Africa: Freedom Declined in 2008, Says Rights Group

Washington, DC — Freedom House, the washington-based independent non-governmental watchdog, has described 2008 as a year of “regression” for sub-Saharan Africa in its annual report on political rights and civil liberties.Twelve countries – almost one-quarter of the countries on the continent – experienced a decline in 2008, said the report, Freedom of the World.Only four – Zambia, Comoros, Angola and Cote d’Ivoire – made positive gains. Freedom House singled out the gains in political rights in Angola and Cote d’Ivoire, two post-conflict countries, for praise.

Africa: No More Excuses on Gender Violence

As the world marks the twenty-seventh International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, United Nations figures indicate that in the course of her lifetime, one in every three women is beaten, coerced into sex or abused, by a relative or acquaintance.In Africa , concerns continue to be raised over poor legislation and enforcement to protect women and girls from harm.At the African Development Forum, held in Addis from Nov. 19-21, it emerged that many women do not report cases of violence, particularly those involving intimate partners, for fear of reprisal, which may include economic deprivation, physical abuse, or losing custody of their children.”There is a deep culture of silence where women do not tell about their husbands or partners beating them; they fear that they may stop being provided for, particularly if the man is the bread winner,” says Auxillia Ponga, a gender advisor with the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Zambia: Police Revoke Permit

Zambia : KITWE police yesterday withdrew the permit issued to the Patriotic Front (PF) to peacefully demonstrate against President Rupiah Banda’s victory in the October 30 elections citing security of the public.And various stakeholders yesterday condemned the riot that disrupted business and left various properties damaged in the city.Kitwe district police chief, Daniel Kasonde said the police had cancelled the PF demonstration which was due to be held tomorrow.Mr Kasonde said the situation was very delicate for an event of that nature to be held.”The current situation is so unstable and tempers among the people are so high,” said Mr Kasonde.Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Jennipher Musonda said some notable opposition political party leaders are alleged to have masterminded the riot that took place in Kitwe yesterday.And Mrs Musonda has urged all peace-loving Zambians to condemn and reject any violence that some politicians may try to fuel in the country.

Zambia to import maize

Zambia has plans to import more maize next year to supplement its low yield. The country which apart from copper depends on agriculture for its economic development is reported to have experienced crop failure this year. The country is set to import about 100,000 tonnes of white maize to top up.The news comes in after the country elected a new president Rupiah Banda earlier this month after defeating Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata. A Reuters report quoted industry sources confirming the development adding that the country’s Food Reserve Agency (FRA) had maize which would last only for two months.According to the report Zambia’s total maize output has gone down due to among others floods that hit the country.The country during the year 2006/2007 recorded a maize surplus. Zambia’s imports will be the first in over four years when the country became a net exporter of white maize.

“Africa leaders must think”

The present generation of Africa’s leadership must re-think and design Africa’s future on the basis of lessons learnt in the past and present. This is to address Africa being the weakest and poorest in the world 50 years after independence, the former President of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa said.He noted that the “tardiness and slow response” of the international community to Africa’s plight, after the post colonial era, has served as a pointer that there was no fundamental interest in the development of Africa.Mkapa expressed these sentiments when he delivered the first in a series of lectures at the eighth edition of the ‘Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Lectures’ at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), under the theme, “Rethinking the political, social and economic paradigm of African development”.

Zambia: Inflation rises to 15 percent

Zambia’s inflation has soured to 15.2 percent year on year in October from 14.2 percent in September, the country’s Central Statistical Office (CSO) has said. The country’s new president Rupiah Banda has seen inflation surging due to higher food and transport costs among others in that country.“The increase of 1.0 percentage points in the annual inflation rate was due to the increase in the cost of food, transport and hotel accommodation,” said CSO in its statement.The October jump takes inflation further away from the country’s target of 7 percent by the end of this year, as high global fuel and food prices have lifted domestic costs, according to a Reuters report.The Southern African country which is one of the largest producers of copper had its inflation in a single digit during the reign of late president Levy Mwanawasa. Banda who was acting president, now has a huge task of maintaining Mwanawasa’s prudent leadership which won him the support of donors.

Banda sworn in as president

Zambia’s acting head of state, Rupiah Banda, has been sworn in as president, just hours after officials said he had narrowly won Thursday’s election. The ruling party beat three other contenders. According to final results, Banda beat the main opposition candidate, Michael Sata, by 40.1% to 38.1%.Sata has vowed that he will challenge the outcome of the elections claiming they have been rigged.Banda now succeeds the late president levy Mwanawasa who died of a stroke in France in August. He will serve until 2011, when Mwanawasa’s term would have ended.Preliminary results showed Banda with 708,683 votes versus 682,171 for Sata. The count was based on results from 148 of 150 constituencies.

Tension mounts in Zambia

Police in Zambia have arrested 18 people for rioting and causing extensive damage to public property. They all belong to the opposition Patriotic Front. The suspects burnt makeshift shops and stoned motor vehicles after the Electoral Commission declared acting President Rupiah Banda winner.Police in Lusaka say one vehicle was extensively damaged in Lusaka’s high-density suburbs of Chipata and Mandevu. Provincial police Chief Greenwell Ng’uni told reporters in the Zambian capital that police had to fire tear gas to disperse the unruly cadres.Ng’uni has cautioned that police will not allow any outbreak of post election violence. Rupiah Banda was on Sunday sworn-in at a ceremony in Lusaka. He succeeded Levy Mwanawasa who died of a stroke in France on August 19.

Zambia: Opposition demand ballot recount

Zambia’s losing presidential hopeful Michael Sata has demanded for a recount of the results after losing to Banda who has since been sworn in as president. The Patriotic Front has claimed the election was rigged and marred by electoral irregularities that can only be corrected through a ballot recount.Party Vice President Guy Scott has disclosed that the party will seek judicial guidance on the matter after the Electoral Commission of Zambia rejected to hear the patriotic front’s preliminary request to suspend the announcement of the results. Scott says the party’s legal committee is in the process of filing court documents to compel the electoral commission to recount the presidential ballots and ensure that they are verified.

Zambia: Opposition takes early lead

The opposition in Zambia has taken an early lead in the latest results from Thursday’s presidential by-election. Michael Sata has won 63.5 percent of the votes cast in 15 out of 150 constituencies, according to the Electoral Commission. Acting president Rupiah Banda is trailing with 29.5 percent.Sata, 71, was defeated by late President Levy Mwanawasa in the 2006 election, after also leading in early poll results. The opposition leader said yesterday voting was being rigged in favor of Banda, and vowed not to accept the results if his rival won.Sata had 187,863 votes versus 96,325 votes for Banda, election officials announced, Reuters news agency stated.