media reports indicate that the ruling Frelimo and its presidential candidate Daniel Chapo are poised for a landslide victory. This is likely to be confirmed by the electoral commission even though local media have pointed to widespread and brazen ballot…
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Tunisia’s democracy in peril: Electoral Commission stripped of powers days before presidential vote

Tunisia’s democracy in peril: Electoral Commission stripped of powers days before presidential vote

IN a move that has intensified global concern over the erosion of democracy in Tunisia, the country's parliament has voted to strip the Electoral Commission of its independence and powers, just days before the upcoming presidential elections. This development, coupled with ongoing repression against opposition politicians and independent media, has cast a shadow over the electoral process in the North African nation. On September 27, Tunisia's parliament approved a law that removes the Administrative Court's authority to adjudicate electoral disputes. The decision comes a mere nine days before the presidential election, fueling fears among opposition groups that the result may…
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How Congo’s election could unfold and why it matters

How Congo’s election could unfold and why it matters

DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo held presidential and legislative elections this week against a backdrop of militia violence in the east, a chaotic campaign and claims the electoral commission was not prepared to hold a free and fair vote. Here are some key facts about how the election could unfold. WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR? Voting started on December 20 as planned, but some polling stations opened late and some didn't open at all due to machines malfunctioning, violence and other issues. Because of the issues, authorities decided to extend voting into a second day at polling stations that had failed to open.…
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Kenyan parliamentary committee call for reforms to electoral body

Kenyan parliamentary committee call for reforms to electoral body

A committee set up by the Kenyan parliament has called for reforms to the country's electoral body and a review of tax policy, public spending and social security, a copy of their report seen by Reuters shows. The bipartisan committee formed to study opposition grievances wants the electoral commission reconstituted and an audit of the last presidential election. Kenya was gripped by violent protests early this year triggered by complaints by opposition leaders and supporters about electoral malpractices, the high cost of living and rising taxes. As a result, the committee was formed in August with the backing of a parliamentary…
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Eleven candidates to run for president in Zimbabwe

Eleven candidates to run for president in Zimbabwe

NYASHA CHINGONO ELEVEN candidates will run for the Zimbabwean presidency in an August election, the electoral commission has said, after several hopefuls were disqualified for failing to raise the $20,000 needed to appear on the ballot. The election is expected to pit Incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa, of the ZANU-PF party, against pastor and lawyer Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), who is seen as the strongest challenger. The commission said late on Thursday that 11 hopeful candidates had been disqualified from the Aug. 23 election, several of whom, including Linda Masarira, failed to pay the $20,000 to secure…
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Nigeria won’t use 240 new polling units due to insecurity – electoral commission

Nigeria won’t use 240 new polling units due to insecurity – electoral commission

CAMILLUS EBOH NIGERIA'S electoral commission head said that 240 polling centres will not be used in upcoming elections, as no one had chosen them due to insecurity in the surrounding areas. Separatist and gang violence is a major concern for Nigerians when they vote on February 25 for new members of parliament and for a successor to President Muhammadu Buhari. When new voters register in Nigeria, they are allowed to choose a polling centre. Most people choose the nearest to where they live because movement is restricted by security agencies on election day. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmood…
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NIGERIAN ELECTIONS: Results starts trickling in

NIGERIAN ELECTIONS: Results starts trickling in

FELIX ONUAH NIGERIA'S electoral commission began announcing state-by-state results from national elections, though it is not expected to name a victor in the race to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari for several days. The presidential vote is expected to be the closest in Nigeria's history, with candidates from two parties that have alternated power since the end of army rule in 1999 facing an unusually strong challenge from a minor party nominee popular among young voters. Votes in presidential and parliamentary elections are collated in each of Nigeria's 36 states before the count is transmitted to the electoral commission's central tallying centre in the capital…
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Nigeria’s electoral agency postpones elections for governors

Nigeria’s electoral agency postpones elections for governors

NIGERIA'S electoral commission has postponed by a week Saturday's elections to choose new governors, saying it needed more time to reconfigure electronic machines that are at the centre of last month's disputed presidential vote. The elections to pick governors in 28 of the country's 36 states will now be held on March 18. Governors are among the most influential politicians in Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy and largest oil producer. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said late on Wednesday it needed more time to reconfigure its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) that uses fingerprints and facial recognition to identify voters and transmit…
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South Africa plunged into a local election frenzy

South Africa plunged into a local election frenzy

SOUTH AFRICA'S top court's dismissal of an application by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to postpone local elections due on October 27, has plunged the country into an election frenzy. The IEC's commissioners and top executives are meeting this weekend to align their plans with the judgment and finalise the election timetable. The institution has announced that it would convene an urgent meeting of all political parties to discuss the implications of the Constitutional Court judgment. In a statement, the IEC said: "The Electoral Commission notes the order handed down by the Constitutional Court in which it dismissed an application…
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