presidential election - The African Mirror

Dec

2023

How Congo’s presidential election will be decided

DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo's election commission has stated for months that it can deliver a free and fair vote, even as opposition candidates and independent observers flagged irregularities they said would jeopardise the legitimacy of the results. Africa's second-largest country modified its electoral law in June last year to improve the traceability of votes and curb irregularities in the compilation of results observed in a disputed 2018 poll, among other reforms that critics said fell short. The presidential election will be decided in a single round, requiring a simple majority of the vote to win. Voters were also casting ballots on Wednesday for national and…

Dec

2023

By PATRICK WERR

Egypt faces painful choices after Sisi’s re-election

NEWS

A steady deterioration of the economy puts Egypt under pressure to take long-awaited measures following a presidential election, foremost among them a currency devaluation and a hike in interest rates, along with faster state asset sales. Analysts believe the government postponed painful steps until after Abdel Fattah al-Sisi swept to a third six-year term in a December 10-12 vote that saw no serious challengers and was overshadowed by the war in Gaza. The focus now turns to how to deal with an overvalued currency, near-record inflation and massive debt, both domestic and foreign. "There are a lot of big choices for the government to…

Dec

2023

By AIDAN LEWIS and AMINA ISMAIL

Egypt’s Sisi cruises towards victory in subdued election

NEWS

EGYPTIANS cast their ballots on the third and final day of a presidential election expected to give President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi a sweeping victory and a new six-year term in the absence of real competition. Many Egyptians have shown little interest in the election, saying they believe that voting will make little difference, although authorities and commentators on tightly controlled local media continued urging them to cast ballots out of national duty until polls closed at 9 p.m. (1900 GMT). "I will not vote because I am sick of this country," said 27-year-old taxi driver Hossam, who said his quality…

Dec

2023

By FARAH SAAFAN and AMINA ISMAIL

Push to mobilise turnout as Egyptians vote for president

NEWS

EGYPTIANS, some arriving on buses or stationed waving national flags outside polling stations, voted in the second of three days in a presidential election in which Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to sweep to a third, six-year term. Many have shown little interest or knowledge about the election, which is being held amid a grinding economic crisis and war on Egypt's border in the Gaza Strip. Authorities and commentators on tightly controlled local media have been urging people to vote out of national duty. Crowds have appeared at polling stations where patriotic music is blasted through loudspeakers, though other polling stations observed…

Dec

2023

By AMINA ISMAIL, FARAH SAAFAN and NAFISA ELTAHIR

Egyptians vote in presidential election overshadowed by Gaza war

NEWS

EGYPTIANS began voting on Sunday in a presidential election set to hand Abdel Fattah al-Sisi a third term in power, as the country grapples with an economic crisis and a war on its border with Gaza. If Sisi wins a new six-year term, his immediate priorities would be taming near-record inflation, managing a chronic foreign currency shortage and preventing spillover from the conflict between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers. Voting, which runs from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. (0700-1900 GMT), is spread over three days, with results due to be announced on Dec. 18. Patriotic songs played on a loop as polling stations…

Dec

2023

By The African Mirror

How Egyptians will vote for their president

NEWS

EGYPT will hold a presidential election on December 10-12 in which former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is poised to secure a third term that will extend his rule into a second decade. Public attention has shifted from an economic crisis to the war in Gaza during the run-up to the polls. Here are some facts about the vote. VOTING The vote in Egypt will take place from December 10-12. Voting for Egyptians abroad was held on December 1-3. Results are due to be announced on December 18, with an absolute majority required to avoid a second round in early…

Oct

2023

By The African Mirror

Liberia presidential election heads for November run-off vote

NEWS

LIBERIA'S electoral commission on Tuesday scheduled a presidential election run-off for November after results showed that the two frontrunners, President George Weah and opposition leader Joseph Boakai, had failed to secure enough votes. Weah holds a slim lead at 43.83% of the vote, while Boakai has 43.44%, according to tallied results from 100% of polling places, the West African nation's election commission said. Commission chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah said the run-off vote would be held on November 14. She said there was a record turnout of 78.86% of around 2.4 million registered voters. The October 10 election has been widely…

Oct

2023

By The African Mirror

Liberia set for presidential run-off

NEWS

LIBERIA'S presidential election was still on track for a run-off after nearly complete provisional results showed President George Weah and opposition leader Joseph Boakai neck-and-neck, below the threshold needed to avoid a second round. Following the October 10 general election, Weah holds a slim lead with 43.84% of the vote, while Boakai has 43.44%, according to tallied results from 99.93% of polling places, the West African nation's election commission said. To avoid a run-off, the winner must secure more than 50% of the votes cast. The election commission said on Tuesday that ballots would be re-cast in two polling places…

Oct

2023

By The African Mirror

Congolese opposition leader Fayulu confirms he will run for the presidency

NEWS

DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo opposition leader Martin Fayulu confirmed he will submit his candidacy for the December presidential election, where he is expected to be one of the main challengers to President Felix Tshisekedi. The 66-year-old former Exxon Mobil executive came second to Tshisekedi in the contentious 2018 election. His party, the Engagement for Citizenship and Development party, the African Union and Congo's influential Catholic Church questioned the outcome and Fayulu challenged the results in court. Since then he has remained a vocal critic of Tshisekedi's presidency, threatening to boycott the Dec. 20 ballot in protest at alleged fraud linked…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Zimbabwe’s ‘Patriotic Bill’ outlaws criticism of government before election

NEWS

ZIMBABWE'S parliament has outlawed criticism of the government ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in August, with violations of a new law punishable by up to 20 years in jail. The Criminal Law Code Amendment Bill, widely known as the "Patriotic Bill", contains a clause that criminalises "wilfully damaging the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe". Opposition activists said the law, passed late on Wednesday, was designed to punish citizens, civil society organisations and political adversaries of the ruling ZANU-PF party. It has raised fears that the government could launch a crackdown on dissent ahead of the general election on August 23,…