CONTINENTAL DRIFT
Buhari wins second term
Incumbent Muhammadu Buhari won the Nigerian election with 56% of the vote, according to Nigeria’s electoral commission. His opponent, Atiku Abubakar, received 41%. The opposition has rejected the result and called for new elections in states where they allege irregularities. Voter turnout was the lowest in Nigeria’s history, according to Sahara Reporters, at just 35.6% of registered voters.
Sall leads Senegal poll
Senegalese President Macky Sall has been re-elected with a majority of “a minimum of 57%”, according to his prime minister. Final results have yet to be released. Sall needs more than 50% to avoid a run-off election against his main rival, Idrissa Seck. Seck has urged his supporters not to be disheartened by the initial tallies. “There is no question, a second round is unavoidable even if some media try to announce a victory in the first round,” he said.
New sanctions on DRC
The United States has announced it will deny entry to senior officials involved in “corruption relating to the election process” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The US said it would reject visa requests from five officials and their immediate families. They include Independent National Election Commission president Corneille Nangaa and Constitutional Court president Benoit Lwamba Bindu. An unspecified number of other government and military officials are also included.
Africa’s space race
African Union chair Egypt has allocated $10-million to establish the African Space Agency (ASA). The AU passed legislation to establish the ASA in 2017 and Egypt beat similar proposals from Nigeria and Ethiopia to be the space agency’s headquarters. It will be located in New Cairo. The ASA is part of the Africa 2063 agenda, which aims to transform Africa in the next 50 years.
Opposition arrested
The leader of the women’s wing of Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chadema, was arrested and later released on bail after 24 hours for her “seditious” talk. Halima Mdee (40) was arrested in Dar Es Salaam after meeting her Chadema colleagues and constituents. Mdee, a lawyer and MP, is an outspoken critic of President John Magufuli. She was arrested several times in 2018 after being accused of insulting him. Chadema chairperson Freeman Mbowe has remained detained since November last year.
Ex-minister arrested
Zambia’s former information minister, Chishimba Kambwili, was reportedly arrested this week after he was caught on camera shouting abuse at an Indian driver. According to the BBC, Kambwili yelled: “How can you come in our country to drive this when Zambians have no jobs? Go back to your country. Foolish … This is very annoying! How can an Indian come all the way from India to come and drive a compactor?” — Briefs compiled by Aaisha Dadi Patel, Mashadi Kekana and Sarah Smit, sourced from Africa News, Quartz Africa, AFP and BBC