Democratic Republic of Congo
Kabila Wins Election
On October 29, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) witnessed the first free presidential election in 40 years. This election is the follow-up to the July election, which ended in inconclusive results. In the first round, the current incumbent leader, Joseph Kabila, won 45% of the votes, while the former rebel leader, Jean-Pierre Bemba, came in second with 20% of the votes, neither of which met the requirement for a majority vote. Although the results of the October election are not yet in, preliminary findings seem to show that the election will be closer than many expected. Mr. Kabila has gathered wide support from the eastern part of the DRC, where he is often credited with helping quell the fighting and bringing relative peace to the area. Mr. Bemba, on the other hand, has a large following in the west, including in the capital of Kinshasa. Although the elections occurred with minor disruptions compared with the magnitude of previous conflicts, some towns are re-running the election due to deadly clashes that interfered with voting. Some expect that the violence will resurge once the results have been released, as occurred after the first round elections in July. Nonetheless, the international community seems to have come to a consensus that this round of elections has, thus far, been free and fair.
Ghana
Agyeman-Rawlings loses libel suit
Former first Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings recently lost a libel case against the Editor of the Daily Guide newspaper and two others. The former leading lady found issue with the headline “Milking the Sacred Cow, Konadu Owes 2.8 million cedis to the State.” (N.B. 2.8 million Cedis = approximately $3,110) The ruling is seen by many Ghanaians as an indicator of the present J.A. Kuffuor-led administration’s fairness in dealing with the once untouchable Mrs. Agyeman-Rawlings and a testament to democracy in Ghana. Her supporters point to the decision as an example of the present government’s vindication of all things connected to her husband’s former regime.
Kenya
UN Climate Change Conference held in Nairobi
Ahead of a UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Nairobi, Kenya from the 6-17 November, a report produced by the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) shows that Africa is the continent most affected by global warming but is the least able to redress the effects of it. Some of the anticipated effects of global warming in Africa include: about 5% food production decrease by 2080; natural disasters like droughts and floods which could affect over 800 million Africans; water shortages; and the loss of natural habitats.
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